John Frith (6 July 1837 – 17 February 1904) was a British trade unionist. Born in Rawmarsh, Frith followed his father in becoming a coal miner, working as a trapper from the age of ten, and then working his way up to become a coal getter. In 1858, he was a founding member of the South Yorkshire Miners' Association (SYMA), forming a lodge in Rawmarsh. In 1873, he relocated to Roundwood, and the following year, he was elected as president of the union. In 1875, the union's leader,

John Normansell John Normansell (December 1830 – 24 December 1875) was a British trade unionist. Born in Torkington, Normansell was orphaned at an early age, and all his three siblings died while young, Normansell being brought up by his grandparents and ...

, died, and Frith took over as secretary.Joyce Bellamy and John Saville, "Frith, John", ''Dictionary of Labour Biography'', vol.I, p.126 When Frith became leader of the union, the price of coal was falling, leading to wage cuts. The SYMA had invested in the Shirland Colliery Company, which collapsed in 1877, losing all the union's funds. The union also lost its members in Derbyshire, who transferred to the new Derbyshire Miners' Association. This succession of difficulties led Frith to arrange a merger between the SYMA and the

West Yorkshire Miners' Association The West Yorkshire Miners' Association (WYMA) was an early British trade union representing coal miners in the central part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. History The union was founded in 1858, following a cut in miners' wages which led many ...

, forming the

Yorkshire Miners' Association The Yorkshire Miners' Association was a British trade union. It is now an integral part of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). History The union was founded in 1881 with the merger of the South Yorkshire Miners' Association, and the ...

in 1881. He became the new union's first financial secretary, serving until his death, in 1904. Frith also served on

Barnsley Barnsley () is a market town in South Yorkshire, England. As the main settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley and the fourth largest settlement in South Yorkshire. In Barnsley, the population was 96,888 while the wider Borough has ...

Town Council, as a Liberal-Labour member.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Frith, John 1837 births 1904 deaths Councillors in South Yorkshire English trade unionists People from Rawmarsh