| Administrative History | The United Kingdom Society of Coachmakers was established in 1834. It amalgamated with the London and Provincial Coachmakers' Society, the Operative Coachmakers' and Wheelwrights' Federal Labour Union, and the London Coachsmiths' and Vicemen's Trade Society in 1919, to form the National Union of Vehicle Builders. The Amalgamated Society of Wheelwrights, Smiths and Motor Body Makers merged with the union in 1925, and the Wheelwrights' and Coachmakers' Operative Union also joined in 1948. In 1972 the National Union of Vehicle Builders became part of the Transport and General Workers' Union.
An Aberdeen branch of the United Kingdom Society of Coachmakers was established by May 1891.
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. |
| Description | This collection contains records of the Aberdeen branch of the National Union of Vehicle Builders, and its predecessor, the United Kingdom Society of Coachmakers, 1891 - 1966: Branch minutes, 1949 - 1954 and 1960 - 1965; minutes of 'shop' meetings held by members employed in Aberdeen Corporation Transport Department, 1957 - 1966; entrance book, 1891 - 1920; benefit book, 1946 - 1960. |
| Copyright | Subject to the condition of the original, copies may be supplied for private research use only on receipt of a signed undertaking to comply with current copyright legislation. Permission to make any published use of material from the collection must be sought in advance from the University Archivist and, where appropriate, from the copyright owner. Where possible, assistance will be given in identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material. |