Page:Engines and men- the history of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen. A survey of organisation of railways and railway locomotive men (IA enginesmenhistor00rayniala).pdf/143

 pathfinder of the Society, and to Mr W. Ullyott, of Sheffield, the first member, a gold watch and chain and an illuminated address.

In May of 1895 Taff Vale was to the fore again, and the Executive decided "That after reading correspondence on the Taff Vale dispute we send the following telegram to Mr. G. Blake, Secretary of Cardiff branch: 'Executive Council consider the contemplated action of Taff Vale men leaving work without proper notice is illegal, and cannot sanction withdrawal of our members.'" A dozen members of the Society were directly involved by receiving notice to leave the Taff Vale service, and the Executive demanded the withdrawal of these notices. During the next two months Taff Vale was the centre of the picture. In a letter to Cardiff the Secretary said: "There is not so much as a resolution passed by your branch to warrant the information that there are four-fifths of our members in favour of a strike as per rule, and we feel, therefore, that no Executive Council would ever give consent to withdrawal of labour on such meagre information. We are in sympathy with the Taff Vale members, and we are not in favour of day to day or fortnightly contracts." By the end of July certain expenses incurred during the dispute were paid, and the men were back at work under the old conditions.

During the previous year, 1894, the Society had saved out of its income £7,642, nearly one pound per member, despite legal costs of £428 incurred in a libel action brought by one Beswick, an A.S.R.S. fireman, against the Trustees of the Society. Beswick lost his case, but could not pay the costs, and he was left to become bankrupt as a result. The Society only recovered £33 of the costs incurred, but it defended its good name for sound finance, and closed the year with a total fund of £40,127. During the year 1895 its funds represented a wealth per member of £9 7s. 6d., and in 1896, after sixteen years existence, they exceeded £10 16s. per member, the Society having the proud position of being the wealthiest per member of all the trade unions in the United Kingdom. Its funds had always been very carefully and soundly invested, and