The Amalgamated Society of House Decorators and Painters (ASHDP) was a

trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...

representing painters and decorators in the

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

area of England. The union repeatedly tried to expand across the country, but was ultimately unsuccessful in doing so.

History

The union was founded in 1866 as the London General Association of Amalgamated House Painters. It was formed by various local unions which were undertaking a strike for increased wages. They had previously worked together in the London Central House Painters' and Decorators' Trade Union, but that union had insufficient funds to support strikers.

George Shipton George Shipton (1839 – 14 October 1911) was a prominent British trade unionist. Trade union activity Shipton worked as a builder and became involved in trade unionism by joining the Land and Labour League, where he became a strong supporter of ...

had, for some years, been advocating for painters' unions to unite, and within a few days of the formation of the union, he was appointed as its second general secretary. Under his leadership, the union eclipsed the Central House Painters, although that union continued with a small membership until 1904. Despite being based in London, it briefly formed branches in

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...

and

Dundee Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...

. The Manchester Alliance of Operative House Painters was also recruiting members in London, under the name of the London Council of Painters. Shipton formed an alliance with the Manchester Alliance, the two working together as the "Amalgamated Society of House Decorators and Painters". The union charged high membership fees of 1 shilling per week, and also paid high benefits to members who found themselves out of work. However, it found that many of them, once re-employed, left the union. By 1868, it had only 420 members, and this fell further, with the union becoming largely moribund by 1871. In 1873, Shipton reorganised the union, under the Amalgamated Society of House Decorators and Painters name. On formation, it had 341 members in London,

Southampton Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...

Swansea Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe). The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...

and

Waterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize = 220px , pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe , pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe , pushpin_relief = 1 , coordinates ...

. Subscriptions and benefit payments were set at lower rates, and the union began a gradual growth, reaching 663 members in 1876, 1,067 in 1886, and 5,165 in 1900. The East London Painters' Trade Union represented ship painters, and it organised a strike in 1900 in an attempt to bar Amalgamated Society members from their trade. In retaliation, the Amalgamated reached an agreement with the shipyards to bar members of the East London union, which by the end of the year was defeated and forced to merge into the Amalgamated. In 1904, the union merged into the

National Amalgamated Society of Operative House and Ship Painters and Decorators The Amalgamated Society of Painters and Decorators (ASPD) was a trade union in the United Kingdom which existed between 1886 and 1970. History The union had its origins in the Manchester Alliance of Operative House Painters, founded in 1855, wh ...

General Secretaries

:1866: E. G. Davies :1866:

:1889: Edwin Caleb Gibbs{{cite book , last1=Postgate , first1=Raymond , title=The Builders' History , date=1923 , publisher=National Federation of Building Trade Operatives , location=London , page=462

References

Painters' and decorators' trade unions Defunct trade unions of the United Kingdom Trade unions established in 1866 Trade unions disestablished in 1904 Trade unions based in London