Amalgamated Association of Miners

The Amalgamated Association of Miners (AAM) was formed in 1869 in Lancashire, at a time of increasing industrial conflict in the British coalfields.

Amalgamated Association of Miners
Founded23 August 1869 (1869-08-23)
PredecessorMiners' National Union
SuccessorMiners' National Union
Date dissolved24 August 1875
CountryUnited Kingdom

History

The union was founded by Thomas Halliday and William Pickard, two miners' union agents who had grown disillusioned with the cautious approach of the Miners' National Union (MNU) of Alexander Macdonald. In contrast, they placed an emphasis on being a centralised union, offering systematic support for local strikes. Founded on 23 August 1869, Halliday served as its president, and he called a national conference for January 1870.[1]

The 1870 conference attracted delegates from Wales and Staffordshire, in addition to Lancashire, and established it as a national organisation. While differing from Macdonald's union, it was happy to collaborate on matters of mutual agreement, and Macdonald spoke at several AAM conferences.[1]

By June 1871, the union had 9,000 members in the Aberdare and Rhondda valleys, and in the same year won a major twelve-week strike in Aberdare and the Rhondda in 1871, cementing its position in South Wales.[2]

A second major strike in South Wales in 1873 was also successful, while miners in Lancashire saw their wages rise greatly without having to take industrial action. However, from mid-1873, mine-owners formed their own organisations to target the union, while a downturn in the industry combined to see the union decline.[1]

In 1874, Halliday sought election as MP for Merthyr Boroughs but although he polled well he was comfortably defeated by the sitting Liberal members, Henry Richard and Richard Fothergill.[3]

The last great industrial battle fought by the AAM was in 1874 but Halliday's hardline stance was rejected by the majority of his followers. Thereafter the AAM went into rapid decline. By 1875, it was bankrupt.[1] It was dissolved at a conference held in Shrewsbury on 24 August, with members advised to join the MNU, and Halliday taking a place on its committee.[4]

In 1877, a new Amalgamated Association of Miners was formed, based on the surviving districts in South Wales. Halliday was again secretary, while William Abraham was president, and Edward Williams of Aberdare was treasurer.[5] Although Halliday devoted three years to the union, it was unsuccessful.[1]

Districts

By the 1873 conference, the union claimed 99,399 members, located in a large number of districts. The union's policy was to admit miners in any unrepresented location as a new district, then in the longer term, to merge small districts together.[6]

District[6]FoundedMembership (1873)[6]1873 delegates[6]
Aberavon?819David Rees
Aberdare18719,600J. Griffiths, H. Harries, H. Hopkins, J. Jonathan, R. Jones, W. Lewis, W. Medlicott, G. Mills, David Morgan, J. Price, J. Robson, Henry Thomas, J. Thomas, N. Thomas, G. Vatie, W. Whitcombe, D. Williams, M. Williams, G. Woodford
Abersychan18721,582John Dagger, William Williams
Abertillery18712,736W. Allsopp, W. Burland, S. Jones, S. Lewis, J. Morgan, A. Phillips
Argoed?248John A. Lloyd
Begelly?316Isaac Thomas
Blackwood?239None
Blaenavon?1,016Thomas Griffiths, Levi Parry
Bristol?2,320G. Bright, J. Burlton, G. Ford, S. Smith, J. Spicer
Brynmawr?2,111Joseph Baugh, James William Fairbanks, Joseph Palmer
Burnley and Church?1,460Thomas Beaumont, Jabez Edwards
Caerphilly?462Thomas Willis
Cannock Chase?2,701J. Edwards, W. Legert, L. Humphreys, George Pickard, J. Southall, E. Townsend
Cwmbran?951Thomas Ephraim, Charles Vaughan
Darran?509None
Farnworth and Kearsley18692,520J. Brooks, J. Fletcher, G. Gooke, B. Hall, R. Heyes, W. Hobson
Forest of Dean18704,000J. Bagott, R. Baker, G. Goode, J. Miles, Timothy Mountjoy, G. Sneensman, J. Thomas
Goginan?222William Evans
Hollingwood?212None
Llantwit and Taff's Well?1,265Francis Edmunds, Daniel Morgan
Loughor18723,393William Abraham, W. Evans, D. Harris, J. Hughes, T. Morgan
Maesteg?1,213William Evans
Maesycwmmer?102None
Merthyr and Dowlais?4,056Daniel Evans, Isaac Kernick, John Williams, William Williams
Neath18692,010James Jones, Benjamin Williams
New Tredegar1871878E. Hughes, T. Lloyd
North Staffordshire18698,800J. Bayley, J. Berks, William Brown, D. Brunt, T. Clark S. Cumberbatch, E. Ellis, W. Elsby, Moses Foulkes, J. Johnson, J. Kidd, B. Langley, E. Lyons, T. McDermott, H. Oakes, H. Pierce, W. Pugh
North Wales18713,192Joseph Dodd, David Griffiths, Isaac Roberts, Isaac Llewellyn Thomas, John Evan Thomas, Amos Turley, William Venables
Ogmore1871542None
Oldham?1,200None
Old Tredegar?1,943Richard Davies, Henry Jeffries
Pengam?503George Bolton, Thomas Lawrence
Penmain?85None
Radstock18722,174George Carter, T. Curtis, B. Fish, J. Hobs, J. Young
Rhondda Valley18725,141J. Andrews, G. Coles, D. Davies, E. Evans, J. Francis, Bethuel Heycock, Lewis Morgan, J. Salathil, J. Trucker, E. Williams
Rhymney18711,570W. Baker, J. D. Thomas, E. Williams
Salop?2,663Edward Brock, Thomas Edwards, Benjamin Garadrell, John Jones, Enoch Potts
South Staffordshire?5,810G. Carter, L. E. Coleshill, R. Cotterell, Benjamin Dean, J. Fellows, C. Gething, W. Lloyd, H. Randall, T. Unstone, W. Westwood
St Helens and Haydock?2,128Richard Marsh
Swansea Vale?2,150David Edwards, John Stephens
Tamworth?1,124John Albrighton, Josiah Baybould
West Bromwich18693,260J. Adams, Henry Barnes, J. Foy, Thomas Griffiths, H. Rust, J. Wadeley, S. Wilding
West Cumberland18722,500Andrew Sharp, James Simpson
Wigan18626,856J. Colinson, H. Highton, W. Higson, T. Oakes, G. Silcock
Worsley?800George Seddon, Joseph Smith

References

  1. John Saville, "Halliday, Thomas (Tom) (1835-1919)", Dictionary of Labour Biography, vol.III, pp.91-94
  2. Jones 1984, pp. 200-01.
  3. Pretty. "Morgan (Dai o'r Nant)": 501. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. "Miners' conference at Shrewsbury". Cardiff Times. 28 August 1875.
  5. "Formation of a new colliers' union". Cardiff Times. 11 August 1877.
  6. "Amalgamated Association of Miners". Cardiff Times. 11 October 1873.

Sources

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