Description

Admin History:

Founded in 1903 as the Association to Promote the Higher Education of Working Men. The association was based upon a scheme proposed by Albert Mansbridge (1876-1952) who became the organisation's first general secretary in 1905 when the name was changed to The Workers' Educational Association.

After a conference on the WEA and Oxford University in 1907, the WEA Central Joint Advisory Committee was established and three year university tutorial classes were started with the close involvement of R.H. Tawney (1880-1962). The WEA was also linked to the trade union movement and formed the Workers' Education Trade Union Committee in 1919 to strengthen and give cohesion to the educational work with trade unions. The Hull Branch was formed shortly after this with its first meeting being held on the 6th August 1920 (See DSWE/1/1).

The WEA campaigned for better state education and in particular prior to the 1944 Education Act. The WEA is now a national voluntary organisation existing primarily to provide adults with access to organised learning with over 650 local branches.

Description:

Minutes of the Executive Committee and Members meetings (1920-1990 with some gaps) and the Social Committee meetings (1948-1962).