The Cleveland Miners' and Quarrymen's Association was a trade union representing ironstone miners in the Cleveland area of England.
The union was founded in 1872 as the North Yorkshire and Cleveland Miners and Quarrymen's Association by Joseph Shepherd. It grew rapidly, with thirty-three lodges existing one year later, and also proved industrially successful, claiming to have increased miners' wages by 45%, and to have established a standard eight-hour working day.J. K. Almond and C. A. Hampstead, Cleveland iron and steel: background and 19th century history, p.252 However, Shepherd fell out with his colleagues due to persistent drunkenness and was removed from his position in 1876 after leaving court documents on a train."Engineers of change", The Northern Echo, 9 June 2014
From the start, the union campaigned to reduce miners' hours of work and increase their pay, and also to help educate miners, and provide healthcare in case of injury or sickness.Arthur Marsh and Victoria Ryan, Historical Directory of British Trade Unions, vol.II, p.236 Long affiliated with the Miners' National Union, in 1892 it transferred to the Miners Federation of Great Britain,Joyce Bellamy, "Toyn, Joseph", Dictionary of Labour Biography, vol.II, pp.368-370 becoming its only affiliate not to principally represent coal miners.
By 1900, the union had a membership of 7,550, and around this time it shortened its name to the "Cleveland Miners and Quarrymen's Association". Membership rose further, peaking at just under 10,000 in 1910. In 1932, the union merged into the National Union of General and Municipal Workers.Peter Carter and John B. Smethurst, Historical Directory of Trade Unions, vol.6, p.536
General secretaries 1872: Joseph Shepherd 1876: Thomas Dunn 1880s: Robert Rowland 1889: George Bernal Hobbs 1909: 1920: William Thomas Mansfield
Presidents 1875: Joseph Toyn 1911: Harry Dack
See also Ironstone mining in Cleveland and North Yorkshire
References