Mid and East Lothian Miners' Association explained

The Mid and East Lothian Miners' Association (MELMA) was a trade union representing coal miners in parts of the Lothian area of Scotland.

The union described itself as having been founded in 1873 under the leadership of David Moffat,^[1] but it was wound up the following year following an unsuccessful strike,^[2] Moffat having to relocate to Fife due to victimisation.^[3]

The union was re-established in 1887 by George Young and Robert Brown. It registered in 1889, by which time it had a membership of about 2,000 workers. In 1894, it was a founder constituent of the Scottish Miners' Federation,^[4] and it played a leading role in that year's strike of miners in Scotland. Other major strikes took place in 1912 and 1921.

In 1945, the association was merged with other unions to form the Stirling and Lothians Area of the National Union of Mineworkers.^[5]

General Secretaries

1890: Robert Brown

1917: Joseph Young

1919: Andrew Clarke

1940: Alexander Cameron

Presidents

1889: William Shaw

1900: George Young

1912: Andrew Clarke

1918: James Ormiston

References

1. Arthur Marsh and Victoria Ryan, Historical Directory of British Trade Unions, vol.II, p.226
2. Catherine P. Snodgress, The County of East Lothian, p.161
3. Web site: Graham . Stephenson . MOFFAT ABE, ALEX AND DAVE . A Compendium of Communist Biographies . Sources: Abe Moffat `My life with the miners' (1965) and other material. . 16 December 2015.
4. The Labour Gazette, vol.2 (1894), p.47
5. C. P. Snodgrass, The county of East Lothian, p.162