Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers
# Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers

The Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers (ASW) was a British trade union representing carpenters, joiners and allied trades. The ASW was formed in 1921 by the amalgamation of two smaller unions. It was itself merged into the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians in 1971.

## History

The ASW was formed in 1921 through the merger of two rival unions: the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters, Cabinetmakers and Joiners and the General Union of Carpenters and Joiners.

The ASW had 176,000 members by 1945, making it the seventh largest union in Britain. Its membership rose to 198,000 by 1956. In 1965, the National Union of Packing Case Makers (Wood and Tin), Box Makers, Sawyers and Mill Workers merged into the ASW.

On 1 July 1970 the ASW was merged with Amalgamated Society of Painters and Decorators and the Association of Building Technicians to form the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers and Painters. One year later the new union was itself merged with Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers to become the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers Painters and Builders (ASWPB). At the end of 1971 the ASWPB was renamed the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT).

## Election results

The union sponsored a large number of Labour Party candidates, many of whom won election.

| Election | Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Position |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1922 general election | Birmingham Yardley | Archibald Gossling | 11,234 | 41.9 | 2 |
| 1922 general election | Chippenham | William Robert Roberts | 1,098 | 05.1 | 3 |
| 1922 general election | Stockport | James C. H. Robinson | 16,126 | 15.8 | 4 |
| 1922 general election | Walthamstow West | Valentine McEntee | 8,758 | 43.3 | 1 |
| 1922 general election | Willesden West | Samuel Viant | 12,529 | 48.5 | 2 |
| 1922 general election | Wycombe | Samuel Stennett | 4,403 | 14.1 | 3 |
| 1923 general election | Birmingham Yardley | Archibald Gossling | 11,562 | 46.5 | 2 |
| 1923 general election | Manchester Hulme | Andrew McElwee | 8,433 | 30.0 | 3 |
| 1923 general election | Nuneaton | Thomas Barron | 10,437 | 29.1 | 3 |
| 1923 general election | Rotherham | Fred Lindley | 16,983 | 53.9 | 1 |
| 1923 general election | Walthamstow West | Valentine McEntee | 10,026 | 47.6 | 1 |
| 1923 general election | Willesden West | Samuel Viant | 14,004 | 51.3 | 1 |
| 1924 general election | Birmingham Yardley | Archibald Gossling | 14,184 | 46.8 | 2 |
| 1924 general election | Manchester Hulme | Andrew McElwee | 13,070 | 41.2 | 2 |
| 1924 general election | Montrose Burghs | Thomas Barron | 6,914 | 42.8 | 2 |
| 1924 general election | Rotherham | Fred Lindley | 18,860 | 54.6 | 1 |
| 1924 general election | Walthamstow West | Valentine McEntee | 12,621 | 49.1 | 2 |
| 1924 general election | Willesden West | Samuel Viant | 14,884 | 47.3 | 1 |
| 1929 general election | Birmingham Yardley | Archibald Gossling | 23,956 | 48.8 | 1 |
| 1929 general election | Glasgow Partick | Adam McKinlay | 13,110 | 45.5 | 1 |
| 1929 general election | Manchester Hulme | Andrew McElwee | 15,053 | 43.8 | 1 |
| 1929 general election | Rotherham | Fred Lindley | 26,937 | 60.4 | 1 |
| 1929 general election | Walthamstow West | Valentine McEntee | 16,050 | 54.0 | 1 |
| 1929 general election | Willesden West | Samuel Viant | 20,583 | 52.3 | 1 |
| 1931 general election | Birmingham Yardley | Archibald Gossling | 16,640 | 33.8 | 2 |
| 1931 general election | Glasgow Partick | Adam McKinlay | 11,252 | 37.3 | 2 |
| 1931 general election | Rotherham | Fred Lindley | 22,834 | 49.2 | 2 |
| 1931 general election | Walthamstow West | Valentine McEntee | 14,144 | 45.1 | 1 |
| 1931 general election | Willesden West | Samuel Viant | 15,550 | 39.4 | 2 |
| 1935 general election | Leeds Central | Fred Lindley | 13,701 | 43.6 | 2 |
| 1935 general election | Liverpool Fairfield | Arthur Moody | 11,155 | 37.5 | 2 |
| 1935 general election | Walthamstow West | Valentine McEntee | 17,613 | 61.8 | 1 |
| 1935 general election | Willesden West | Samuel Viant | 19,402 | 45.9 | 2 |
| 1945 general election | Leeds Central | George Porter | 13,370 | 57.1 | 1 |
| 1945 general election | Liverpool Exchange | Bessie Braddock | 8,494 | 52.0 | 1 |
| 1945 general election | Walthamstow West | Valentine McEntee | 17,460 | 65.2 | 1 |
| 1945 general election | Willesden West | Samuel Viant | 26,566 | 72.2 | 1 |
| 1950 general election | Gateshead East | Arthur Moody | 15,249 | 45.1 | 1 |
| 1950 general election | Leeds Central | George Porter | 24,030 | 60.8 | 1 |
| 1950 general election | Willesden West | Samuel Viant | 33,963 | 61.1 | 1 |
| 1951 general election | Gateshead East | Arthur Moody | 19,525 | 57.7 | 1 |
| 1951 general election | Leeds Central | George Porter | 23,967 | 62.4 | 1 |
| 1951 general election | Willesden West | Samuel Viant | 35,296 | 64.3 | 1 |
| 1955 general election | Gateshead East | Arthur Moody | 21,653 | 56.5 | 1 |
| 1955 general election | Willesden West | Samuel Viant | 29,185 | 61.8 | 1 |
| 1959 general election | Bradford North | John Marshall | 20,179 | 46.9 | 2 |
| 1959 general election | Canterbury | George Peters | 15,746 | 33.8 | 2 |
| 1959 general election | Gateshead East | Arthur Moody | 25,319 | 58.9 | 1 |
| 1964 general election | Ripon | Peter O'Grady | 7,341 | 21.8 | 3 |
| 1966 general election | Liverpool Walton | Eric Heffer | 20,590 | 57.3 | 1 |
| 1970 general election | Liverpool Walton | Eric Heffer | 21,452 | 53.6 | 1 |

## Leadership

### General Secretaries

    1921: Alexander Gordon Cameron
    1926: Frank Wolstencroft
    1948: Jack McDermott
    1959: George Smith

### Assistant General Secretaries

    1921: Frank Wolstencroft
    1927: Thomas O. Williams
    1947: Jack McDermott
    1949: George Smith
    1959: W. J. Martin
    1962: Les Wood
