Hull Seamen's Union Explained

The Hull Seamen's Union was a trade union representing sailors based in Kingston-upon-Hull, in England.

The union was founded in 1883 as the Hull Sailors' Mutual Association, and in 1887 it renamed itself as the Hull Seamen's and Marine Firemen's Association. In 1913, it changed its name to the "Hull Seamen's Union".^[1]

The union represented the majority of organised sailors in Hull, and the largest of the local seamen's unions in the United Kingdom. It was led by James Benjamin Butcher, who focused on maintaining good relations with shipowners, and was described by rival John R. Bell as "out of date and out of sympathy with all progressive movements".^[2]

In 1922, the union merged into the National Sailors' and Firemen's Union.^[3]

General Secretaries

1880s: James Benjamin Butcher

c.1913: George William McKee

References

1. Book: John B. . Smethurst . Peter . Carter . Historical Directory of Trade Unions . 6 . 184 . 9780754666837 . June 2009 . Ashgate Publishing . Farnham .
2. Yann Belliard, "Bell, John Robert", Dictionary of Labour Biography, vol.XV, pp.14 - 23
3. Web site: Hull Seamen's Union . Modern Records Centre . University of Warwick . 14 November 2020.