Vellum (Account Book) Binders' Trade Society Explained

The Vellum (Account Book) Binders' Trade Society was a British trade union formed in 1823,^[1] and with a tiny membership representing a small fraction of bookbinders.^[2]

It is perhaps best remembered in contemporary times for its president from 1892 to 1898, Frederick Rogers, who in 1900 acted as the first chairman of the Labour Representation Committee, the immediate forerunner of the British Labour Party.^{[2] [3] [4]} Rogers describes the union as small, old-fashioned and decidedly conservative.^[5] He assumed office after an unsuccessful industrial action from 1891 to 1892, in support of an eight-hour working day, resulted in the halving of its membership and severe depletion of its funds.^[2]

In 1911, it amalgamated with the Bookbinders and Machine Rulers' Consolidated Union, the Society of Day-working Bookbinders of London, Westminster, etc and the London Consolidated Society of Journeymen Bookbinders to form the National Union of Bookbinders and Machine Rulers.^{[1] [2]}

Secretaries

1892: A. Goodhew

1909: Edward Friend^[6]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Vellum (Account Book) Binders' Trade Society . University of Warwick - University Library.
2. Finch . Harold . 1992 . Frederick Rogers: Bookbinder and Journalist . East London Record . East London History Society . 15 . 10–14. 25 July 2016.
3. 37909. Rogers, Frederick (1846–1915), bookbinder and trade unionist.
4. Web site: Labour Representation Committee (act. 1900–1906). Alistair J.. Reid. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. Jan 2016.
5. Book: Rogers, Frederick. Labour, Life and Literature. 1913. Smith, Elder & Co. London . 63 .
6. Book: Bundock . Clement . The Story of the National Union of Printing, Bookbinding and Paper Workers . registration . 1959 . Oxford University Press . Oxford . 52.