The Amalgamated Society of Painters and Decorators (ASPD) 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 ( ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

which existed between 1886 and 1970.

History

The union had its origins in the Manchester Alliance of Operative House Painters, founded in 1855, which loosely grouped together local unions based in

Ashton-under-Lyne Ashton-under-Lyne is a market town in Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. The population was 45,198 at the 2011 census. Historically in Lancashire, it is on the north bank of the River Tame, in the foothills of the Pennines, east of Manche ...

, Hyde,

Macclesfield Macclesfield is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East in Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Bollin in the east of the county, on the edge of the Cheshire Plain, with Macclesfield Forest to its east ...

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...

Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...

and

Stockport Stockport is a town and borough in Greater Manchester, England, south-east of Manchester, south-west of Ashton-under-Lyne and north of Macclesfield. The River Goyt and Tame merge to create the River Mersey here. Most of the town is within ...

. The union had no executive committee and its general secretary, William MacDonald, did not attempt to control the actions or finances of the local societies, instead devoting his time to writing pamphlets espousing his views on trade unionism and the painting trade. The union claimed 3,980 members by 1867, but MacDonald's neglectful approach led him to be sidelined as honorary secretary, and replaced by Thomas Sharples, who began issuing regular reports, but made no other changes to the union's practices. The union underwent numerous name changes before emerging in 1886 as the more closely unified National Amalgamated Society of Operative House Painters and Decorators. It merged with the

Amalgamated Society of House Decorators and Painters The Amalgamated Society of House Decorators and Painters (ASHDP) was a trade union representing painters and decorators in the London area of England. The union repeatedly tried to expand across the country, but was ultimately unsuccessful in do ...

and several smaller unions in 1904, to form the National Amalgamated Society of Operative House and Ship Painters and Decorators (NASOHASPAD). At some point in the 1930s or 1940s, it shortened its name to the National Society of Painters.Amalgamated Society of Painters and Decorators
", Archives Hub In 1961, the union absorbed the

Scottish Painters' Society The Scottish Painters' Society was a trade union representing painters and decorators in Scotland. The union was founded in 1898, as the Scottish National Federation of House and Ship Painters. By the end of the year, it had 1,227 members, and b ...

and the Southport and Birkdale Operative House Painters' Association to form the Amalgamated Society of Painters and Decorators, but in 1970 it merged with the

Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers The Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers (ASW) was a British trade union representing carpenters, joiners and allied trades. The ASW was formed in 1921 by the amalgamation of two smaller unions. It was itself merged into the Union of Constructio ...

, forming the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers and Decorators.

Election results

The union sponsored a Labour Party candidate in several Parliamentary elections.

General Secretaries

:1855: William MacDonald{{cite book , last1=Postgate , first1=Raymond , title=The Builders' History , url=https://archive.org/details/unset0000unse_a5k8 , date=1923 , publisher=National Federation of Building Trade Operatives , location=London , pag
462
} :1866:

Thomas Sharples Thomas Sharples (1819 – 1905) was a British trade unionist. Sharples completed an apprenticeship as a house painter and found work in Manchester with the London and North Western Railway. He was active in a local trade union, and in 1856 ...

:1890: George Sunley :1910: Joseph Parsonage :1918: J. A. Gibson :1947: Sidney Horsfield :1960s: Albert Austin

References

External links

Catalogue of the NASOHPD archives
held at the

Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick The Modern Records Centre (MRC) is the specialist archive service of the University of Warwick in Coventry, England, located adjacent to the Central Campus Library. It was established in October 1973 and holds the world's largest archive collecti ...

Catalogue of the NASOHASPAD/ASPD archives
held at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick Defunct trade unions of the United Kingdom 1856 establishments in the United Kingdom Painters' and decorators' trade unions Trade unions established in 1856 Trade unions disestablished in 1970 Trade unions based in London