Footwear, hosiery and knitwear unions - National Union of Knitwear, Footwear and Apparel Trades (KFAT)
A brief history
1874 - National Union of Boot and Shoe Rivetters and Finishers was established
1890s - name changed to the National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives
1945 - National Union of Hosiery Workers was formed from an amalgamation of unions
1967 - National Union of Hosiery Workers name changed to the National Union of Hosiery and Knitwear Workers
1971 - National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives amalgamated with several other unions to form the National Union of the Footwear, Leather and Allied Trades.
1991 - National Union of the Footwear, Leather and Allied Trades merged with the National Union of Hoisery and Knitwear Workers to form the National Union of Knitwear, Footwear and Apparel Trades (KFAT).
2004 - National Union of Knitwear, Footwear and Apparel Trades merged with the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation to form Community.
Community still exists today, click here to visit their website
Footwear, hosiery and knitwear unions archives in our collection
National Union of the Footwear, Leather and Allied Trades (TU/FOOTA)
- Monthly reports, 1883-1990
- Conference reports, 1928-1985 (not complete)
- Rule books, 1961-2002
- Agreements and other papers
- Branch records including Gillingate, Kendal, Kettering district, Kingswood district, Leicester district, London, Northampton and Rushden district
National Union of Hosiery and Knitwear Workers (TU/FOOTB)
- Conference reports, 1947-1990
- Financial statement, 1950-1951
Sources about footwear, hosiery and knitwear unions in the Library
TF Richard and EL Poulton, Fifty years - being the history of the National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives, Leicester Co-operative Printing Society (Leicester) 1924
Alan Fox, A history of the National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives, 1874-1957, Basil Blackwell (Oxford) 1958
National Union of the Footwear, Leather and Allied Trades, National Union of the Footwear, Leather and Allied Trades journal, 1977-1990
Richard Gurnham and the National Union of Hosiery and Knitwear Workers, A history of the trade union movement in the hosiery and knitwear industry, 1776-1976 - the history of the National Union of Hosiery and Knitwear Workers, its evolution and its predecessors, National Union of Hosiery and Knitwear Workers (Leicester) 1976
Other records are held at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick:
National Union of the Footwear, Leather and Allied Trades (MSS.438/NUFLAT)
National Union of Knitwear, Footwear and Apparel Trades (MSS.506/KFAT and 597)
National Union of Hosiery and Knitwear Workers (MSS.506/HKW, 597 and 629 - accession 2008)
National Union of Glovers and Leatherworkers (MSS.359)
National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives (MSS.547) uncatalogued, accession 2006