A Summary Description of the archive of the National Union of Seamen


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Summary

Administrative/Biographical History

Scope and Content

System of Arrangement

Administrative Information

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Appraisal, Destruction, Scheduling

Accruals

Access Conditions

Restrictions

Other Information

Language of Material

Additional Sources of Information

Finding Aids

Index Headings

A Summary Description of the archive of the National Union of Seamen


Summary

ReferenceGB 0152 MSS.175
Title National Union of Seamen
Dates of Creation1887-1990
Held atModern Records Centre, University of Warwick Library
Extent2.266 cubic metres
Name of CreatorNational Union of Seamen
Level of description Fonds

Return to the Table of Contents


Administrative/Biographical History

The National Union of Seamen was founded in 1893 as the National Sailors and Firemen's Union, the successor to the National Amalgamated Sailors and Firemen's Union of Great Britain and Ireland, founded in 1887 on the initiative of J.H. Wilson. In 1922 a cooks and stewards' section was formed and the Hull Seamen's Union, the oldest and strongest of the local societies, was absorbed. The title of National Union of Seamen was adopted in 1926. In 1990 the union amalgamated with the National Union of Railwaymen to form the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers.

Reference: Arthur Marsh and Victoria Ryan, The Seamen - a history of the National Union of Seamen (Oxford, 1989).

Return to the Table of Contents


Scope and Content

Various series of minutes, 1887-l967; accounts, 1899-1971; annual/biennial general meetings, 1911-91; correspondence and subject files, 1909-85; subject files re miners' strike, 1984-5; ephemera, etc., re 1988-9 strike; The Seaman, 1908, 1912-90; other publications, 1911-; circulars, 1917-85; press-cuttings, 1903-76; branch minutes (copies), 1947-85; some branch records, 1907-77.

Return to the Table of Contents


System of Arrangement

The Modern Records Centre uses a classification scheme. For further details of the scheme, see http://www.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/mrcclass.shtml. It is compatible with ISAD(G): General International Standard Archival Description (2000).

Return to the Table of Contents


Administrative Information

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection was deposited in the Centre by the National Union of Seamen in January 1978. A further major deposit was made in 1993-1994 after the new National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers decided to base itself at Unity House, Euston Road, London, the National Union of Railwaymen's old headquarters building. A large (65 shelf metres) additional deposit was made to the National Union of Seamen's archive when the old headquarters at Maritime House were vacated.

Appraisal, Destruction, Scheduling

When the National Union of Seamen vacated its old headquarters at Maritime House, two large basements of records had been left behind and a selection had to be made of which records to save. Large numbers of files of negotiations with specific companies were not saved, with the exception of a few companies, saved as samples. A voluminous amount of case files was also rejected.

Accruals

Further deposits are not expected.

Access Conditions

Ten year closure rule on all papers; thirty year closure rule on some files giving personal details or belonging to high ranking officials. Printed material, including the proceedings of general meetings, is open for research.

Copyright/Reproduction

There are no restrictions on the use of this archive, apart from the requirements of copyright law.

Return to the Table of Contents


Other Information

Language of Material

English

Return to the Table of Contents


Additional Sources of Information

Finding Aids

A detailed catalogue of material accessioned up to 1981 is available at the Centre. In addition there is a box list of material deposited in 1993-1994.

Authority files exist for the National Union of Seamen (GB 0152 AAR1021) and its predecessors : the National Sailors and Firemen's Union (GB 0152 AAR1022) and the National Amalgamated Sailors and Firemen's Union of Great Britain and Ireland (GB 0152 AAR1027).

Return to the Table of Contents


Index Headings

National Amalgamated Sailors and Firemen's Union of Great Britain and Ireland

National Sailors and Firemen's Union

National Union of Seamen

Coal Strike -- Great Britain -- 1984-1985

Merchant mariners -- Labor unions -- Great Britain

Strikes and lockouts -- Sailors -- Great Britain

Return to the Table of Contents