Welcome to Trade Union Ancestors
Discover your family history in the trade union movement

The scale of the British trade union movement is astounding. Tens of millions of people have been members, and 5,000 trade unions are known to have existed at one time or another.

The historic union records that survive illuminate the working lives, daily concerns and political attitudes of our ancestors. There can be few people who, in researching their family history, do not find at least one active trade union member.

This website aims to help family historians to identify the correct union, to discover the role their ancestor played in it, and to find out more about trade union history.

This is a one-person, spare-time operation, and all suggestions, corrections and additions are welcome. Please click on my name to send an email.
Mark Crail, Editor

PS. You can now buy my book Tracing Your Labour Movement Ancestors: A Guide for Family Historians

Note : Volume 5 of the Historical Directory of Trade Unions , published in late 2006, includes the names of additional unions. See the list here

Amalgamated Association of Tramway and Vehicle Workers (and United Vehicle Workers)
Amalgamated Society of Cricket Ball Makers (and the Teston Independent Society of Cricket Ball Makers).
Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants (later the National Union of Railwaymen.
Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers (and Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners).
Amicus (with further information about the AEEU, MSF and GPMU). External link
Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen
Association of Correctors of the Press (also the London Association of Correctors of the Press).
Association of Professional Executive, Clerical and Computer Staffs (APEX) (and the National Clerks Union, National Union of Clerks and Allied Workers).
Friendly Society of Operative Stonemasons of England, Ireland and Wales (and some smaller stonemasons' unions).
General Federation of Trade Unions. External link
GMB (and National Union of Gas Workers and General Labourers).
National Association of Local Government Officers (NALGO - later the National and Local Government Officers Association).
National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives (formerly the National Union of Boot and Shoe Rivetters and Finishers).
National Union of Mineworkers. External link
Somersetshire Miners Association.
Trades Union Congress. External link
Transport and General Workers Union. External link
Transport Salaried Staffs Association. External link
Union of Shop Distributive and Allied Workers. External link
United Operative Masons Association of Scotland (and some smaller Scottish stonemasons' unions).
Unity (including the Ceramic and Allied Trades Union and the National Society of Pottery Workers).

MORE HISTORY

Everything about Chartism and the Chartists

History guides and eyewitness accounts from mytimemachine

Trade union history: union family trees,
A to z listing of 5,000 UK unions and more

Tribune Magazine

More about me

Trade Union family trees
Find out how today's unions evolved through a process of amalgamation to create today's trade union giants
Amicus
Incorporating trade unions for engineers and electricians, bank and finance company employees, scientists, print workers and tobacco workers.

Communication Workers Union
Incorporating unions for postmen and women, postal clerks and sorting office staff, and telephone engineers.

GMB
Incorporating trade unions for local government employees, boilermakers, shipbuilders, professional footballers, furniture makers and clothing workers.

Nautilus
Formerly NUMAST - the National Union of Marine, Aviation and Shipping Transport Officers. External link

Public and Commercial Services Union
Incorporating numerous civil service trade unions. Now upated with more on the Inland Revenue Staff Federation and its predecessor unions.

Rail, Maritime and Transport Union
Incorporating the National Union of Railwaymen, Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants and National Union of Seamen.

Teaching unions
Family trees for the National Union of Teachers, National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers, Association of Teachers and Lecturers, University and College Union.

Transport and General Workers Union
Incorporating trade unions for dockers, coach makers, agricultural workers, Thames watermen, nail makers, chemical workers and bus drivers.

Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians
Incorporating trade unions for building workers, carpenters, joiners and cabinet makers.

Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers
Incorporating trade unions for shop workers, co-op movement employees, and distribution workers.

Unison
Incorporating trade unions for nurses and other health service staff, local government workers and employees in the former public utilities.

Unity
Incorporating the Ceramic and Allied Trades Union and its predecessors in the pottery and related trades.

How to...
Make the most of your visit to an archive or records office
Research your trade union ancestors
Research your Chartist ancestors

How to...
Make the most of your visit to an archive or records office
Research your trade union ancestors
Research your Chartist ancestors