The Early Closing Association was formed in the United Kingdom in 1842[1] or 1843 to control the hours of labour in retail shops. It was promoted by Samuel Carter Hall, George Dawson and John Passmore Edwards, among others. Half-day early closing was not finally won until 1912.
A similar association was founded in Melbourne in the 1850s. Retail workers sought to reduce the number of work hours and to introduce early closing on Saturdays.[2]