Hammermans Society Deptford London

[roan]

My Great Grandfather Joseph Shea was shown in the 1901 Census as the Secretary of the Hammermans Society at Deptford in London.

I wonder if anyone can throw any light on this Society and its history as I have been unable to find anything on the internet.

[notanotherminer]

If you just google "Hammerman Society" the first hit provides a bit of information. It would seem that the Society started in Paisley, Scotland in the 18th C

[roan]

Yes, I had a look at that, but there was no mention of a Hammermans Society in London, so perhaps they were not the same. Deptford was a centre of shipbuilding at one time and I guess this society was there for the men who worked in the shipyards, but would really appreciate any information anyone has about this.

[Nicolina]

I think that you wll find that it was like the Paisley Society. Don't forget that ship building also took place on the Clyde (Glasgow), Paisley being an area of Glasgow.

[Coromandel]

A search for 'hammermen' on the Historical Directories website finds several entries including this one in the 1899 Post Office London directory:
'United Society of Smiths & Hammermen (Jsph Shea, sec.), 31(?) Abinger rd, Deptford S.E.'

This union was later absorbed by another: see http://www2. warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/subject_guides/family_history/blacksmiths/ (a factsheet from the Modern Records Centre at Warwick, which has a huge collection of union records).

From the snippets of Angela Tuckett's The blacksmiths' history: what smithy workers gave trade unionism (1974) visible on Google Books, I can see references to several unions with 'Hammermen' in their titles. Perhaps you could get a copy through ABE Books.

Also try 19th Century British Library newspapers for references to Hammermen (usually when they have gone on strike, from what I can see). For lots of ideas on sources for researching trade union ancestors see http://www. unionancestors.co.uk/index.htm

[Coromandel]

If you search for 'Shea' and 'Hammermen' on Access to Archives you will find references to some documents at the Labour History Archive and Study Centre (People's History Museum). One, relating to the payment of fees in 1904, has the note 'Soc.'s affairs muddled following Shea's death.'

[roan]

Thanks Coromandel for the information. It is amazing how much information there is on the Internet - the trick is finding it and it's people like you who go to the trouble of helping others that makes Genealogy so worthwhile!

[Bill Ellson]

Roan, the census return does not show Joseph Shea as Secretary of the Hammermans Society at Deptford. It shows that firstly he lived at Abinger Road, Deptford and secondly and seperately that he was employed as the Secretary of the Hammermans Society. His place of work could have been anywhere in central, east or south-east London all within reasonable daily travelling distance then and now. From what little there is on the internet it is clear that although originally a trade guild the societies were by the end of the 19th charitable organisations. There are still some societies in the west of Scotland. If you take a look at http:
//www.linkedin.com/in/chrissywelsh and http:
//flavours.me/chrissywelsh you will see that Chrissy Welch is a member of the Hammerman Society of Glasgow and has won an award from the society. I suggest you contact her and ask her to put you in touch with someone in the society with a knowledge of its history. Good luck and if you do find out more then please share with the rest of us.

[roan]

Thanks for the info Bill. Your assumption that Joseph could have been employed anywhere within reasonable travelling distance is a good point. Thanks too, for giving me someone to contact that might provide more information. I see you live in Deptford, so are no doubt familiar with Abinger Road. Is it possible that the house he lived in is still standing?