48:
George
Brogden, the general secretary of the USB, died suddenly in March 1857, and Allen was elected to replace him. At the time, the union was struggling, with many members unemployed and funds running low. Early in 1858, on his recommendation, unemployment benefits to members were reduced, and by
40:
with his parents at an early age. He later emigrated to the United States, where he trained as a boilermaker, but after some years, he returned to
Bristol, finding work with the Steam Navigation Company. In 1836, he joined the Friendly Society of Boilermakers, who had just established a branch in
52:
Trade improved from 1859 onwards, and the union's position improved, allowing unemployment benefits to be reinstated in 1862. In light of this improved position, Allen asked the union to increase his wages, to match what
Brogden had been paid. The union's members voted against this proposal,
187:
64:. However, he faced increasing criticism for his poor grasp of administrative procedures and for lacking a plan for the union's future. As a result, in March 1871 he agreed to retire on a pension of £1 per week.
53:
leading Allen to resign, but he was persuaded to stand in the resulting election, on a platform of being paid at the rate he had previously requested. He easily won the election and returned to office.
42:
49:
the Autumn, they were entirely stopped. While many members were unhappy with this, its did enable the union to survive, and by the end of the year, it had 3,453 members and reserves of £1,778.
41:
the city. He remained active in the union, and by 1848 was acting as a delegate to its annual meeting, which lasted a full twelve days. The union became part of the
192:
57:
197:
159:
149:
121:
202:
61:
182:
177:
87:
117:
81:
110:
23:
171:
56:
During the remainder of the 1860s, the union continued to thrive, affiliating to the
83:
A Historical Survey of the Boiler Makers' and Iron and Steel Ship
Builders' Society
45:(USB), and Allen served as the secretary of its Bristol branch in his spare time.
33:
26:
37:
188:
General secretaries of the
Amalgamated Society of Boilermakers
43:
United
Society of Boilermakers and Iron and Steel Shipbuilders
22:(14 September 1804 – September/October 1888) was a
109:
8:
58:United Kingdom Alliance of Organised Trades
132:
103:
101:
99:
97:
72:
16:British trade union leader (1804–1888)
7:
193:Irish emigrants to the United States
116:. London: George Allen & Unwin.
112:History of the Boilermakers' Society
14:
198:Trade unionists from County Cork
150:United Society of Boilermakers
1:
36:in Ireland, Allen moved to
32:Born at Lower Glanmere, in
219:
156:
148:General Secretary of the
146:
140:
135:
108:Mortimer, J. E. (1973).
86:. R. Robinson. pp.
80:Cummings, D. C. (1905).
62:Trades Union Congress
203:People from Glanmire
136:Trade union offices
60:, and then the new
166:
165:
157:Succeeded by
210:
154:1857–1871
141:Preceded by
133:
128:
127:
115:
105:
92:
91:
77:
218:
217:
213:
212:
211:
209:
208:
207:
168:
167:
162:
153:
144:
131:
124:
107:
106:
95:
79:
78:
74:
70:
17:
12:
11:
5:
216:
214:
206:
205:
200:
195:
190:
185:
180:
170:
169:
164:
163:
158:
155:
145:
143:George Brogden
142:
138:
137:
130:
129:
122:
93:
71:
69:
66:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
215:
204:
201:
199:
196:
194:
191:
189:
186:
184:
181:
179:
176:
175:
173:
161:
160:Robert Knight
152:
151:
139:
134:
125:
119:
114:
113:
104:
102:
100:
98:
94:
89:
85:
84:
76:
73:
67:
65:
63:
59:
54:
50:
46:
44:
39:
35:
30:
28:
25:
21:
147:
111:
82:
75:
55:
51:
47:
31:
19:
18:
183:1888 deaths
178:1804 births
34:County Cork
27:trade union
172:Categories
123:0049060015
68:References
20:John Allen
29:leader.
38:Bristol
24:British
120:
118:ISBN
90:–57.
174::
96:^
88:55
126:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.