Typographical Association
The Northern Typographical Union was established in 1830 and adopted the name National Typographical Association in 1844, Provincial Typographical Association in 1849 and Typographical Association in 1877. The main union for printers outside London, it amalgamated with the London Typographical Society in 1963 to form the National Graphical Association.
The TA had branches throughout England (except London), Wales and Ireland, but not Scotland, which was exclusively covered by the separate Scottish Typographical Association, with which the TA had amicable and reciprocal relations.
The main source of information on members is the series of bound volumes of the monthly Typographical Circular (MSS.39A/TA/4/1/1-92), which began life in 1849 as the Typographical Societies' Monthly Circular and was renamed the Provincial Typographical Circular in July 1875 and the Typographical Circular in July 1877. It continued to be published until the formation of the NGA in 1963. Please note that, as the Circulars were published monthly for well over a century, it is not possible for MRC staff to search for a member in them unless a more or less specific date is provided.
Registered members
A full list of registered members is contained in the Members' Register (MSS.39A/TA/2/1), which lists all members in 1880 and all those who joined from 1880 to 1883. This is arranged alphabetically by name and also includes branch at the time of the return, date of joining the union and age at the time of the return, as well as notes about members who had died, resigned, been superannuated, etc.
A second full list of registered members in 1883 appeared in sections in the Circulars between July 1883 and February 1885 (MSS.39A/TA/4/1/13-14). Between March and May 1885, all members who had joined between 1883 and 1885 were listed. From June 1886 to February 1898 (MSS.39A/TA/4/1/16-27), lists of newly registered members were periodically published. They also appear in the half-yearly reports from the first half of 1894 to the first half of 1897 (MSS.39A/TA/4/4/1).
In 1911, a printed Register of Members was published (MSS.39A/TA/2/2). This has been digitised.
New members
Newly registered members (which includes new members as well as longer serving members who had not before been registered) are listed from 1880 to 1898 (see above).
A Membership Register (MSS.39B/TA/2/1/1) lists new members from 1889 to 1891 alphabetically by name. It lists branch, date of joining and age at joining.
New members are listed in the Circulars every one or two months from April 1898 to 1937 then quarterly until 1940. Only name, branch and age are listed.
Deceased members
Deceased members are listed in the monthly Circulars from July 1874 to 1963 (MSS.39A/TA/4/1/4-92). Name, age, branch, date of death and (until December 1941) cause of death are listed.
Deceased members are also listed in the half-yearly reports from 1875 to 1955 (MSS.39A/TA/4/4/1-9). The same information is included, although cause of death appears throughout.
Superannuated members
Full lists of superannuated (i.e. pensioned) members appear quarterly in the Circulars from April 1885 to January 1899. From the second half of 1899 until the second half of 1939, the full lists are continued in the half-yearly reports (MSS.39A/TA/4/4/1-8). Name, branch, age and date of superannuation are listed.
Lists of newly superannuated members appear in the monthly Circulars from April 1898 to December 1948. Name, branch and age are listed.
Resigned and expelled members
Resigned and expelled members are listed in the monthly Circulars from 1899 to 1963. Only name and branch are listed.
Travelling members
Members receiving travelling cards (i.e. cards allowing them to move around the country and claim relief from any branch) are listed in the monthly Circulars from October 1852 to July 1937. Name, branch and card number are listed.
From July 1874 until July 1939, the Circulars also list cards lodged at branches, but only the branch and the card number are listed (so earlier Circulars must be searched to find the card number corresponding to a name). In this way, it is theoretically possible to track a travelling member's journey around the country.
Cards issued by affiliated societies are also listed from October 1852 until March 1892, including those issued by the London Society of Compositors. Many of these societies were members of the Association for the Relief of Unemployed Travelling Printers, most of which, including a number in Ireland, merged with the TA in July 1877 (the Leeds and Dublin Typographical Societies being the principal societies that did not, not merging with the TA until 1895 and 1920 respectively). Cards issued by the Scottish Typographical Association are listed until June 1880. Cards of other societies (including the LSC and STA) lodged with TA branches continue to be listed in the Circulars after 1892.
War service
Members who died on active service during the First World War are listed with other deceased members in the Circulars. Their rank and unit are also listed. Many also receive extended obituaries, and there are also details of members decorated for gallantry in action. Separate Rolls of Honour are published in the half-yearly reports from the first half of 1916 to the first half of 1921 (MSS.39A/TA/4/4/6-7) which list name, rank, unit, branch and cause of death.
Members who died on active service during the Second World War are also listed with other deceased members, but no additional information is provided except occasionally rank and service.