Records of the Hull and District Trades Council

This collection contains records created by the Hull and District Trades Council, consisting of minute books [U DSTC/1]; chronologically arranged files containing pamphlets, notes, correspondence, copy correspondence, and circulars received [U DSTC/2]; accounts files containing invoices and receipts [U DSTC/3], and publications produced by the Trades Council [U DSTC/4]. Most of the files [U DSTC/2 and U DSTC/3] appear to have been compiled by J. D. L. Nicholson in his capacity as secretary of the Hull and District Trades Council, and also as editor of the Hull and District Trades Council's official newspaper, The Sentinel. Please note that no issues of The Sentinel have survived with this collection.

Common subject coverage includes local day schools and conferences, talks, annual May Day celebrations and demonstrations, pensions, health and welfare, delegates and affiliations to the Trades Council, resolutions submitted for consideration by the Trades Council, and representation of the Trades Council on various local boards and committees.

Subject coverage of special interest includes the 1930s Hull Cinema Workers Strike, the development of the Fair Wages Clause, attempts to aid Spanish refugees in Hull, attempts to aid Austrian refugees involved in the Spanish Civil War, Greek trade unionism, local implementation and management of the National Heath and Insurance Scheme, consideration of disability in the work place, working class housing repairs and rents, and peace conferences and meetings.

This collection would be of particular interest to anyone researching 20th century working class history, industrial relations, connections between Local Authority and the Labour Movement in Hull, Spain under the Franco regime, Anglo-Soviet relations, the 20th century Peace Movement, and British aid to political refugees and prisoners.

Formed in 1881, the Hull and District Trades Council was established to represent and advocate for local branches of trade unions, and to support the same in their activities to fight for workers' rights. Its headquarters were located variously at the Co-operative Institute in Kingston Square, Hull, and also at 83 Charles Street. The Trades Council was part of the regional association, the Yorkshire Federation of Trades Councils, and was also affiliated to the national Trades Union Congress. It worked closely with local branches of the Labour Party, and was represented on various local boards, committees and councils relating to trade, commerce, industrial issues, and health and welfare of the working classes.

Local trade union branches and related organisations could apply to become affiliated to the Hull and District Trades Council, paying annual subscription fees to receive access to the support and benefits afforded by the Trades Council. Upon paying affiliation fees, each organisation obtained the right to return delegates for representation on the Trades Council, and these delegates would be expected to attend full council meetings.

In addition to undertaking advocacy and support work, the Trades Council sought to promote and arrange public meetings, conferences and day schools. The aim of this activity was to further the education of local workers, whilst also promoting the causes of socialism and trade unionism. As well as supporting traditional male dominated working class trades, the Trades Council also interested itself in the plight of female workers, young workers and disabled workers.

Common topics of interest to the Trades Council included local industrial disputes, fair working conditions and wages, organisation of workers in different trades, May Day celebrations, shopping hours, public transport costs, National Insurance, health and pensions.

More widely, the Trades Council appears to have been interested in civil liberties causes, the peace movement, and trade relations with the USSR. The council maintained affiliations to various national and international groups and campaigns, including the Union of Democratic Control, the National Council for Civil Liberties, the Peace Pledge Union, the National Council of Labour Colleges, the Labour Research Department, the League of Nations Association, and the Workers Educational Association.

In the period covered by this collection, the Trades Council was also heavily involved in campaigns to support the Spanish anti-Fascist movement, closer Anglo-Soviet co-operation, and organisations undertaking human rights work in China and Greece.

The Trades Council produced and published a newspaper, The Sentinel, with the main Executive Committee acting as the management board of the newspaper. Access to The Sentinel was by subscription, and the newspaper was a source of advertising space for many local businesses and Labour Movement campaign committees.

During much of the period covered by the collection, local political figure, J. D. L. Nicholson, was heavily involved in the Trades Council, acting as Secretary and an editor of The Sentinel. Known as 'Jack', John Dewick Lambert Nicholson was born Feb 1891 at Constable Street, Hull. He was a Labour councillor, alderman and war-time Lord Mayor of Hull.

Four series, reflecting the observable original order of the collection:

U DSTC/1 - Minutes of Hull and District Trades Council

U DSTC/2 - Files of the Secretary of Hull and District Trades Council, including material relating to The Sentinel

U DSTC/3 - Accounts of Hull and District Trades Council

U DSTC/4 - Publications of Hull and District Trades Council

Access will be granted to any accredited reader

Hull Trades Union Council, formerly Hull and District Trades Council

Papers of the Trades Council came into the hands of Professor John Saville, a lecturer in Economic and Social History at the University of Hull. They were deposited with Hull Central Library c.1966 and were placed into the Local Studies collection. The papers were transferred to Hull History Centre in 2010 as part of the Hull City Archives and Local Studies collections. During legacy appraisal work by Hull City Archives and Local Studies, the collection was deaccessioned and transferred to the ownership of Hull University Archives to form part of the Labour History Archive collections, which grouping was created by John Saville with the support of former University of Hull Librarian Philip Larkin in the 1970s.

Material in other collections relating to the Hull and District Trades Council:

U DJS/4/15 - Pamphlet File. Hull and District Trades Union Council, 1992-1996

U DJS/4/46 - Pamphlet File. Trades Councils, 1957-1971

U DP161 - Records of Hull Branches of Various Trade Unions, the Hull Trades Council and Hull Central Branch of the Co-Operative Women's Guild, 1893-1968

U DPU/447-448, 1009-1011, 1161, 1620, 1730, 1739 – Correspondence with Hull and District Trades Council, 1950s-1960s

U DX116/28 - Bye-laws and rules. Hull Trades and Labour Council, 1912

U DX101/5 - Photocopy. 'Monthly Labour Journal' (organ of Hull Trades Council) No. 72, Dec 1899

Material in other collections relating to Trades Councils generally:

U DX234 - Annual Conference of Trades Councils

U DBN/10 - Harrow Trades Council, originally Harrow, Wealdstone and District Trades Council

Material relating to key organisations featuring in this collection:

U DDC - Union of Democratic Control

U DCL - Liberty, formerly the National Council for Civil Liberties

U DX70 - National Council of Labour Colleges

Note: The records of various trade unions are also held by Hull University Archives, please search the catalogue for individual trade unions.