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Education and Work Records
- Army Schoolmasters - Punishment Ledgers
- Army Schoolmasters - Punishment Ledgers
- Army Schoolmasters 1847-1876
- Army Schoolmasters 1847-1876
- Army Schoolmasters 1847-1876
- Berkshire, Eton College Register, 1441-1698
- Britain, Business Indexes 1892-1987
- Britain, Business Indexes 1892-1987
- Britain, Children's Employment Commission Part 2, 1842
- Britain, Merchant Seamen, 1835-1857
- Britain, Merchant Seamen, 1918-1941
- Britain, Merchant Seamen, 1918-1941
- Britain, school and university register books 1264-1930
- Britain, Trade Union Membership Registers
- Britain, Trade Union Membership Registers, Browse
- British India Office Assistant Surgeons
- City of London, Haberdashers, Apprentices and Freemen 1526-1933
- City of London, Ironmongers, Apprentices and Freemen 1511-1923
- City of York apprentices and freemen 1272-1930
- Civil Service Commission appointments, promotions and transfers 1871-1942
- Clergy List 1896
- Dental Surgeons Directory 1925
- Devon, Plymouth & West Devon Apprentices 1570-1910
- East India Company & Civil Service pensions
- Electrical Engineering Apprentices & Trainees, 1902-1934
- England, Cheshire school records, 1782-1950
- Gloucester Apprentices 1595-1700
- Lancashire, Barrow-In-Furness Shipbuilding & Engineering Employees
- Lloyd's Register Of Merchant Ships Index 1843
- London Apprentices from Dorset 1605-1799
- London Apprentices from Somerset 1575-1800
- London, Dulwich College Register 1619-1926
- London, Watermen In Royal Navy, 1803-1809
- London, Watermen, Admiralty Muster Of The Port Of London, 1628
- London, Watermen, Birth Register Of Contracted Men, 1865-1921
- London, Watermen, List Of Free Watermen, 1827
- London, Watermen's Petition For The King Charles I, 1648
- Manchester Apprentices 1700-1849
- Manchester Industrial School Registers1866-1912
- Manchester Police Index 1858-1941
- Match workers strike, Bow 1888
- Merchant Navy Seamen [Merchant Marines]
- National School Admission Registers & Log-Books 1870-1914
- Royal Hibernian Military School admissions 1847-1932
- Royal Hibernian Military School Staff List 1864
- Royal Household Staff 1526-1924
- Royal Military Asylum apprentice ledgers 1803-1840 / Royal Military Asylum (Chelsea) admissions 1803-1901
- Scotland, Edinburgh Apprentices 1583-1800
- Surrey, Southwark Congregational Registers
- Surrey, Southwark, Newington Apprentice Register 1891
- Sussex, Lancing College Register 1901-1954
- Teachers Registration Council Registers
- Trinity House Calendars, 1787-1854
- Warwickshire, Coventry, company directories and publications 1908-1966
- White Star Line Officers' books
Explore this immense collection of over three million British trade union records from the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick including digitised images of the original record books from 9 unions.
Each record will include an image of the original document and a transcript for the individual. The amount of detail in each transcript can vary depending on the record type and what the union chose to record. Many will include a combination of the following:
- Name
- Birth year
- Admission year
- Age at admission
- Trade
- Union name
- Union branch
- Branch transferred to
- County
- Country
- Archive
- Archive reference
Images
Use the arrows to the left or the right of the image to read through the documents to find out even more about the trade union.
It is always valuable to view the image of the document. The images will often include more details about your ancestor and you can read more from the document and understand the context of the report.
There are a variety of record types available within this collection and each one will hold its own valuable information. Below we have included a list of the document types and what further information is available in the images.
Discover more about these records
Through this collection you can discover your ancestor’s trade union records. It was vital for trade unions to keep accurate records of all their members and proceedings. The documents include details about individual members such as payments made, benefits received, name of spouse, etc. Some of the unions published profiles about their members or those who held offices. Further you can follow your ancestor’s progress within the union through his/her membership details. Many unions kept detailed records for when a member joined, paid their subscription, applied for funeral benefits or superannuation (retirement). The documents also include details about the trade unions such as directories of secretaries, meeting dates and times and items of trade union business.
Trade union records available include:
Amalgamated Society of Carpenters & Joiners
The Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners was formed in 1860 by the amalgamation of several small London trade clubs. It merged with the Amalgamated Union of Cabinet Makers in 1918 to form the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters, Cabinetmakers and Joiners. As well as branches throughout the British Isles, it also had many branches in the United States, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Southern Rhodesia. In 1921, it merged with the General Union of Carpenters and Joiners to form the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers.
The admissions books (1895-1920) are organised by branch and list new members of the union joining the branch and existing members transferring away from the branch to other branches. The registration books were compiled every ten years (1901, 1911 and 1921) and list every current member by current branch. The reference books were also compiled every ten years and list members who have transferred from one branch to another in the last decade.
Amalgamated Society of Carpenters, Cabinetmakers & Joiners
Formed in 1918 when ‘Cabinet Makers’ merged with the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners.
Amalgamated Union of Cabinet Makers, renamed from the Friendly Society of Operative Cabinet and Chair Makers, Carvers and Wood Turners of Great Britain and Ireland, created in 1833, renamed in 1885.
General Union of Carpenters & Joiners
The General Union of Carpenters and Joiners was formed in 1827 by the amalgamation of several small trade clubs. It had branches throughout the British Isles. In 1921, it merged with the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters, Joiners and Cabinetmakers to form the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers.
The quarterly membership returns (1886-1920) list every member by lodge (branch).
Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers
In 1921, the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters, Joiners and Cabinetmakers and the General Union of Carpenters and Joiners merged to form the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers (ASW). From 1925, the overseas branches of the former Amalgamated Society of Carpenters, Joiners and Cabinetmakers seem to have no longer been affiliated to the British union and cease to be listed in the membership registers. The union was one of those which amalgamated in 1971 to form the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT).
The ASW maintained a series of admissions books (1921-1930) identical to those of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, listing new members of the union joining the branch and members transferring away from the branch to other branches.
Amalgamated Society of Lithographic Artists, Designers, Engravers & Process Workers
The National Society of Lithographic Artists, Designers and Writers, Copperplate and Wood Engravers was founded in 1885 and renamed the Amalgamated Society of Lithographic Artists, Designers and Writers, Copperplate and Wood Engravers in 1887 and the Amalgamated Society of Lithographic Artists, Designers, Engravers and Process Workers in 1903. Renamed the Society of Lithographic Artists, Designers, Engravers and Process Workers (SLADE) in 1922, it existed under this name until it amalgamated with the National Graphical Association in 1982.
The general register lists every new member from 1885 to 1919.
Amalgamated Society of Lithographic Printers
The Amalgamated Society of Lithographic Printers was formed in 1880. It existed under the same name until it merged with the National Graphical Association in 1969.
The half-yearly and quarterly reports (1880-1930) list every current member by branch. They also list new members, deceased members and members' wives, recipients of unemployed and sick benefits, members transferring between branches, excluded members, recipients of travelling benefit (1880-1918 only) and superannuated members (1890-1930 only). The wartime registers also list members on active service, killed and decorated for gallantry.
Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants
The Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants (ASRS) was formed in 1872 and became the principal union for blue-collar railway employees throughout the United Kingdom (white-collar workers belonging to the Railway Clerks' Association, later the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association). It absorbed the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants for Scotland in 1892.
National Union of Railwaymen
In March 1913, it amalgamated with the much smaller United Pointsmen’s and Signalmen’s Society (UPSS) and General Railway Workers’ Union (GRWU) to form the National Union of Railwaymen (NUR). Only the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) remained aloof from this merger, and continues to do so, although many drivers and firemen actually belonged to the ASRS/NUR instead. The NUR amalgamated with the National Union of Seamen in 1990 to form the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT).
In 1897, the ASRS began a new series of membership registers, which was continued by the NUR. The first three list all existing members, and subsequent registers (January 1897-August 1919, October 1924-March 1928) list new members. All members of the UPSS and GRWU transferring to the new union are listed in 1913. There is a large gap in the series between 1919 and 1924, as these registers (and those from March 1928 onwards) were not accepted for deposit by the MRC due to space restrictions.
United Society of Boilermakers & Iron Shipbuilders
The United Society of Boilermakers and Iron Shipbuilders was formed by the amalgamation of several smaller unions in 1852. It was renamed the United Society of Boilermakers and Iron and Steel Shipbuilders in 1941 and the United Society of Boilermakers, Shipbuilders and Structural Workers in 1953. After a series of amalgamations and name changes, it finally became the General, Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trades Union (GMB) in 1982.
There appear to be two separate series of registration books: MSS.192/BM/2/1/1-2 (the other volumes in the series are missing) may have been originally compiled in 1873-1881; MSS.192/BM/2/2/1-22 and MSS.192/BM/2/1/3 were probably compiled from c.1911 and include all current members (including those in MSS.192/BM/2/1/1-2 who were still members) as well as new members joining after the series began. Note that this union reused membership numbers - as members died or left their numbers were assigned to new members.