Transport and General Workers' Union

Scope and Content

This collection includes records of central office, research department and branches.

Administrative / Biographical History

The Transport and General Workers' Union was formed in 1922 by the amalgamation of fourteen unions: the Amalgamated Society of Watermen, Lightermen and Bargemen; the Amalgamated Carters, Lurrymen and Motormen's Union; the Amalgamated Association of Carters and Motormen; the Associated Horsemen's Union; the Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Workers' Union of Great Britain and Ireland; the Labour Protection League; the National Amalgamated Labourers' Union of Great Britain and Ireland; the National Union of Docks, Wharves and Shipping Staffs; the National Association of Ships' Clerks, Grain Weighers and Coalmeters; the National Union of Vehicle Workers; the National Amalgamated Coal Workers' Union of Inland and Seaborne Coal Workers; the North of England Trimmers and Teemers' Association; the North of Scotland Horse and Motormen's Association; and the United Vehicle Workers.

The TGWU continued to absorb many other trade unions, notably the National Union of Dock, Riverside and General Workers in Great Britain and Ireland in 1922, the Workers' Union in 1929, the National Association of Operative Plasterers in 1968, the Chemical Workers' Union in 1971, the National Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers in 1981, and the National Union of Dyers, Bleachers and Textile Workers in 1982.

On 1 May 2007 the T&G amalgamated with Amicus to form the T&G Section of the new Unite the Union.

Access Information

Prior written permission to consult almost all unpublished records in this archive is required. Details are given in the full catalogue. Subject to permission being granted, the archive is available to researchers by appointment at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick. See http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/using/

Acquisition Information

The initial deposit was made by the TGWU in April 1976. Regular further deposits have been made from July 1985 onwards.

Other Finding Aids

Appraisal Information

This collection has been weeded for duplicates.

Accruals

Further deposits are ongoing.

Related Material

See also MSS.126 (all deposits made by TGWU head office), MSS.74 (Ben Tillett Papers), MSS.282 (Frank Cousins Papers), MSS.360 (National Amalgamated Stevedores and Dockers' Society), MSS.208 (Coventry District and Rugby Branch), MSS.245 (5/195 Black Country Transport Branch), MSS.356 (Rover Solihull 5/357 Branch), MSS.251 (West Midlands Region), 923 (1/1647 International Workers' Branch: Papers of Alvaro de Miranda).