| Administrative History | The first Postmen's Union was formed in Clerkenwell in 1889, but folded after a short time, owing to internal disagreement between members and officials. A new union, The Postmen's Federation, was formed in London in 1891, publishing a monthly journal The Postmen's Gazette , and operating a Mutual Benefit and a Widower's Branch from 1895. In 1919, the union amalgamated with the Post Office and Telegraph Clerks' Association, and the Fawcett Association, to form the Union of Post Office Workers.
An Aberdeen branch of the Postmen's Federation was established on 7 Dec 1894.
Alan Clinton, 'Post Office Workers: a trade union and social history' (London: Allen and Unwin, 1984), and Michael Moran, 'The Union of Post Office Workers: a study in political sociology' (London: Macmillan, 1974) contain more details about the organisation and its activities. Further information about the development of the trade union movement and the history of individual trade unions in Aberdeen can be found in William Diack, 'History of the Trades Council and the Trade Union Movement in Aberdeen' (Aberdeen: Aberdeen Trades Council, 1939), and in Kenneth D. Buckley, 'Trade Unionism in Aberdeen 1870 - 1900' (Edinburgh and London: Oliver and Boyd, 1955). Arthur Marsh and Victoria Ryan, 'Historical Directory of Trade Unions', 4 vols (Aldershot: Gower, 1980 - 1984) also contains useful information about the development of individual unions, at both the national and local level. |