Newcastle Trades Hall and Labour

Labour history archives

This collection includes the archives of the Newcastle Trades Hall and affiliated Trade Unions, which date from the 1870s. By 1880 Newcastle had become "the very hotbed of radicalism and ultra-democratic notions", and the poet Kendall was forced to withdraw his libellous poem about an early labour politician, Ninian Melville. These records go back to those times when Trade Unions and the Newcastle Eight Hour Committee met in the local hotels, before the opening of the first Newcastle Trades Hall, (at the corner of Hunter and Union Streets), in the 1890s.

Digitised Collections

Josiah Cocking - Founding member of the Wallsend Chapter of the Australian Socialist Leaugue

How to Become Rich - A pamphlet about Labor and Socialism published by the "Mother of Labor" Bertha McNamara

Fraternal Societies Collection

Blog Posts

Eight Hour League

Physical Collections

Aberdare Extended Miners' Lodge

Records, 1910 - 1927 5 volumes and 1 box

B9443-B9447, Minute books, contribution books, secretary's

A5607 note book, bank book, Colliery Employees Federation income and expenditure book, Australian Coal and Shale Employee's Federation records, membership books, rules, questionnaire, half yearly returns and printed material

Amalgamated Engineering Union - Maitland Branch

Records, 1938 - 1975, 5 boxes

A6532, Minute book, 1963 - 1975

A6533 Coal Mining Unions Council minutes, 1945 - 1959; Coal mining industrial relations papers, 1938 - 1959; Correspondence relating to apprentices, 1965; State Electricity Commission Mines Shop Steward minutes, 1965 - 1966; Joint Coal Board correspondence, 1949

A6534-A6536 Hunter Valley collieries, industrial relations papers, 1940 - 1969.

Amalgamated Metal Workers and Shipwrights Union

Records, 1928 - 1988, 10 boxes

A6657 Conferences, workshops and seminars, 1972 - 1986; Submissions, reports and parliamentary documents, 1983 - 1986.

A6658-A6659, Files on tradesmen and apprentices, 1967 - 1972

A6660-A6662 Arbitration and conciliation, awards and agreements, 1928 - 1983.

A6662 Kooragang bulk facilities construction agreement, 1982.

A6663 Shipwrights Association records, 1966 - 1985.

A6664 Maritime Services Board files, 1980 - 1985.

A6665 Report of the working party on the Australian ship repair industry, 1984; State Dockyard minutes, press clippings, photographs and reports, 1977; Coal and coal loaders files, 1976 - 1982; Country, Gosford and North Coast correspondence, 1972 - 1976; Industrial Relations Bureau and Industrial Registrar's correspondence, 1972 - 1977.

A6666 Printed material: The Kemira stay-in strike, October 1982; Journals, newsletters and printed material, 1980 - 1988; Tape recording: Excerpts from speeches at National Defense Meeting, 1979.

Baking Trades Employees Federation of Australia, Newcastle

B11308-B11309 Minute books, 1915 - 1923

Building Workers Industrial Union of Australia, Newcastle

A5157-A5171 Correspondence, 1948 - 1961

15 boxes

Cardiff Locomotive Workshops Combined Unions Shop Committee

Records, 1937 - 1979, 23 volumes and 1 box

B10060-B10082, Minute books, correspondence, annual reports

A5692 (incomplete), circulars, printed history and printed material

Colliery Employees Federation of the Northern District N.S.W. Industrial Union of Employees

A5397 Copy of Memorandum of Agreement of Industrial Conditions on the South Maitland Coalfield, February 1, 1906

1 piece

Comerford, Jim

Mining records, 1903 - 1918 and press clipping, 1977.

A5397, Copies of mining records, including industrial

A5422 awards relating to Pelaw Main colliery, Proceedings of The Royal Commission on Coal Mining Disputes in Newcastle and Gunnedah 1907, Coal Board Orders and Judges notes 1918, and a press clipping Wallace Maher - fifty years later', by Jim Comerford, 1977.

Additional mining and labour records, 1833 - 1975

A5422, A5767 Records on the industrial, economic and social

A5828, A5829 history of coal and shale mining in the Hunter Valley. Notable items include early photographs of the mines and mining towns; photographs of the funeral of 1929 Rothbury victim Norman Brown; copies of early documents on the Australian Agricultural Company's mines and John Platt; copies of early documents on the history of Minmi; miners' union records of the history of Minmi; miners' union records of the 1880s; and records on the history of Hunter Valley local government, co-operatives, and workers' club

Copy of newspaper article on Jim Comerford, July 17, 1973

Earp, Rod W

Records, 1928 - 1957, 2 boxes

A5694-A5695 Press clippings on colliery industrial disputes, late 1920s; Records concerning National Parks in the Hunter-Manning Region, 1940s - 1950s.

A6154(x) A history of Earp Brothers… Newcastle, 1883 - 1893

Federated Engine Drivers and Firemen's Association of A/Asia, Newcastle

A5132-A5133 Correspondence, 1954 - 1958

2 boxes

Federated Ironworkers of Australia, Newcastle

A5137-A5141 Correspondence and bank statements, 1960 - 1963

5 boxes

Federated Moulders Union of Australasia

AB5579-AB5583 Minute books and journals, 1918 - 1936.

5 volumes

A6053(xiv) The Federated Moulder, Nos. 1 - 9

Federated Society of Boilermakers and Iron Shipbuilders of Australia, Newcastle (now incorporated in Amalgamated Metal Workers Union)

Records, 1877 - 1976 35 volumes and 2 boxes

A5142-A5143 Ritual books, c.1890; Annual accounts, 1927 - 1972

A5143 Press clipping book, 1936 - 1944; Cash book, 1922; Employment returns, 1912 - 1941; Conciliation and arbitration files, 1960 - 1969; Essay on boilermakers by G. Robinson, 1976.

B5588 Members register, 1908 - 1914

B5589 Return book, 1915 - 1922

B5590-B5619 Minute books, 1877 - 1973

B5620-B5621 Contribution book, 1896 - 1912

B5622 Ledger, 1915 - 1923

Friendly Trades Society of Iron Moulders, Newcastle Branch

B5578a Minute book, 1885 - 1886

1 volume

Hunter River Colliery Managers Defence Association

B8745 Minute book, 1906 - 1909

1 volume

Lambton Mechanics Institute

Records, 1870 - 1958 14 volumes and 1 box

B10310-10323, Minute books, annual reports and accounts,

A5903a, correspondence, financial and library records

B10310-10314 Minute books, 1878 - 1945

Library Association of Australia, N.S.W. - Central Coast Regional Group

Records, 1952 - 1975 6 boxes

A5503-A5507 Constitution, minutes, correspondence, financial records, annual reports, members' lists and printed material

Library Association of Australia, N.S.W. - Hunter Region Group

Records, 1979 - 1983, 1 box

A6373 L.A.A. General Council minutes, 1979 - 1982; L.A.A. New South Wales Branch Council minutes, 1979 - 1981; Hunter Regional Group minutes, 1979 - 1983; Library Technician Certificate course,
Sub-Committee on Work Experience, minutes, 1981; Correspondence, 1979 - 1983; Lists of officers and professional members, 1982; Library Association of Australia National Continuing Education Programme prospectus, 1983; Copyright statement on non-book materials, 1982; Posters and brochures, 1982.

Longworth Family, Mayfield, N.S.W.

Newspaper cutting books and papers, 1926 - 1953.
2 volumes and 1 box

B8023-B8024, A5200 Two volumes of cuttings from the Newcastle and Sydney press, relating to State politics, the Labor Movement,
Newcastle unions, industrial disputes and Newcastle industries. News cuttings and other papers relating to the Labor Party, social problems and prison work.

Mcewen, Ellen M

B8846 The Newcastle coal mining district of New South Wales, 1860 - 1900 (1979) 1 volume. University of Sydney, History Department, Ph.D. Thesis

Mendelsohn, Dr. Ronald S

Photographs, 1938. 1 envelope

A5233 Photographs of housing in Newcastle, reflecting poor housing conditions during the 1930s Depression.

Metal Trades Council, Newcastle

B5578 Minute book, 1933 - 1937. 1 volume

Metal Trades Federation, Newcastle District Branch

B11313 Minute book, 1948 - 1969. 1 volume

Miscellaneous Workers Union, Newcastle

Union records, c.1940 - 1970, 4 volumes and 1 bundle

B5584-B5587, Minute books, newspaper clippings book, and

A5233 photographs of members

Morgan, Jane

B10368 Industrial group activity in the Newcastle region with particular reference to the Federated Ironworkers' Association, Miners' Federation, and Trades Hall Council, 1981.

1 folder

Honours Thesis, Department of Industrial Relations, University of Sydney

The New Theatre, ('The Dungeon'), Newcastle Trades Hall

Theatre records, c.1950 - 1974. 6 boxes

A5178-A5183 Play scripts, minute book, set and costume designs, and related printed material.

Newcastle and Northern District Operative Bakers Society

A6517 Minute books, 1924 - 1954. 2 boxes

Newcastle And Northumberland Benevolent Society

Records, 1886 - 1948. 21 volumes

B7967-B7987 Minute books, roll and address book, asylum and maternity hospital admission and discharge books, outdoor relief journal, annual reports, visitors book, and press clipping book.

Newcastle Trades Hall Council

Archives, 1878 - 1971 (with gaps) 74 boxes and 8 volumes

A5061-A5129, A5184-A5188, B5570-B5578, A5749-A5753a, Minutes, correspondence, secretary's diary, annual accounts and
account books.

A5749-A5753a, A5935-A5937 May Day, Trades Hall, trade union, and social research records; incomplete runs of labor newspapers, and records on the labor movement collected by unionists Edwin J. Brent and Alex. Dowling, c.1918 - 1981.

A5061-A5121 Correspondence and related papers, 1930 - 1969

A5184-A5185 Correspondence, 1959

A5121 A.C.T.U. Congress proceedings, 1955 - 1967

A5122-A5126 Minutes, 1937 - 1974

A5127-A5128 Annual accounts, 1930 - 1964

A5129 Delegates Council attendance sheets, 1956, 1958, 1959; Bank pass books, c.1930 - c.1950.

A5186-A5187 Pamphlets, handbills and printed material

A5188 May Day files, 1940 - 1964

A5188a Constitutions and rules of Australian Trade Unions, Pensioner's Associations and R.S.L. clubs 1931 - 1962

Newcastle Workers Club

Records, 1950 - 1955, 2 boxes

A5130-A5131 Correspondence and annual accounts

Northumberland And Northern New South Wales Bakers Society

A6517 Minute books, 1954 - 1971. 1 box

Operative Bricklayers Trade Society, Newcastle

B11310-B11312 Minute books, 1909 - 1941. 3 volumes

Printing Industry Employees' Union of Australia, Newcastle

Records, 1888, 1927 - 1972. 6 boxes and 1 volume

A5172-A5177, Minute book, correspondence, half-yearly

B5654 reports, and related papers.

Royal Oak Lodge No. 9, Wallsend

Archives, 1841, 1885 - 1966. 1 box and 27 volumes

A5042, Minute books, members' registers, membership

B5490-B5514a lists, declaration books, correspondence, account books, and an 1841 devotional text in Gaelic

Seamen's Union of Australasia, Newcastle

Records, 1945 - 1975.

A5148-A5156, Correspondence, telegrams, members' registers,

B5625-B5653, minute books, and related records

A5148-A5155 Correspondence 1953 - 1964

Womens Committee correspondence and related papers, 1963 - 1968.

Sheet Metal Workers Union, Newcastle

Records, 1943 - 1972 ,7 boxes and 2 volumes

A5134-A5136, A5144-A5147, B5623-B5624 Minute books, correspondence, annual accounts, and related papers.

Union Lodge Of Oddfellows, Manchester Unity, Newcastle

Records, 1842 - 1860 3 volumes

B5363-B5365 Minute books and cash book

United Operative Bricklayers Trade Society, No. 2 Newcastle Branch

A5890 Minutes, 1909 - 1918. 1 microfilm reel

Watersideworkers Federation of Australia - Port Stephens Branch

B9784 Minute book, 1923 - 1925. 1 volume