Amalgamated Union of Foundry Workers (AUFW) and predecessors

Scope and Content

Rules of AUFW and predecessors, 1837-1964; rules revision conference papers, 1954-1959; records relating to amalgamations, including abortive negotiations, 1924-1973; national executive minutes, 1946-1964; statements of the national council, 1946-1952; annual delegate meeting papers, 1946-1967; circulated minutes of joint trade union bodies, 1949-1952; bank books of the Scottish Brassmoulders' Union, 1934-1944: agreements, 1952-1960; notes on entries and exclusions from the union, 1953-1959; items relating to the history of the union, 1889-1959; publications of the AUFW and its predecessors, 1909-1967; minutes of proceedings and documents submitted to the Industrial Court, 1939; records relating to pneumoconiosis/silicosis compensation, 1950-1952; minutes of Chester branch, 1921-1959, and Consett branch, 1951-1959.

Administrative / Biographical History

The Amalgamated Union of Foundry Workers was established in 1946 by the amalgamation of the United Metal Founders' Society, the Ironfounding Workers' Association and the National Union of Foundry Workers. In 1962 it absorbed the North of England Brass, Aluminium, Bronze and Kindred Alloys Moulders' Trade and Friendly Society. In 1967 it absorbed the Amalgamated Moulders and Kindred Industries' Trades Union. In that same year it merged with the Amalgamated Engineering Union and became the foundry section of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering and Foundry Workers and of the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers in 1970.

Reference: H.J. Fyrth and H. Collins, 'The foundry workers, a trade union history' (Manchester, 1959).

Arrangement

The reference codes of these records were determined by a superseded catalogue arrangement. The codes are therefore not necessarily in order in the catalogue.

Access Information

This collection is available to researchers by appointment at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick. See http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/using/

Other Finding Aids

Custodial History

The archive has been deposited in the Centre on indefinite loan by the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers (Foundry Section). The first deposit consisted of fifty shelf feet of records collected from the AUEW office in Manchester by Janet Druker on 24th April 1974. The records with references prefixed MSS.41B were received in the autumn of 1985 shortly before the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers (Foundry Section) moved its Manchester offices to new premises in London.

Related Material

Records of the Constructional Engineering Union (MSS.273); the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union (MSS.259); the Technical, Administrative and Supervisory Section (MSS.101/DA); and the working papers of H.J. Fryth (MSS.224)