History The union was founded in 1889 by Andrew Hall and Arthur Humphrey in West Ham, late in 1889, Navvies, Bricklayers' Labourers and General Labourers' Union John Ward had been attempting to found a similar organisation in Battersea, and in May 1890 he was persuaded to join the new union, winning election in June as its first presidentThe union grew rapidly, and by 1892 claimed 5,000 ....