Manchester Unity of Operative Bricklayers' Society

The Operative Society of Bricklayers was formed in 1829 and joined the Operative Builders' Union in 1831. It survived that union's collapse in 1834, but in 1848 divisions led to a split into two separate unions: the Operative Bricklayers' Society, also called the London Order, and the Friendly Operative Bricklayers' Trade Protection Society, also called the Manchester Order. This was renamed the United Operative Bricklayers' Trade, Accident and Burial Society of Great Britain and Ireland in 1875, the United Operative Bricklayers' Trade, Accident, Sick and Burial Society of Great Britain and Ireland in 1893 and the Manchester Unity of Operative Bricklayers' Trade, Accident, Sick and Burial Society of Great Britain and Ireland in 1897.

By 1868, the society covered Northern England and the Midlands, Lincolnshire and Norfolk, and also had three lodges in Wales. In 1872, it attempted to expand further south, opening lodges in Abingdon and Oxford. A London lodge opened in 1873. The Abingdon lodge closed in 1873 and the Oxford lodge in 1887 and no further attempts were made to expand to Southern England, although the London lodge remained until 1912. In Suffolk and Essex, lodges existed in Ipswich, 1872-1879, Colchester, 1874-1887, and Lowestoft, 1881-1906.

The society expanded to Ireland in 1870, opening lodges in Belfast and Londonderry. Further lodges opened across Ulster in the 1890s. However, apart from a short-lived lodge in Dublin in 1880-1881, the society never expanded elsewhere in Ireland. In 1872, it opened its first Scottish lodge in Glasgow. A Dundee lodge also existed from 1873 to 1886, but there was no further expansion in Scotland and the Glasgow lodge remained the only Scottish outpost until it closed in 1904. The Cardiff lodge closed in 1871, Mold in 1882 and Wrexham in 1886, and, apart from short-lived lodges in Newtown and Welshpool, no further attempts at expansion were made in Wales.

By the 1890s, it was clear that the Manchester Order was being eclipsed by the London Order. In 1921, the two societies finally reunited when they amalgamated with the Operative Society of Masons, Quarrymen and Allied Trades of England and Wales to form the Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers.

Full lists of members

The society's Contribution Registers (MSS.78/MB/2/2/1, MSS.78/MB/2/7/1-6) list all members of the society annually by lodge from 1875 to 1920. The lodges are not listed in any obvious order and only the member's name and contributions are included.

Members receiving accident and sick benefits

Members off work and receiving benefits due to accidents and (from 1893) sickness are listed in the Monthly and Quarterly Reports from 1868 to 1918 (MSS.78/MB/4/1/1-50), including name, lodge and (until 1903) specific injury or sickness for members newly off work.

Deceased members and members' wives

Listed in the Monthly and Quarterly Reports from 1868 to 1918 (MSS.78/MB/4/1/1-50), including name (and husband's name for wives), lodge and cause of death. The same information is listed in the Death Books from 1867 to 1921 (MSS.78/MB/2/1/1-2).

Branch records

The Liverpool Lodge Contributions Ledgers (MSS.78/MB/2/8/1-12), covering 1897-1912 and 1915-1918, list all members of that lodge annually in roughly alphabetical order, including name and contributions only.