Thorn, Gary (1983) The politics of trade unionism in a sweated industry : boot and shoemakers in late nineteenth century London. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

The thesis examines the changing character of London boot and shoemakers' trade unionism through a period (c. 1870-95) when the gradual mechanization of the provincial industry and the growth of American competition forced an intensification of the division of labour and an increase in sweating. It is concerned with the rise of a new unionist movement as a response to these pressures and to the labour aristocratic trade union leadership's inability to deal affectively with the problems of the lass skilled London shoemaker.

Chapters 1-4 describe the development of the London boot and shoe- making industry and its trade unionism down to the mid-1880s. Chapters 5—10 describe the breakdown of the old division of labour through the decade which culminated in the 1895 lock-out and its consequences for trade unionism and industrial relations. The final chapter assesses the political radicalism of London shoemakers through the nineteenth century.

The conclusions argue that fundamental changes within the division of labour in the shoemaking industry through the late nineteenth century produced a more militant trade unionism in the process of struggle for control over the new mode of production, employers' attempts to force through these changes through arbitration and conciliation structures were accommodated by the labour aristocratic trade union leadership. This produced a new unionist movement of resistance whose leadership was socialist and which drew its support from the less skilled London shoemakers. The movement failed to achieve its objectives of greater workers' control of the means of production because the employers launched a successful counteroffensive which culminated in the lock-out of 1895.

As a result, the more militant consciousness developed by London shoemakers through the new unionist period became modified into a more cautious labourism which has typified shoemakers' trade unionism throughout the twentieth century. Ultimately, the boot and shoemakers' experience must be seen as one small component of the development of a reformist working class consciousness in late nineteenth century Britain.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Shoemakers -- Labor unions -- England -- London -- 19th century, Footwear industry -- England -- London -- 19th century, Labor unions -- Political activity -- England -- London -- 19th century, London (England) -- Social conditions -- 19th century
Official Date:	October 1983
Dates:	Date Event October 1983 UNSPECIFIED
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Department of History
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Harrison, Royden ; Mason, Tony, 1938-
Sponsors:	Birmingham (England). Education Committee
Format of File:	pdf
Extent:	434 leaves : illustrations
Language:	eng

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