The South East Lancashire Provincial Card and Blowing Room Operatives' Association was a

trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

representing cotton industry workers in

Ashton-under-Lyne Ashton-under-Lyne is a market town in Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. The population was 48,604 at the 2021 census. Historic counties of England, Historically in Lancashire, it is on the north bank of the River Tame, Greater Manchester, ...

and surrounding areas of

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. In 1865, the United Central Association of Card and Blowing Room Operatives of Great Britain was formed, representing cardroom workers through southern Lancashire. While originally based in Hyde, its headquarters were moved to Ashton, which became its most important branch. However, in 1879, the United Central Association voted to prohibit

Irish people The Irish ( or ''Na hÉireannaigh'') are an ethnic group and nation native to the island of Ireland, who share a common ancestry, history and Culture of Ireland, culture. There have been humans in Ireland for about 33,000 years, and it has be ...

from joining the union. The Ashton branch, led by John White, objected to this, and split away. In 1883, White took the branch into the Oldham Cardroom Amalgamation, and with the support of this organisation, he was able to increase membership from fifty to 1,200 by 1886. White argued that the Oldham Amalgamation was too limited in scope, and that a new, national Cardroom Workers' Amalgamation (CWA) was needed. He won the argument, and the CWA was founded in 1886, but White and other Ashton members failed to win election to any posts on its executive. In protest, the Ashton union withdrew from both amalgamations. Following negotiations, in 1887 it agreed to merge with a much smaller union in

Stalybridge Stalybridge () is a town in Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. At the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census, it had a population of 26,830. Historic counties of England, Historically divided between Cheshire and Lancashire, it is east o ...

to form the "South East Lancashire Provincial Card and Blowing Room Operatives' Association", the new union covering various towns around Ashton. It joined the CWA, and officially registered as a trade union in 1890. Membership of the union initially grew rapidly, peaking at 3,472 in 1893, then, following a slight decline, hitting 5,500 in 1910, and a new peak of 7,000 in 1920. During this period, it was led by

William Henry Carr William Henry Carr (1855 – 27 October 1953) was a British trade unionist and political activist. Born in the East End of London, Carr grew up in Bacup where he began working in a mill at the age of eleven. He then moved to work as a grinder a ...

, who was also prominent in the CWA. The cotton industry declined through the remainder of the 20th-century, and union membership fell with it. In 1967, the union merged with the

Hyde and District Card, Blowing and Ring Frame Operatives' Association The Hyde and District Card, Blowing and Ring Frame Operatives' Association was a trade union representing cotton industry workers in Hyde and surrounding areas of Cheshire in England. The union described itself as having been founded in 1860, ...

and the Stockport Card, Blowing and Ring Room Operatives' Association to form the South East Lancashire and Cheshire Textile Operatives' Association.

General Secretaries

:1887: John White :1888:

:1940: T. Yates :c.1960: Roy Bennett

References

{{UTFWA Defunct trade unions of the United Kingdom Ashton-under-Lyne Cotton industry trade unions 1887 establishments in the United Kingdom 1967 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Trade unions established in 1887 Trade unions disestablished in 1967 Trade unions based in Greater Manchester