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National Dock Labour Offices, dock Road, Ardrossan
Opened by Robert Denver, age 77 and the oldest working docker at that time.
TIMELINE:
Dock Labour at the Ardrossan Harbour
1890 An early effort to organise labourers was made in January 1890 by Mr Shaw Maxwell and Mr T Burns the organiser of the ?American Brotherhood of the Knights of Labour?, and Mr Derby (sec), of the Seaman?s Union.
A meeting in the Templars Hall unanimously agreed to form an ?Assembly of the Knights of Labour?.
In June 1890, a meeting to set up a branch of the National Union of Dock Labourers took place.
There was some concern over encroaching on the territory of the Knights of Labour, but being based in America it was felt they were to remote, but the idea lapsed due to lack of support.
1892 Another attempt was made again, failed.
1897 A strike took place at the harbour, but the harbour broke this by importing labour in special trains from Glasgow.
1911 a local branch of the Dockers Union was finally formed.
1912 The harbour supported an all union workforce.
This however was short lived, when the labourers joined with the Coal Trimmers in a dispute over pay,
The Harbour Company responded by bringing in outside labour once again.
This lead to a pitched battle between strikers and Police near Montgomerie pier, the strikers used stones and other missiles.
The police responded with a baton charge, unrest followed in the town.
The company continued to bring in labour from Grangemouth and as far as Tilbury
On one occasion the strikers ambushed a train at
South Beach station, and several men were roughly handled and the rest chased out of town
The Ardrossan strikers gained national prominence, meanwhile the company continued to bring in outside labour, and the support for the strike dwindled when the Cranemen returned to work
In late November 1912 the company had a capable body of labour, housed and fed at the harbour (Soup Kitchens) under police guard
The strike was not formally settled till Jan 1913
1941 National Dock Labour Corporation was set up.
1947 It was renamed National Dock Labour Board |
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