Catalogue Number
NMLH.2014.20.19
Object Name
Badge
Place
England, Wales
Description
The Operative Society of Masons, Quarrymen and Allied Trades of England and Wales began life in 1833 as the Friendly Society of Operative Stonemasons of England, Ireland and Wales. It changed its name to The Operative Society of Masons, Quarrymen and Allied Trades in1919. It was the most influential of the building trade unions. It established rules regarding working hours and overtime rates, which were negotiated at a local level and incorporated into working rules. In the 1860s it ruled against the importing of worked stone into any town or district. This rule, which was introduced in Sheffield in 1862, was enforced nationally by 1867. The masons took strike action in 1877 to demand a wage on 10d per hour. This strike was unsuccessful and culminated in wholesale wage cuts and increased working hours. In 1921 the Operative Society of Masons, Quarrymen and Allied Trades, the Manchester Unity of Operative Bricklayers' Society and the London Order of Operative Bricklayers' Society
amalgamated to form the Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers.
In the original collection donated to the museum, this badge was erroneously catalogued as "Operative Society of Mason's Quarrymen and Kindered Trades" badge.
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