Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Miners' Association
The Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Miners' Association was an early union representing
The union was founded around the turn of 1863 and 1864 by two miners: William Ball, and one other who died shortly after establishing the union. The union attracted hostility from mine owners, and members risked victimisation, so it initially operated secretively. Most of its early members had previously been part of a short-lived union established in 1844, but by 1866, the new union had only 300 members.[1]
The union affiliated to the
In response to the newly confident union, mineowners in
The dispute continued into 1867, with the local union receiving support from the MNU, the
By the end of 1868, union membership was down to under 500, mostly based at Cinderhill. Remaining members in south Derbyshire split away to form their own district of the MNU.[1]
From 1870, membership of the union began to slowly increase, and William Peach became its new secretary. In 1873, an early conciliation board was set up with the Butterley Company in an attempt to avoid industrial action, but this was unable to resolve various matters, leading to a strike in 1874 and another in 1875. The second strike was again defeated, and the union became moribund, remaining members in Derbyshire joining the SYMA.[1]
Although inactive, the union remained in existence until around 1880, when the new Nottinghamshire Miners' Association and Derbyshire Miners' Association were founded.[1]