Launching Out—Drivers' Need for Protection—The Tay Bridge Exposure—A Driver in Handcuffs—Severity of Companies—The Clarion Call—Help Yourselves.
In this and the succeeding chapter we shall trace together the years 1880 to 1885—years of slow progress, of foundation building, and of endurance in the buffeting of storms. The rule-books were no sooner out and the Society launched than hostile criticism about sectionalism made itself felt. An ample Protection Fund was a big and courageous thing to bid for, and a lively controversy at once arose in the "Gazette," and other service journals, about the "danger" and the "evil" of such a Society. Then, too, the Tay Bridge disaster of December, 1879, loomed large, and there were other ominous signs in the railway world. When the Great Western men decided to "resist to the utmost" the proposed reduction of wages and increase of hours, five of them wrote an assurance at once that they didn't mean it, they certainly did not mean a strike, nor membership with the new Society which promoted a Protection Fund. A statement was issued in "The Railway Service Gazette" by the committee of the proposed Locomotive Enginemen and Firemen's National Union, which gave point to this controversy, and excited the interest of footplate workers. As it is almost the earliest public intimation of the coming of the new spirit, I reproduce it here in full:—
Locomotive Enginemen and Firemen's
National Union.
Committee Room, "Duke of York,"
Doe Street, Birmingham,
December 23rd, 1879.
To the Locomotive Enginemen and Firemen of the United Kingdom.
Fellow Workmen,
We have been requested by resolution passed at a large meeting of enginemen and firemen, held November 9th, 1879, to make known the intention and object of the enginemen and firemen of the Midland District, in their arriving at the determination they have done, to establish a National Union.
We are of opinion it is unnecessary to argue the question as to the need of such Society, the many alterations made in the workings of the men on the different systems, and the reports coming in from all parts of the kingdom, all have one tendency, a necessity for unity of purpose, to be general in character, a combination of enginemen and firemen generally, adapting as a motto the word "Defence," thereby placing themselves in a position to protect its members against the unjust and arbitrary influences of intermediate officialism, to provide temporary assistance in cases of members being out of employment, to assist legally in cases where necessary, and still further, it is suggested that an emigration scheme be included amongst the provision adopted.
It also has in view, as one of its chief aims, an advocacy of a universal system of working throughout the United Kingdom, believing this to be essential to the general welfare of all concerned.
With these objects in view, the meeting assembled unanimously decided to make a commencement. Officers are appointed pro tem., a committee selected to introduce rules which are now in circulation, an entrance fee with a contribution at a low rate fixed upon for the time being, the whole, we have no doubt, will be considerably amended at a representative meeting, which will be eventually held, when our objects and aims are generally known.
In conclusion we earnestly appeal to the whole of the locomotive enginemen and firemen throughout the kingdom for their cooperation and assistance, being fully of opinion that only by such a Society are the interests of all to be protected in the future.
We, therefore, beg to remain, yours, Fellow Workmen,
The Committee,
Correspondence to be addressed to D. Phipps, Committee Room, Duke of York, Doe Street, from whom all particulars may be obtained,
On December 17th of 1880 the Committee of the proposed new Society again issued a clarion call to drivers and firemen to work out their own salvation, the following being published in "The Railway Service Gazette":—
Proposed Associated Society of Locomotive Steam Enginemen and Firemen.
The following has been during the past few months extensively circulated among enginemen and firemen, with results very satisfactory to the committee:—
We propose to you that a society be formed, consisting of enginemen and firemen only; who shall, for the first six months, be admitted under the following conditions:—
Members to be in good health, irrespective of age. Enginemen to pay 5s, entrance, and firemen 2s. entrance; afterwards the entrance fees to be increased, and admittance to be paid for according to age {as it would be unfair to the younger members to admit old men on the same terms as themselves). All members to pay 1s, per week for twelve months before being in benefit. The Society to be a Trade Union Sick and Benefit Society, to relieve its members in sickness and distress; to pay a sum of £60 to members incapacitated by sickness, old age, or accident, with a weekly sum of 7s. 6d. superannuation. Twelve shillings per week for illness, not caused by their own misconduct, for the first six months; and, for remainder of illness, 6s, per week. Twelve shillings per week whilst seeking employment, for 12 weeks: and 6s, per week for the ensuing 14 weeks. Twenty pounds to be paid at the death of a member, and £5 at the death of a member's wife. Should it be deemed necessary, at any time, for any portion of the members to be withdrawn from their employment, such members to receive twelve shillings per week whilst out, and two shillings per week for each child under ten years of age. Any member being discharged for having taken an active part in any question relating to hours or wages, or the well-being of his fellow-workmen, to receive a lump sum of £100, and fifteen shillings per week whilst seeking re-employment. By doing this we hope to disarm that tyranny from which many have suffered, and deter many from taking that position which they should take when differences arise. We have no desire to interfere with that discipline which is as necessary to the safety of the public on railways as it is to ourselves, but merely to protect the men whom we send forward as our representatives. On the Great Western Railway alone 1,938 men signed the petition to the directors. Assuming that one=half tare enginemen, 969 at 5s, each—£242 5s,, and 969 firemen, at 2s, each—£96 18s.; making a total of £339 3s, for entrance fees alone. To this add a year's subscription of 1s, per week, which will make a sum of £5,337 19s, before the Society would be called on to pay any money out. Your Society should not cost more than £200 the first year for an active, energetic secretary. The money raised by the various Lodges to be kept in their own hands until the Delegates from the various lines decided where or how it should be invested. The Secretary to receive £150 per annum, and the remaining £50 would pay travelling expenses, etc. His duty would be to organise the Society, audit the various branch books, and report to a central committee, who would have sole control over the movements of the Organising Secretary.
Your obedient servants,
The Committee.
It was described at once as "very selfish" of the enginemen to thus protect themselves, and "an act of folly to incur such expense." The editor of the "Gazette" reminded enginemen of the old fable concerning the bundle of faggots, and said isolated efforts were futile. Then when first copies of the proposed rules were available in February of 1880, instead-of printing them; the "Gazette" discussed the question of "union or disunion."
"Stick to the all-embracing Amalgamated," the editor wrote. "Its arms are open to all railway servants, from the engineman to the platelayer, and the sooner our friends the enginemen—in this term we include firemen—give up the idea of forming a separate Association the better. . . . . We cannot think that enginemen generally wish for any such efforts to be made."
What good will it be? asked correspondents, and its first efforts at formation were watched with interest. While the discussion was proceeding the A.S.R.S. tock up the case of William McCulloch, a driver on the Caledonian, who was sentenced to four months imprisonment by Sheriff Lees at Glasgow on April 30th, 1880, after his train collided with another, because he relied upon a Clarke & Webb's patent chain brake, which failed to act when needed. No one was killed, but McCulloch was sent to join the thieves and rogues in Perth gaol because of an error of judgment when driving the west coast route express Carlisle to Glasgow. At Rutherglen the signals were against him, and he tried to pull up in time, but the chain brake would net operate. He had been 33 years with the Company, and 26 years as driver without mishap, yet he was removed to Perth in handcuffs as a criminal,
This case naturally aroused great indignation, and the efforts of the A.S.R.S. to secure mitigation of a savage sentence detracted from consideration of the new Society.
Another passing sensation was the report of Mr. Rothery, a member of the Court of Inquiry into the Tay Bridge disaster, which had taken 79 lives in December of 1879. Mr. Rothery held the opinion:—
"That the structure was badly designed, badly constructed, and badly maintained, and that its downfall was due to inherent defects which must sooner or later have brought it down. For these defects, both in the design, the construction, and the maintenance. Sir Thomas Bouch is, in Mr. Rothery's opinion, mainly to blame. For the faults of design he is entirely responsible. For those of construction he is principally to blame in not having exercised that supervision over the work which would have enabled him to detect and apply a remedy to them. And for the faults of maintenance he is also principally, if not entirely, to blame in having neglected to maintain such an inspection aver the structure as its character imperatively demanded."
The other members of the Inquiry reported almost as severely, but not so personally. Evidence had been given of cracked and damaged columns being puttied, painted, and used in the construction of the great bridge, and painters had reported girders and bonds loose and improperly bolted. The whole position of the bridge was said to be wrong.
Issues like this naturally silenced domestic affairs for a time, but late in 1880 and throughout 1881 the animosity was manifest. The conduct of the drivers and firemen at Liverpool, Pontypool, Sheffield, and other places was described as "reprehensible and treacherous." Yet in all conscience there was urgent need for the Society, if only to apply its protection funds to such a flagrant contrast as the one I have presented. Was the trenchant exposure of the jerry-builders and bad designers of the Tay Bridge followed by prosecution, even though four score lives were lost? Not at all—there were words, just words—and the matter was allowed to die out when the new Tay Bridge was better built by other hands. But poor McCulloch, whose mistake cost no life, was sent to gaol. Then before the Society had been in existence a year came a still more painful contrast with the Tay Bridge crime. A collision on the line led to the death of one passenger, and the driver of the colliding train was arrested, tried and convicted of manslaughter. Long records of faithful service, and instances of great ability shown on many occasions, were mercilessly swept aside by one little slip of memory, which sent one train banging into another and cost a life. The accident occurred at Prestbury, and it brought Mr. Clement E. Stretton, civil engineer, who later became consulting engineer to the Associated Society, into prominence.
The A.S.R.S. was in low water at the time, and at the Darlington Conference in 1882 the General Secretary. Mr. Fred W. Evans, reported:—
"There is not much encouragement to be derived from a review of the numerical and influential position of the Society. For three successive years the members have gone on decreasing, and the downward tendency has not ceased. At the end of 1880, 8,589 member wade up the Society: 7,700 members were in the Society on August 30th, 1881, at the end of 1881 the number was reduced to 6,874, and from the half-yearly returns to hand, I compute the Society's present strength to be not more than 6,000 members."
In the meantime the utmost severity was exercised by companies towards drivers and firemen. These men, upon whose loyalty and judgment rested the lives of the community and the property of the companies, were treated with something worse than cold indifference; they were treated with contempt and harshness.
"To give a man a half hour for work which occupies an hour or an hour and a half is common amongst enginemen and firemen on those Lines where the hours are not taken from the time the man books on duty to the time he books off."
After the Society had been formed and officers elected, the following further circular was issued:—
Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen.
Registered Under Act or Parliament.
To the Locomotive Enginemen and Firemen of Great Britain.
It is now over six months since we last addressed you, at that time having decided upon a Code of Rules for the future guidance of our Society, and now we have much pleasure in stating that those Rules have received the approval of the Registrar, and that henceforward we take our place amongst the legalized Trade Societies of this Country. We have met with delays and opposition which it would have been foolish not to expect, but still we have steadily pursued the objects we had in view, and have thus far conducted them successfully.
We make no pretence at perfection, but trust with your co-operation and assistance to be able to bring the intentions of this noble Institution to a wise and legitimate issue.
Our objects, therefore, are very plain and simple, whilst we mean to win the respect of our employers, by maintaining a manly and dignified respect for ourselves, by fulfilling the trust which is given into our charge faithfully and honourably to the best of our ability. We shall at all times expect and endeavour to get them to stand by their agreements, and not break faith with us as they have done heretofore, and deprive us of the just reward of our labour.
Our Funds are formed by Entrance Fees and Weekly Contributions, for the relief of our sick, incapacitation by old age or accident: from following our profession or calling paying a sum of money at the death of Members or their wives, for the relief of Members when on travel in search of employment, or in distressed circumstances, to advance the interests of our Members generally by procuring a reduction in the excessive hours of labour, and a uniform rate of hours and mileage per diem on all Railways throughout the country, the adoption of modern improvements for the general safe working of our railways, with a limit to the speed of trains, which is of as much importance and well being to the public and the shareholders as it is to ourselves.
We have no desire to become dictators to our employers or their representatives, and whilst we will endeavour to assist them in all economical reforms and workings, we shall at least expect fair treatment and just pay for our anxious and dangerous duties.
We have left our Rules open for modification at any future period; and whilst endeavouring to protect our Members against all injustice, we have taken equal care to protect the representatives of our employers from the insults of any foolish or ignorant Members, being satisfied that all should live as far as possible peaceably together, each man doing his duty fairly and honestly, then the public and our employers will be better served, and each man will perform his duty more cheerfully.
We ask you again, the Enginemen and Firemen of this great country, one and all to assist us in carrying out our programme by joining this Society.
The Rules have been framed by Enginemen and Firemen especially for your interests, the Executive duties are performed by men of your own class, your officials are and will continue to be elected from amongst you, they are your servants, the General Secretary is an Engineman of long and practical experience, who knows full well the nature of your responsibility and anxious duties, and who has been elected by his fellow-men to take the management of their affairs.
The interests of the Society and its members will be carefully looked over by a firm of respectable and eminent lawyers, and all that human forethought can devise will be done to ameliorate your condition and conduct the business of this Society on an honourable and sound basis.
A few words to our friends, the members of the "Old Engineman's Sick Society," may not be out of place here. This organisation has not been got up in opposition to your well-managed Club, of which most of us are members, but rather to supply a want which you have long neglected, and the necessity of which is patent to all thoughtful enginemen. But are there no means by which the two Societies can amalgamate? We make the proposition in all honesty and friendliness, we seek a closer bond of union between the Enginemen and Firemen.
Our Branches are numerous and steadily increasing, our Funds are in a satisfactory state; we do not wish to boast, neither do we intend that our affairs shall be made public; we neither fear nor court criticism, but intend to carry on our affairs in our own simple way, and will give all members and and every information which the most exacting may require. Many of our members are already receiving the benefits of our various Branches, and hundreds of non-members are reaping the rewards of our actions in reductions in their hours of labour, which we have no doubt will become more general as the area of our operation spreads,
We deprecate any violent means of arriving at those concessions which it is our aim to obtain, and trust that all our councils may be marked for their moderation and humility, and that we may never have to record in the history of our Society any of those unhappy events which so often set Capital and Labour at variance.
As an indication how sympathy was gradually returning to the grievances of enginemen, whose case for protection and resistance was indeed urgent, | quote the following article from the same "Gazette" after it had received the circular from the committee:—
The Proposed New Society of Enginemen and Firemen.
We have just received a copy of a circular from the committee, who invite enginemen and firemen to join them in forming a new society. We print the circular in another column. It will be eagerly read by many, especially by those who belonged to the now defunct Enginemen's Society, sometimes called the 1867 Society. That there is ample room for such an association is evident from the way in which the committee has been met by large numbers of enginemen and firemen. Large numbers who were members of the old society, but for some reason or other would never join the A.S.R.S., have responded to this invitation, and are working with a will to establish on a sure footing a society after their own heart. Indeed, it is not only now, or for a few weeks, that the promoters and their friends have been quietly and steadily working, they have been for many months feeling their way and sowing the seed, which will doubtless soon bear fruit which will fully reward them.
If any other proof were required to show that there is ample room for such a society as this, it need only be remembered that a comparatively small number-we believe not one-sixth-of the railway servants of the United Kingdom will join the Amalgamated Society. We have often regretted this; we have frequently been somewhat at a loss to know why so many thousands of railwaymen would not join the society. It has done much for them, it has held its doors open to receive all who would come, it has sent travelling and other secretaries about the country to its various branches to hold public meetings and induce non-members to join, but still a large majority, who all the time watched its proceedings, would not become "society men."
However much this has been regretted, we all know that this is a land of liberty, and that every individual can do as he likes about any matter of this kind. It has been said that a travelling secretary of the Amalgamated Society wished to coerce non-members and compel them to join his society. We find it hard to believe that any sane man would think of doing such a thing, and no one will for a moment believe that the society had any notion of that being done.
On the contrary, we think the Amalgamated Society will be glad to see those railwaymen, who could not come within its paling, unite and go to work for their common good. Knowing as we do that our readers, like other classes of men, cannot all see things from the same point of view, we rejoice that those who have for so long kept apart from the society are now going to work on the same idea, viz., that in unity there is strength. We wish the new Society of Enginemen and Firemen God-speed.
It seers almost an anomaly at first sight that a society so urgently needed should have such slow growth and severe early struggles as I have described. Suspicion and hostility towards it bad been implanted in every A.S.R.S. branch, and then, too, the membership fee and contributions were high. The bid made for security was a bold one, and it is not surprising that large numbers of drivers decided to watch for a time how the thing went. I have traced the early years, and then thrown on to them the light of conditions prevailing at the time. With one further example we can close the chapter. It is the statement of a Lancashire & Yorkshire driver:—
"Just fancy, a driver having a mere lad with him to do a man's work] This boy, when he is not out firing, will be cleaning in the shed at eight or ten shillings a week. Of course, the driver is expected to min to time and do his work as though he had a first-class fireman with him. The question needs not to be asked who has to da the fireman's work. "The driver is the man. If he allows the boy to put coal on the fire, it is as a rule put on to waste; I mean it is not put on in a proper way to get steam and to maintain a proper pressure. There are hundreds of tons of coal wasted in this way, for which the driver is responsible, I have run many a hundred miles, and often could not see a signal owing to my having been firing up; the glare of the fire takes away one's sight for a few minutes. The driver invariably puts on the coal when it is the safest, and not when he actually wants it on."
The time had come for drivers and firemen to save themselves, but not all saw it yet.
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