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33-776: The Colne Valley Labour Union (CVLU) was a political party based in the Colne Valley , in Yorkshire, in England. The first labour party organised on the basis of a Parliamentary constituency, it successfully backed Tom Mann as secretary of the Independent Labour Party , and Victor Grayson as the local Member of Parliament. Its successor is the Colne Valley Constituency Labour Party . On 16 November 1890, members of

66-695: A new union to bring together skilled workers from all engineering trades. They invited a large number of other unions to become part a new Amalgamated Society of Engineers, Machinists, Smiths, Millwrights and Pattern-makers , which was soon shorted to the Amalgamated Society of Engineers ( ASE ). Other than the Old Mechanics, the only notable union to join was the Smiths Benevolent, Sick and Burial Society. Together with various small, local unions, they brought 5,000 members into

99-489: A year, Black and Glyde were deemed unsuitable, and Williams withdrew, preferring to contest Huddersfield . William Crawford Anderson and Ben Turner were added to the list late on. A delegate meeting voted for Anderson and Grayson as its two preferred options, to go forward to a ballot of all members. However, Anderson decided to withdraw, and Grayson was thereby selected. The ILP sent a delegation of J. Howard and Philip Snowden to decide whether to give financial backing to

132-478: Is Paul Davies - Labour Colne Valley Museum Amalgamated Society of Engineers (UK) The history of the union can be traced back to the formation of the Journeymen Steam Engine, Machine Makers' and Millwrights' Friendly Society , in 1826, popularly known as the "Old Mechanics". Its secretary, William Allan , and another leading figure in the union, William Newton , proposed forming

165-689: Is a steep sided valley on the east flank of the Pennine Hills in the English county of West Yorkshire . It takes its name from the River Colne which rises above the town of Marsden and flows eastward towards Huddersfield. The name is used to describe that section of the valley between its source and Huddersfield at the point where the River Holme joins the Colne. The name can describe

198-474: The Labour Party performed well in the 1906 UK general election . By 1907, it had 691 members, and it was determined to stand a candidate in the 1907 Parliamentary by-election . It considered seven possible candidates: Edward Black, Charlie Glyde , Victor Grayson , T. E. Moorhouse, William Pickles , Ben Riley and Russell Williams . Moorhouse was disqualified for having held membership for less than

231-716: The National Trust advertises walks on Marsden Moor Estate ; and television programmes such as Last of the Summer Wine and Where the Heart Is have been filmed there. Colne Valley was an urban district of the West Riding of Yorkshire between 1937 and 1974. It was created by the merger of Golcar , Linthwaite , Marsden , Scammonden and Slaithwaite urban districts, and had a population of about 20,000. The Local Government Act 1972 saw it merged into

264-542: The Slaithwaite branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants decided to form a trade union club. Following a series of organising meetings, they secured a cellar on Nabbs Lane, naming it the Social Democratic Club, and displayed a red flag inside. By 1891, there was considerable interest in trade union candidates for elected offices, independent of existing political parties, inspired by

297-509: The ASE on its creation in 1851, Allan becoming its first general secretary. The ASE was one of the ' New Model Unions ' of the 1850s–1870s. These unions, which also included the Ironfounders, Builders, and Carpenters' societies, rejected Chartism and the ideas of Robert Owen in favour of a more moderate policy based on 'prudence', 'respectability' and steady growth. Great importance

330-642: The CVLL followed Grayson in defecting to the new British Socialist Party , but soon fell into dispute with the new organisation and resigned. After a few years of independence, in 1918 it affiliated to the Labour Party, which had decided to establish constituency labour parties. The Colne Valley Socialist League thereby became the Colne Valley Divisional Labour Party. Colne Valley The Colne Valley / ˈ k oʊ n /

363-628: The CVLU resolved to support any candidates who supported trade unions and open council meetings. Littlewood won election in Honley, but fourteen other labour candidates were defeated. The 1895 council election was more successful, with Garside holding his seat with 61.4% of the vote, while Farr won the Yorkshire ward in Mossley, and Sanderson Hoyle was only narrowly defeated in the Cheshire ward. This gave

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396-567: The CVLU, and early in 1893 he finally agreed to stand in the next election. The CVLU broadly supported the formation of the national Independent Labour Party (ILP) in 1893, but followed Mann's lead in initially remaining separate. It affiliated in January 1894, naming Mann as its delegate, and successfully nominated him to become the ILP's first general secretary. For the 1894 urban district council elections, except where ILP candidates were standing,

429-538: The area, in Mossley, the cotton industry unions had a substantial membership, and with the support of Mossley Card and Blowing Room Operatives' Association leader Matthew Burrow Farr , the party held a meeting in November 1892 attended by 500 workers. Leonard Hall , organising secretary of the British Labour Amalgamation , was also supportive, and ran a joint recruitment campaign. In addition,

462-540: The candidacy; they recommended it do so, but the ILP decided to wait on a decision of the Labour Party's National Executive Committee , and that ultimately decided not to support it. Grayson therefore stood as the candidate of the Colne Valley Labour League, and narrowly won the election on a strongly socialist platform. Grayson was accepted as part of the Labour Party group in Parliament, but

495-409: The election to become general secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers , but ultimately he did not stand, probably due to financial concerns. The CVLU sent questionnaires to both candidates in the seat in the 1892 UK general election , but reported that it could not recommend either, and so played no part in the election. Despite this, Mann continued to regularly visit and speak in support of

528-614: The end of the Second World War , the importance of the Colne Valley as a centre of textile production had begun to decrease and Huddersfield Narrow Canal was largely abandoned in 1944. The area is now primarily residential, its transport links making it ideal for commuters. Tourism is promoted: the Huddersfield Narrow Canal was reopened in 2001 and boat trips into Standedge Canal Tunnel are available;

561-757: The example of the Bradford Labour Union . In mid-July, the Yorkshire Factory Times published a letter signed "A Colne Valley Voter", which called for a labour candidate in the Colne Valley Parliamentary seat at the next general election. At the Social Democratic Club, on 21 July 1891, a meeting was held, chaired by G. W. Haigh. James Bartley of the Bradford Labour Union was present, along with Allan Gee and Ben Turner , leading figures in

594-633: The lack of ILP backing for the election campaign led the CVLL to drift away from the ILP. In 1908, it renamed itself as the Colne Valley Socialist League , emphasising its political principles. The party sponsored Grayson in the Parliamentary seat at the January 1910 UK general election , again without Labour or ILP backing, causing Littlewood to resign, but Grayson was easily beaten, taking third place. The following year,

627-644: The leading unions for engineers in those countries. However, in North America, the union failed to grow. American Organiser Isaac Cowen prioritised strong links with the union in Britain, and the union there came to largely consist of British members who were temporarily working overseas. Many of them left in 1905 to join the Industrial Workers of the World , and the ASE decided in 1920 to transfer

660-517: The locally based West Riding Power Loom Weavers' Association . On the proposal of two local trade unionists, George Henry Cotton and George Garside, the meeting agreed to form the Colne Valley Division Labour Union. Unlike the Bradford Labour Union organisation, it would cover a single Parliamentary constituency, and it was agreed to invite Tom Mann to contest it at the next general election. The first committee of

693-478: The metropolitan borough of Kirklees . It is a ward of Kirklees Council, whose population at the 2011 census was 17,369. The Colne Valley parliamentary constituency preserves the Colne Valley name, although the constituency also includes the Holme Valley , Meltham and the outskirts of Huddersfield. Notable former MPs for the constituency include Victor Grayson and Richard Wainwright . The current MP

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726-403: The organisation consisted of George Garside (president), Kossuth Pogson (treasurer), George W. Haigh (secretary), W. H. Barber, Joseph Baxter, George Henry Cotton, Savile Hirst, Walter May, Ephraim Sykes, and James Sykes, with Sam Eastwood co-opted shortly afterwards. By the end of the year, some sympathetic non-trade unionists had also joined, including France Littlewood and Ben Shaw . Garside

759-613: The other refused, and the ASE again left the FEST in 1918. The ASE set up overseas branches in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. In 1891, they had only 5,000 members between them, but by 1920 they had grown to 32,000 members. The union set up an Australasian Council, and in 1906 a South African Council, and the branches in those countries thereafter had a considerable degree of autonomy. They had their own full-time secretaries and organisers, and became

792-634: The party held public meetings, and approached prominent individuals who it believed might support it. The party's first electoral contest was the West Riding County Council election of 1892. From five possible candidates, the party selected George Garside, and he won the seat with 55.1% of the vote, defeating the Liberal Godfrey Woodhead. The party agreed to cover Garside's transport costs and loss of wages for attending council meetings. Following this, Tom Quarmby

825-450: The party hope for the 1895 UK general election , but Mann was easily defeated, taking only 13.4% of the vote. Disappointed by the result, he withdrew from his connection with the CVLU, and contested by-elections in other seats he felt were better prospects. In 1897, the CVLU interviewed five possible successors to Mann as Prospective Parliamentary Candidate : Pete Curran , J. R. Clynes , Bruce Glasier , Leonard Hall and E. J. Sale. Sale

858-482: The population had been hand loom weavers for generations but when water-powered textile mills were built on the streams and rivers, the area was set to become a major producer of textiles . The Colne and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal provided transport links which were added to by road and railway links to Huddersfield and Leeds to the east and Manchester and Liverpool to the west. By

891-550: The whole valley of the Colne, including the section through Huddersfield its confluence with the River Calder at Cooper Bridge. Using the more common definition, the Colne Valley includes the towns and villages of Marsden , Slaithwaite , Linthwaite , Milnsbridge , Scapegoat Hill , Longwood and Golcar . The Colne Valley played a significant role in the development of the Industrial Revolution . Most of

924-406: Was an immediate success, and within a year, membership had more than doubled to 11,000. However, in 1852, it agreed a ban on overtime and piecework . In retaliation, employers began an extended national lockouts , which greatly weakened the organisation, an event repeated in 1896. But it maintained its pre-eminent position in the industry, and many local and regional unions joined. The union

957-576: Was attached to the question of finance, as substantial funds would not only provide maintenance for members involved in strike action, but also help to deter the employers from attacking the organisation. Since its members were skilled and relatively highly paid, it was possible for the ASE to charge contributions of one shilling a week and to build up a fund of unprecedented proportions. Initially, there were strict restrictions on membership; all must have completed an apprenticeship in their trade, and men who wore glasses were not permitted to join. The ASE

990-638: Was elected to Linthwaite School Board unopposed, on a platform of providing free books and providing education free of charge, while Pogson and Edwin Hoskins failed to win election to the Slaithwaite School Board. Mann showed some interest in contesting the Parliamentary seat, attending meetings of the party in August and October 1891, but initially he favoured focusing on trade unionism. He again showed interest early in 1892, after he lost

1023-674: Was invited to join the Federation of Engineering and Shipbuilding Trades (FEST) when it was formed in 1891, but refused to do so. It also had a turbulent relationship with the Trades Union Congress (TUC), not holding membership in 1905 or from 1907 to 1918. However, it was a founder member of the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU). It finally joined the FEST in 1905, hoping to persuade its other members to amalgamate with it. Six small unions did so, but

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1056-576: Was soon removed from contention, replaced by Frank Smith , but by 1899 the party decided not to run any candidate. By then, membership had slumped to only 83 and several branches had ceased functioning, but despite this, the party maintained its positions on the county council and school board, and increased its district council representation. The party was reorganised in 1900, becoming the Colne Valley Labour League (CVLL), and its membership again began increasing, particularly once

1089-604: Was the leading figure in the party's organisation, while Gee was its main publicist, writing regularly for the Yorkshire Factory Times in its support. Over the first couple of years, the party worked to establish branches throughout the constituency; by the end of 1892, there were labour clubs in Slaithwaite, Honley , Marsden , Milnsbridge , Golcar and Longwood , which organised social events, and also lectures. While trade unions were generally weak in

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