A badge of the Dock, Wharf,
Riverside and General
Labourers Union.
More commonly known simply as the Dockers Union, the Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Labourers Union was originally formed in 1887 as the Tea Operatives and General Labourers Union.
The union recruited 2,300 members by the end of 1888, and in 1889 became involved in the Great Dock Strike which brought the Port of London to a halt. The dispute won widespread public support for the dockers, and achieved its aim of establishing a rate of 6d an hour.
In the wake of the strike, the union changed its name and membership grew rapidly to 30,932 by the end of 1889, and to 57,000 by the end of 1890. However, a dispute between dockworkers north and south of the Thames also led to the creation of a separate South Side Labour Protection League.
With the dockers split, and many remaining outside any union, by 1904, the Dockers Union had almost disappeared in London. It remained strong elsewhere in the countryhowever, and in 1922, the Dockers Union was one of 14 organisations which merged to form the Transport and General Workers Union.
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Filed under: Histories Tagged: | dockers union, tgwu
Like the aforementioned Trade Union, the Amalgamated Society of Watermen, Lightermen and Bargemen were also instrumental in the setting up of the Transport and General Worker’s Union in 1922.
I have a large collection of membership cards from the Society starting in March 1917 – they issued quarterly cards then in differing colours – through to them becoming part of the new TGWU in 1922. They then split with the TGWU a couple of years later, and the collection of membership cards I have then shows that the individual had a short spell with the National Amalgamated Stevedores, Lightermen, watermen and dockers, before returning to the old society which now incorporated Tugmen as well.
In 1942 he rejoined the TGWU Waterways Branch.
The member’s name was Long, and branches were at Great Prescott St (Watermen, Lightermen and Bargemen) 3, Central Buildings, Matthew Parker St (TGWU) 222, High St. Poplar (Stevedores) and Roman Wall House, 1 Crutched Friars (watermen, tugmen, etc) then 33 E.India Dock Rd same union, different address.
Would appreciate any more information about the above, and can be contacted at johnholroyd54@hotmail.com
Hello from New Zealand. My great grandfather was Tom Robinson, he worked with Ben Tillet and also knew Ramsey McDonald. I have always known that Tom Robinson was a strong unionist, as have been generations come down from him.
I didn’t know that one could purchase the badges from different unions. Could you tell me please the cost inc postage of a badge for the Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Worker’s Union?