Editing ASLEF (section)

===Foundation===
In 1865, [[North Eastern Railway (UK)|North Eastern Railway]] footplatemen founded a union called the Engine Drivers' and [[Fireman (steam engine)|Firemen's]] Society.<ref name=Raynes22>Raynes, 1921, p. 22.</ref> It unsuccessfully attempted [[strike action]], as a result of which the NER was able to break up the Society.<ref name=Raynes22/>

In 1872, an [[Industrial unionism|industrial union]], the [[Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants]], was founded with the support of the [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] MP [[Michael Bass, 1st Baron Burton|Michael Bass]].<ref>Raynes, 1921, pp. 23–24.</ref> In 1872, the ASRS reported having 17,247 members, but by 1882, this had declined to only 6,321.<ref>Raynes, 1921, p. 24.</ref>

By the end of the 1870s, many UK railway companies had increased the working week from 60 to 66 hours, a 12-hour working day was common and wages had been reduced.<ref name=Raynes28>Raynes, 1921, p. 28.</ref> The [[Great Western Railway]] had not increased wages since 1867, had increased the working day from 10 to 12 hours in 1878 and then reduced wages for all but the most junior drivers and firemen in 1879.<ref>McKillop, 1950, p. 21.</ref> In 1879, almost 2,000 GWR locomotive drivers and firemen<ref name=Raynes28/> signed an ASRS petition to the GWR Board of Directors requesting a restoration of the 1867 conditions of service and rates of pay.<ref>McKillop, 1950, p. 12.</ref> The GWR reacted by refusing to meet the ASRS representatives<ref>McKillop, 1950, p. 14.</ref> and dismissing several of the petitioners from their jobs.<ref name=Raynes29>Raynes, 1921, p. 29.</ref>

As a result of this defeat, in 1879, drivers and firemen from [[Griffithstown]], [[Pontypool]], South Wales, started to organise to form a [[Craft unionism|craft union]] separate from the ASRS.<ref name=Raynes29/> At the time there were similar moves in parts of England towards founding an enginemen's union. A large number of drivers and firemen met in [[Birmingham]] on 9 December 1879 and resolved to form a National Society of Drivers and Firemen.<ref name=Raynes29/> There was a similar move by [[Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway]] drivers and firemen at [[Sheffield]], whom the Pontypool group called '' "the first founders of the Society"''.<ref>McKillop, 1950, p. 30.</ref> The Sheffield branch opened on 7 February 1880 with William Ullyott, one of its leaders, as the first member.<ref name=McKillop27>McKillop, 1950, p. 27.</ref> Pontypool branch followed on 15 February, led by Charles H. Perry,<ref name=McKillop27/> one of the drivers who had unsuccessfully petitioned the GWR board the previous year. ASLEF officially records Perry as its founder.<ref>Raynes, 1921, p. 31.</ref><ref>McKillop, 1950, plate opposite p. 19.</ref> In the remainder of 1880 ASLEF opened branches at [[Tondu]], [[Liverpool]] and [[Leeds]] (April), [[Neath]] (May), [[Bradford]] (June), and [[Carnforth]] (July).<ref name=McKillop27/><ref>Raynes, 1921, pp. 31–32.</ref>

ASLEF adopted and published its first Rule Book in 1881.<ref name=ASLEF1>ASLEF, 1990, p. 1.</ref> Its title page reproduced a stanza of [[Robert Burns]]' "[[Man's inhumanity to man|Man was made to mourn: A Dirge]]":

<blockquote><poem>
If I'm yon haughty lordling's slave
By Nature's law designed,
Why was an independent wish
E'er planted in my mind?
If not, why am I subject to
His cruelty or scorn?
Or why has man the will and pow'r
To make his fellow mourn?
<ref name=ASLEF1/></poem></blockquote>

[[File:The Commercial (37237673066).jpg|thumb|right|Blue plaque on the Commercial Inn, Holbeck]]
[[File: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) (page 225 crop).jpg|thumb|upright|The union's Head Office, 8, Park Square, Leeds, in 1920]]

For economy's sake, ASLEF initially chose to be managed by its Leeds branch,<ref>Raynes, 1921, p. 32.</ref> as a result of which its first head office was at the Commercial Inn, Sweet Street, [[Holbeck]].<ref>Raynes, 1921, p. 45.</ref> It moved to 17 Mill Hill Chambers, Leeds, in 1885, and again to 8 Park Square, Leeds, in 1904.<ref>McKillop, 1950, p. 365.</ref> In 1921, it moved to London by buying a house at 9 Arkwright Road, [[Hampstead]],<ref>McKillop, 1950, p. 366.</ref> from the family of the late [[Sir Joseph Beecham, 1st Baronet|Sir Joseph Beecham, Bt]]. For a period in the second half of the 20th century ASLEF also owned the next-door house at 7 Arkwright Road.