Reference number
  • NBL
Date
  • 1897-1985
Level
  • Collection
Description
  • This collection includes: rules and related records, 1924-1980; records relating to proposed transfers of engagements to other unions, 1964-1985; national executive committee minutes, 1921-1985; printed reports of proceedings of annual general council meetings, 1927-1983; printed delegate board minutes and general secretary's reports, 1921-1982; papers relating to internal and external meetings attended in 1979, 1982 and 1983 by the general secretary and/or the finance officer, 1969, 1979-1983; other records concerning policy and administration, (1919)-1963; registers of summaries of branch balance sheets, 1962-1985; other financial records, 1980-1981; records of union operations, 1897-1984, including the national steel strike, 1979-1981; compensation department correspondence on compensation claims arising from accidents to members, 1956-1983; records of the Cleveland and Durham District, later the Northern district, (1898), 1943-1983, the North Eastern Midland District, 1921-1938; the the South Midlands and Mines District, 1980, and the Consett Coke lodge, 1970-1980.
Extent
  • 30 boxes (27 [MSS.36], 3 [597])
Admin history
  • This union was formed in 1921 with the amalgamation of the local associations which made up the National Federation of Blastfurnacemen, Ore Miners and Kindred Trades. Tom McKenna, who was secretary of the Federation and of the Cleveland and Durham Blastfurnacemen and Cokemen's Association, became the first general secretary of the new union. The union remained strongly independent until it transferred its engagements to the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation in 1985 to form the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation (Coke and Iron Section). Reference: Sir Arthur Pugh, 'Men of Steel' (London, 1951); Jack Owen; 'A short story of the history of the Union: National Union of Blastfurnacemen, Ore Miners, Coke Workers and Kindred Trades' (London, 1953); Arthur Marsh and Victoria Ryan, 'Historical Directory of Trade Unions', volume 2 (Aldershot, 1984).
Appraisal
  • This collection has been weeded for duplicates.
Access conditions
  • Records relating to non-fatal industrial accidents have been closed for 75 years from their latest date in order to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998. There are no restrictions on access to the other records in this archive.
Access status
  • Open
Related material
  • Records of the National Federation of Blastfurnacemen, Ore Miners and Kindred Trades
  • Records of the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation/British Iron, Steel and Kindred Trades Association