Chapter XII
The question of Federation drew us on to the eve of the sharp incidents of 1908, but it did not involve a complete history of more important events which had occurred between 1903 and 1908, including the Conciliation Boards year, 1907. To gather the threads of this wider movement we are compelled to revert to the end of 1903 as a starting point, when we find the Society delighted at having enrolled 1,145 members during the year, opened nine new branches, and having funds of £155,734. Considerable sums had been spent in defending members in legal actions respecting compensation claims, and unfair charges by Coroners, and in efforts to secure better service conditions from the companies. The bigger engines and greater loads, and the compulsory retirement, were together causing stagnation, and evidently men were feeling it. The year 1904—the year of the Longhor disaster on the Great Western, in which Brothers Lloyd and Harris were killed—was a record year for new members, the total membership being 12,000, with funds £123,000, over £10 per head. Good causes were evidently at work, backed by an organiser, for the year £905 saw a further increase of 2,800 members, accompanied by a deletion of
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