The Variety Artistes' Federation (VAF) 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

variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

performers in the

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History

The union was founded on 18 February 1906, after discussions between the

show business Show business, sometimes shortened to show biz or showbiz (since 1945), is a vernacular term for all aspects of the entertainment industry.''Oxford English Dictionary'' 2nd Ed. (1989) From the business side (including managers, agents, produc ...

social club and charity the

Grand Order of Water Rats The Grand Order of Water Rats is a British entertainment industry fraternity and charitable organisation based in London. Founded in 1889 by the music hall comedians Joe Elvin and Jack Lotto, the order is known for its high-profile membership a ...

(GOWR); the Music Hall Artists Railway Association, which negotiated concessions on rail fares for travelling performers; and the Terriers, another club for variety performers. It was formed in response to grievances by performers that some managers expected them to perform

matinée In the performing arts, film exhibition, and other forms of entertainment, a matinée is a performance or exhibition in the afternoon (or occasionally earlier), as distinguished from the evening. Matinée may also refer to: * ''Matinée'' (album) ...

s, as well as two evening performances six days a week, without any additional payment, and that some performers were having to make long journeys without notice because of changes to schedules.Roger Wilmut, ''Kindly Leave the Stage: The Story of Variety 1919-1960'', Methuen, 1985, , p.49 Within weeks the union had 4,000 members. It launched a weekly newspaper, ''The Performer'', and in early 1907 staged its first

industrial action Industrial action (British English) or job action (American English) is a temporary show of dissatisfaction by employees—especially a strike action, strike or slowdown or working to rule—to protest against bad working conditions or low pay a ...

, which became known as the Music Hall Strike. After some members were

locked out Lock(s) may refer to: Common meanings *Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance *Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal Arts and entertainment * ''Lock ...

of theatres controlled by

Walter Gibbons Walter Gibbons (April 2, 1954 – September 23, 1994) was an American record producer, early disco DJ, and remixer. He helped pioneer the remix and 12" single in America, and was among the most influential New York DJs of the 1970s. Career Gi ...

, twenty-two London theatres were picketed, with around half of the VAF members standing on picket lines. It raised funds by organising a performance at the

Scala Theatre The Scala Theatre was a theatre in Charlotte Street, London, off Tottenham Court Road. The first theatre on the site opened in 1772, and the theatre was demolished in 1969, after being destroyed by fire. From 1865 to 1882, the theatre was kn ...

, its members working without pay. It agreed to arbitration, chaired by

George Askwith George Ranken Askwith, 1st Baron Askwith, KCB, KC (17 February 1861 – 2 June 1942), known as Sir George Askwith between 1911 and 1919, was an English lawyer, civil servant and industrial arbitrator. Early life Askwith was from an old Yorkshi ...

, and this proved a success for the union, which reached national agreements on codes of conduct, contracts and dispute resolution. Membership of the union peaked at over 5,600 in 1920, but more than halved over the next decade. It campaigned against "ex-enemy aliens" from Germany being allowed to work in British

music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as variety. Perceptions of a distinction in Bri ...

s after the

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, and also had a strained relationship with the Actors' Association, the forerunner of

Equity Equity may refer to: Finance, accounting and ownership * Equity (finance), ownership of assets that have liabilities attached to them ** Stock, equity based on original contributions of cash or other value to a business ** Home equity, the dif ...

. In the 1930s, it also campaigned for its members not to broadcast on

radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...

, on the grounds that it would "shorten the life of he performer'smaterial ndlessen the value of his act as a going concern".Richard Anthony Baker, ''Old Time Variety: an illustrated history'', Pen & Sword, 2011, {{ISBN, 978-1-78340-066-9, p.38 By 1966, the VAF had about 2,000 members. That year, it merged into the

British Actors' Equity Association Equity, formerly officially titled the British Actors' Equity Association, is the trade union for the performing arts and entertainment industries. Formed by a group of West End performers in 1930, the union grew to include performers and sta ...

General Secretaries

:1906:

Charles Gulliver Charles Gulliver (7 April 1882 – 8 June 1961) was a British music-hall producer and impresario who was also the secretary and a founder of the Variety Artistes' Federation in 1906. Born in Southampton, in his youth, Gulliver worked in a solicit ...

:1907: Monte Bayly :1908: :1909: W. H. Clemart :1910: J. E. Barry :1910s: Fred Herbert :1927: Monte Bayly :1929: A. V. Drewe : W. C. Bass :1953: Frank J. Comerford :1954: Reginald Swinson

References

Trade unions established in 1906 Trade unions disestablished in 1966 Theatrical organisations in the United Kingdom Defunct trade unions of the United Kingdom Actors' trade unions Entertainment industry unions 1906 establishments in the United Kingdom Trade unions based in London