The 1875 strike by Dewsbury woollen weavers arose from a concerted attempt by the newly established employers' association to cut wages by 10%. Three weavers - Hannah Wood, Kate Conran with Ann Ellis as secretary - formed a strike committee which with the aid of Women's Trade Union League sympathisers managed to raise a strike fund of £1200 in just one month. The Committee appealed for unity between men and women workers and after 8 weeks reached a satisfactory settlement, forming the Dewsbury and District Heavy Woollen Weavers Association.

This was the first union to be permanently established in the heavy woollen section of the textile industry and it became eventually the General Union of Textile Workers.

Title	Dewsbury Heavy Woollen Union Committee, 1875
Maker	--
Production Date	1875
Format	Photograph
Copyright	--
Holding Institution	TUC Library Collections, London Metropolitan University
Related Objects	--