Association of Building Technicians explained

Association of Building Technicians
Founded:1919
Dissolved:1970
Merged:Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers and Painters
Location Country:United Kingdom
Affiliation:TUC
Headquarters:5 Ashley Place, Victoria, London

The Association of Building Technicians (ABT) was a trade union representing architects, surveyors and related workers in the United Kingdom.

History

The union was founded in 1919 as the Architects' and Surveyors' Assistants' Professional Union. In 1924, it changed its name to the Association of Architects, Surveyors and Technical Assistants,[1] and its membership and influence increased into the 1930s, as it became associated with left-wing ideas in architecture. Its membership included some prominent members of the Communist Party of Great Britain, such as Francis Skinner and Graeme Shankland, and the union's leadership was also composed of party members.[2] [3] [4]

In 1942, the union renamed itself again, this time as the Association of Building Technicians. It gradually declined in membership until 1970, when it merged with the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers and the Amalgamated Society of Painters and Decorators, forming the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers and Painters.

General Secretaries

1936: Cleve Barr[5]

1940s: Virginia Penn

1948: F. E. Shosbree

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Association of Building Technicians . Modern Records Centre . University of Warwick . 2 July 2018.
  2. Book: Wall . Christine . An Architecture of Parts: Architects, Building Workers and Industrialisation . 2013 . Routledge . 1135091072 . 207.
  3. Web site: Stevenson . Graham . Shankland Graeme . Compendium of Communist Biography . 2 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180702234809/http://www.grahamstevenson.me.uk/index.php/biographies/s-u/s/517-graeme-shankland . 2 July 2018 . dead .
  4. News: Allan . John . Obituary: Francis Skinner . 2 July 2018 . The Independent . 17 January 1998.
  5. News: Saint . Andrew . A. W. Cleve Barr . 4 July 2018 . The Guardian . 8 June 2000.