National Union of Railwaymen

This article is about the British trade union. For the Australian union of the same name, see National Union of Rail Workers of Australia.

The National Union of Railwaymen was a trade union of railway workers in the United Kingdom. The largest railway workers' union in the country, it was influential in the national trade union movement.^[1]

National Union of Railwaymen

Merged into	National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers
Founded	29 March 1913; 111 years ago (29 March 1913)[1]
Dissolved	1990
Headquarters	Unity House, Euston Road, London
Location	United Kingdom
Members	408,900 (1945)
Publication	Transport Review[1]
Affiliations	TUC, Labour

History

The NUR was an industrial union founded in 1913 by the merger of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants (founded 1872), the United Pointsmen and Signalmen's Society (founded 1880) and the General Railway Workers' Union (founded 1889).^[2]

The NUR represented the majority of railway workers, but not white-collar workers, who were members of the Railway Clerks' Association (founded 1897, later the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association). NUR membership was open to drivers and firemen but most chose instead to be members of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (founded 1880).

In 1914 the NUR joined forces with the National Transport Workers' Federation and Mining Federation of Great Britain to form the Triple Alliance – perhaps an unfortunate name, as the same year the Triple Entente of Britain, France and Russia and the Triple Alliance of Germany, and Austria-Hungary (albeit without Italy) went to war.

In 1919 the NUR and ASLEF jointly organised the 1919 United Kingdom railway strike, which prevented a proposed wage reduction and won an eight-hour maximum working day.^[3] The NUR formed Federation agreements with ASLEF in 1903^[4] and 1982 but both were short-lived.

The NUR had 408,900 members in 1945, making it the fifth largest union in Britain. Its membership fell to 369,400 in 1956 and 227,800 in 1966.^[5]

Following the formation of British Rail, the majority of NUR members worked for the nationalised organisation. However, other members worked for London Transport, the National Freight Corporation and various smaller companies. It also recruited British Rail workers in associated industries, such as its hotels, docks and harbours, and on the Sealink ferries.^[1]

In 1990 the NUR merged with the National Union of Seamen to form the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) and ceased to exist as a separate union.

Election results

The union sponsored numerous Labour Party Parliamentary candidates, many of whom won election.

Election	Constituency	Candidate	Votes	% share	Position[6]
1918 general election	Cardiff East	Arthur James Williams	5,554	28.5	3[6]
	Derby	J. H. Thomas	25,145	37.8	1[7]
	Manchester Ardwick	Thomas Lowth	5,670	31.8	2[8]
	Middlesbrough West	Charlie Cramp	5,350	32.8	2[6]
	Newcastle-upon-Tyne East	Walter Hudson	5,195	34.7	2[6]
	Reading	Thomas Charles Morris	8,410	29.8	2[6]
	Wakefield	Albert Bellamy	5,882	33.7	2[9]
	Warrington	Isaac Brassington	5,377	22.6	3[6]
1921 by-election	Dudley	James Wilson	10,244	50.7	1[9]
1921 by-election	Heywood and Radcliffe	Walter Halls	13,430	41.7	1[9]
1922 general election	Bolton	William James Abraham	20,156	15.8	4[10]
	Bristol East	Luke Bateman	13,759	49.7	2[10]
	Cardiff East	Arthur James Williams	7,506	31.4	3[10]
	Derby	J. H. Thomas	25,215	27.0	1[10]
	Dudley	James Wilson	8,522	39.8	2[9]
	Heywood and Radcliffe	Walter Halls	15,334	44.6	2[10]
	Leeds South	Henry Charleton	13,210	53.7	1[10]
	Leyton East	William Carter	6,300	30.9	2[10]
	Manchester Ardwick	Thomas Lowth	14,031	52.3	1[10]
	Salford West	Arthur Law	8,724	32.3	2[10]
	Wakefield	Albert Bellamy	9,798	48.5	2[10]
	Wolverhampton East	William Thomas Augustus Foot	3,076	12.2	3[10]
1923 general election	Derby	J. H. Thomas	24,887	29.0	1[11]
	Leeds South	Henry Charleton	11,705	44.2	1[11]
	Manchester Ardwick	Thomas Lowth	15,673	60.4	1[11]
	Heywood and Radcliffe	Walter Halls	15,273	47.1	2[11]
	Rushcliffe	James Wilson	6,882	24.7	3[11]
1924 general election	Barkston Ash	William Dobbie	11,894	41.4	2[12]
	Derby	J. H. Thomas	27,423	25.7	1[12]
	Leeds South	Henry Charleton	12,799	46.3	1[12]
	Manchester Ardwick	Thomas Lowth	15,941	54.9	1[12]
	Oldham	James Wilson	22,081	18.4	4[12]
	Paddington North	John William Gordon	10,481	38.1	2[12]
	Wakefield	George Sherwood	10,192	47.9	2[12]
1928 by-election	Ashton-under-Lyne	Albert Bellamy	9,567	40.6	1[13]
1929 general election	Ashton-under-Lyne	Albert Bellamy	13,170	44.4	1[14]
	Berwick-upon-Tweed	Henry Kegie	5,402	18.4	2[14]
	Bethnal Green South West	Christopher John Kelly	6,849	38.7	2[14]
	Clitheroe	William Dobbie	15,592	39.5	2[14]
	Derby	J. H. Thomas	39,688	30.0	1[14]
	Leeds South	Henry Charleton	18,043	52.5	1[14]
	Lonsdale	Joseph Henderson	7,303	25.4	3[14]
	Manchester Ardwick	Thomas Lowth	20,041	60.3	1[14]
	Oldham	James Wilson	32,727	25.0	2[14]
	Paddington North	John William Gordon	13,348	39.3	2[14]
	Rossendale	Arthur Law	14,624	36.0	1[14]
	Wakefield	George Henry Sherwood	13,393	48.8	1[14]
	Westbury	George Ward	7,458	22.5	3[14]
	York	Frederick George Burgess	20,663	45.0	1[14]
1931 by-election	Ashton-under-Lyne	John William Gordon	11,005	39.4	2[15]
1931 by-election	Manchester Ardwick	Joseph Henderson	15,294	50.5	1[15]
1931 general election	Ashton-under-Lyne	John William Gordon	11,074	37.1	2[16]
	Leeds South	Henry Charleton	14,156	40.1	2[16]
	Manchester Ardwick	Joseph Henderson	15,664	42.0	2[16]
	Middlesbrough West	Henry Kegie	13,040	33.4	2[16]
	Oldham	James Wilson	26,631		4[16]
	Plymouth Sutton	George Ward	14,073	36.7	2[16]
	Rossendale	Arthur Law	11,135	27.5	3[16]
	Stalybridge and Hyde	William Dobbie	14,251	28.1	2[16]
	Wakefield	George Sherwood	11,774	42.6	2[16]
	York	Frederick George Burgess	16,310	35.1	2[16]
1933 by-election	Rotherham	William Dobbie	28,767	69.1	1[17]
1935 by-election	Edinburgh West	William McAdam	10,462	33.9	2[18]
1935 general election	Accrington	Frederick George Burgess	21,203	45.6	2[19]
	Barrow-in-Furness	Percy Barstow	17,919	49.7	2[19]
	Eccles	Jack Grierson	20,055	47.3	2[19]
	Gateshead	James Wilson	25,804	47.3	2[19]
	Leeds South	Henry Charleton	15,223	46.0	1[19]
	Manchester Ardwick	Joseph Henderson	16,364	52.9	1[19]
	Middlesbrough West	Henry Kegie	12,764	33.7	2[19]
	Norwich	Christopher John Kelly	22,055	17.8	4[19]
	Plymouth Sutton	George Ward	15,394	41.7	2[19]
	Pontefract	Adam Hills	19,783	53.4	1[19]
	Rotherham	William Dobbie	29,725	67.5	1[19]
	Salford North	William McAdam	15,272	43.4	2[19]
1941 by-election	Pontefract	Percy Barstow	unopposed	N/A	1[20]
1944 by-election	Sheffield Attercliffe	John Hynd	unopposed	N/A	1[20]
1945 general election	Acton	Joseph Sparks	19,950	56.1	1[21]
	Eccles	William Proctor	23,008	51.1	1[21]
	Exeter	Reginald Travess	15,245	40.2	2[21]
	Manchester Ardwick	Joseph Henderson	14,360	64.0	1[21]
	Newcastle upon Tyne West	Ernest Popplewell	28,149	58.5	1[21]
	Pontefract	Percy Barstow	24,690	60.6	1[21]
	Rotherham	James Harrison	35,654	74.2	1[21]
	Salford North	William McAdam	18,327	60.5	1[21]
	Sheffield Attercliffe	John Hynd	23,468	81.4	1[21]
	South Derbyshire	Arthur Champion	47,586	57.7	1[21]
	The Hartlepools	D. T. Jones	16,502	41.2	1[21]
	The Wrekin	Ivor Owen Thomas	22,453	56.3	1[21]
	West Stirlingshire	Alfred Balfour	16,066	54.4	1[21]
1948 by-election	Glasgow Camlachie	John Inglis	10,690	42.1	2
1950 general election	Acton	Joseph Sparks	21,751	49.1	1[22]
	Birmingham Perry Barr	Cecil Poole	23,178	56.6	1[22]
	Eccles	William Proctor	27,409	50.7	1[22]
	Manchester Wythenshawe	Charles Bridges	17,191	37.2	2[22]
	Newcastle upon Tyne West	Ernest Popplewell	31,230	58.2	1[22]
	Nottingham East	James Harrison	20,404	46.5	1[22]
	Sheffield Attercliffe	John Hynd	30,726	71.6	1[22]
	South East Derbyshire	Arthur Champion	30,039	49.1	1[22]
	The Hartlepools	D. T. Jones	25,609	50.6	1[22]
	The Wrekin	Ivor Owen Thomas	19,730	53.7	1[22]
	Westbury	Reginald Travess	15,766	35.6	2[22]
	West Stirlingshire	Alfred Balfour	19,930	55.6	1[22]
1951 general election	Acton	Joseph Sparks	23,287	52.2	1[23]
	Birmingham Perry Barr	Cecil Poole	23,322	58.1	1[23]
	Eccles	William Proctor	27,941	52.5	1[23]
	Haltemprice	Charles Bridges	19,584	41.9	2[23]
	Newcastle upon Tyne West	Ernest Popplewell	31,765	57.9	1[23]
	Nottingham East	James Harrison	20,865	47.8	1[23]
	Sheffield Attercliffe	John Hynd	29,958	71.1	1[23]
	South East Derbyshire	Arthur Champion	33,020	52.7	1[23]
	The Hartlepools	D. T. Jones	27,147	52.6	1[23]
	The Wrekin	Ivor Owen Thomas	20,109	52.4	1[23]
	Westbury	Reginald Travess	17,623	39.2	2[23]
1954 by-election	Haltemprice	Charles Bridges	9,974	38.2	2
1955 general election	Acton	Joseph Sparks	20,645	50.6	1[24]
	Birmingham Perry Barr	Charles Howell	18,732	51.0	1[24]
	Eccles	William Proctor	25,351	52.4	1[24]
	Newcastle upon Tyne West	Ernest Popplewell	25,401	55.7	1[24]
	Nottingham North	James Harrison	26,552	55.4	1[24]
	Sheffield Attercliffe	John Hynd	33,071	71.0	1[24]
	South East Derbyshire	Arthur Champion	25,620	51.6	1[24]
	South Northamptonshire	Ronald Lewis	17,339	44.7	2[24]
	The Hartlepools	D. T. Jones	25,145	51.6	1[24]
	The Wrekin	Ivor Owen Thomas	18,541	49.4	2[24]
	Westbury	Reginald Travess	16,295	37.8	2[24]
1958 by-election	St Helens	Leslie Spriggs	26,405	64.7	1[25]
1959 general election	Acton	Joseph Sparks	18,438	48.8	2[25]
	Birmingham Perry Barr	Charles Howell	16,811	42.6	1[25]
	Darlington	Ronald Lewis	19,901	39.7	2[25]
	Eccles	William Proctor	25,566	52.0	1[25]
	Newcastle upon Tyne West	Ernest Popplewell	28,956	54.8	1[25]
	St Helens	Leslie Spriggs	35,961	62.1	1[25]
	Sheffield Attercliffe	John Hynd	33,676	68.8	1[25]
	South East Derbyshire	Arthur Champion	25,362	45.5	2[25]
	The Hartlepools	D. T. Jones	25,281	49.8	2[25]
1964 general election	Birmingham Perry Barr	Charles Howell	18,156	49.5	2[26]
	Carlisle	Ronald Lewis	19,169	45.6	1[26]
	Glasgow Springburn	Richard Buchanan	16,828	65.3	1[26]
	Newcastle upon Tyne West	Ernest Popplewell	29,603	58.3	1[26]
	St Helens	Leslie Spriggs	34,137	67.0	1[26]
	Sheffield Attercliffe	John Hynd	30,318	66.8	1[26]
	Sunderland South	Gordon Bagier	25,900	51.6	1[26]
1966 general election	Carlton	Amos Lloyd Ramsden	24,589	39.2	2[27]
	Carlisle	Ronald Lewis	22,565	56.1	1[27]
	Glasgow Central	Thomas McMillan	11,673	74.8	1[27]
	Glasgow Springburn	Richard Buchanan	15,998	67.8	1[27]
	Nottingham South	George Perry	24,580	50.3	1[27]
	St Helens	Leslie Spriggs	33,325	70.8	1[27]
	Sheffield Attercliffe	John Hynd	32,336	77.3	1[27]
	Sunderland South	Gordon Bagier	27,567	57.5	1[27]
1970 general election	Carlisle	Ronald Lewis	21,866	53.2	1[28]
	Glasgow Central	Thomas McMillan	7,936	66.0	1[28]
	Glasgow Springburn	Richard Buchanan	14,968	64.3	1[28]
	Nottingham South	George Perry	23,031	46.3	2[28]
	St Helens	Leslie Spriggs	31,587	65.7	1[28]
	Sunderland South	Gordon Bagier	26,840	56.4	1[28]
Feb 1974 general election	Carlisle	Ronald Lewis	23,119	55.2	1[29]
	Exeter	Graham Powell	17,686	31.2	2[29]
	Glasgow Central	Thomas McMillan	9,400	58.7	1[29]
	Glasgow Springburn	Richard Buchanan	18,067	53.7	1[29]
	St Helens	Leslie Spriggs	32,621	59.0	1[29]
	Sunderland South	Gordon Bagier	28,296	49.6	1[29]
	West Bromwich East	Peter Snape	21,895	52.8	1[29]
Oct 1974 general election	Carlisle	Ronald Lewis	21,079	51.2	1[30]
	Glasgow Central	Thomas McMillan	9,231	63.6	1[30]
	Glasgow Springburn	Richard Buchanan	17,444	54.6	1[30]
	St Helens	Leslie Spriggs	32,620	64.1	1[30]
	Sunderland South	Gordon Bagier	28,623	55.0	1[30]
	West Bromwich East	Peter Snape	19,942	50.5	1[30]
1976 by-election	Newcastle upon Tyne Central	Harry Cowans	4,692	47.6	1
1979 general election	Carlisle	Ronald Lewis	21,343	49.7	1[31]
	Derby North	Phillip Whitehead	28,797	44.9	1[31]
	Edinburgh Central	Robin Cook	12,191	47.9	1[31]
	Glasgow Central	Thomas McMillan	8,542	72.5	1[31]
	Holborn and St Pancras South	Frank Dobson	12,026	49.3	1[31]
	Huddersfield West	Richard Faulkner	16,996	40.6	2[31]
	Islington North	Michael O'Halloran	12,317	52.6	1[31]
	Newcastle upon Tyne Central	Harry Cowans	10,395	67.3	1[31]
	St Helens	Leslie Spriggs	32,489	59.6	1[31]
	Sunderland South	Gordon Bagier	29,403	53.1	1[31]
	Swansea East	Donald Anderson	31,909	69.9	1[31]
	West Bromwich East	Peter Snape	19,279	47.0	1[31]
	West Lothian	Tam Dalyell	36,713	54.9	1[31]
1983 general election	Carlisle	Ronald Lewis	15,618	37.5	1[32]
	Crewe and Nantwich	Gwyneth Dunwoody	22,031	41.1	1[32]
	Derby North	Phillip Whitehead	18,797	36.8	2[32]
	Glasgow Garscadden	Donald Dewar	19,635	56.2	1
	Holborn and St Pancras	Frank Dobson	20,486	47.5	1
	Linlithgow	Tam Dalyell	19,694	45.1	1
	Livingston	Robin Cook	14,255	37.7	1
	Sunderland South	Gordon Bagier	22,869	45.7	1
	Swansea East	Donald Anderson	22,297	54.4	1
	Tyne Bridge	Harry Cowans	21,127	56.5	1
	West Bromwich East	Peter Snape	15,894	38.1	1
	Wrexham	John Marek	16,120	34.3	1
1987 general election	Crewe and Nantwich	Gwyneth Dunwoody	25,457	44.0	1[33]
	Derby North	Phillip Whitehead	20,236	37.2	2
	Glasgow Garscadden	Donald Dewar	18,920	64.4	1[33]
	Holborn and St Pancras	Frank Dobson	22,966	50.6	1[33]
	Linlithgow	Tam Dalyell	21,869	47.4	1[33]
	Livingston	Robin Cook	19,110	45.6	1
	Swansea East	Donald Anderson	27,478	63.7	1
	West Bromwich East	Peter Snape	18,162	42.6	1[33]
	Wrexham	John Marek	22,144	43.9	1[33]

Leadership

General Secretaries

James Edwin Williams

1913: James Edwin Williams^[34]

1916: James Henry Thomas^[34]

1931: Charlie Cramp^[34]

1933: John Marchbank^[34]

1943: John Benstead^[34]

1948: Jim Figgins^[34]

1953: Jim Campbell^[34]

1957: Sidney Greene^[34]

1975: Sidney Weighell^[34]

1983: Jimmy Knapp^[34]

Presidents

1913: Albert Bellamy^[35]

1918: Charlie Cramp^[35]

1920: William James Abraham^[35]

1922: John Marchbank^[35]

1925: William Dobbie^[35]

1928: J. Gore^[35]

1931: William Dobbie^[35]

1934: Joseph Henderson^[35]

1937: Walter T. Griffiths^[35]

1939: J. H. Potts^[35]

1942: Frederick Burrows^[35]

1945: Eddie Binks^[35]

1948: William Tindall Potter^[35]

1951: Harry Franklin^[35]

1954: Jim Stafford^[35]

1957: Tom Hollywood^[35]

1958: Charles W. Evans^[35]

1961: Bill Rathbone^[35]

1964: Frank Donlon

1967: Frank Lane

1970: George Chambers

1972: Harold McRitchie

1975: Dave Bowman

1978: Alun Rees

1982: Tom Ham

1984: George Wakenshaw

1987: Alan Foster

1990: John Cogger

See also

• Organized labour portal

• History of trade unions in the United Kingdom