The Birmingham and Midland Sheet Metal Workers' Society (BMSMWS) 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 sheet metal workers in the English Midlands. The union's origins lay in the Birmingham Tin Plate Workers' Society, which was formed in 1859. In 1876, it merged with the Wolverhampton Tin Plate Workers' Society to form what later became the

National Amalgamated Association of Tin Plate Workers The National Amalgamated Association of Tin Plate Workers of Great Britain was a trade union representing sheet metal workers in the United Kingdom. The union was founded in 1876 in Wolverhampton, when the Wolverhampton Tin Plate Workers' Society m ...

. The societies retained much of their independence, particularly in the early years.Arthur Marsh and Victoria Ryan, ''Historical Directory of Trade Unions'', vol.2, pp.105, 117-118 In 1906, the society renamed itself as the Birmingham Operative Tin-Plate, Sheet Metal Workers and Braziers' Society.

Jisc Jisc is a United Kingdom not-for-profit company that provides network and IT services and digital resources in support of further and higher education institutions and research as well as not-for-profits and the public sector. History T ...

,
Papers of the Birmingham and Midland Sheet Metal Workers' Society
In 1909, the Birmingham society fell into dispute with the National Amalgamated Association over payments to workers involved in disputes. As a result, it left, forming the independent Birmingham and Midland Sheet Metal Workers' Society. This remained independent when all the other sheet metal workers' unions merged into the

National Union of Sheet Metal Workers and Braziers The National Union of Sheet Metal Workers, Coppersmiths, Heating and Domestic Engineers was a trade union in the United Kingdom and Ireland. History The union was founded in July 1920 as the National Union of Sheet Metal Workers and Braziers wit ...

, until it finally joined the

National Union of Sheet Metal Workers, Coppersmiths, Heating and Domestic Engineers The National Union of Sheet Metal Workers, Coppersmiths, Heating and Domestic Engineers was a trade union in the United Kingdom and Ireland. History The union was founded in July 1920 as the National Union of Sheet Metal Workers and Braziers wit ...

in 1973.

Secretaries

:1909:

John Valentine Stevens John Valentine Stevens (13 March 1852 – 14 August 1925) was a British trade unionist and Lib-Lab politician. Born in Bristol, Stevens completed an apprenticeship as a tinplate worker before moving to Birmingham. In 1874, he joined the Amalgama ...

:1920: Charles Brett :1939: Richard Baston :1951: Harry Townsend :1959: Alf Cooper

References

{{Reflist Trade unions established in 1876 Trade unions disestablished in 1973 1909 establishments in England 1973 disestablishments in England Organisations based in Birmingham, West Midlands Sheet metal workers' trade unions Trade unions based in the West Midlands (county) 1859 establishments in England