▁left ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 3 , ▁and ▁held ▁membership ▁inter mitt ently ▁there after . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 0 , ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁founder ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁Am alg am ated ▁Association ▁of ▁Oper ative ▁Cot ton ▁Sp inners , ▁but ▁it ▁retained ▁control ▁over ▁the ▁w elf are ▁benefits ▁it ▁paid ▁members , ▁and ▁over ▁w age ▁negoti ations . ▁ ▁Initial ly ▁its ▁second - larg est ▁province , ▁after ▁Bol ton , ▁it ▁grew ▁stead ily . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁it ▁provided ▁ 4 0 % ▁of ▁the ▁entire ▁membership ▁of ▁the ▁am alg am ation , ▁but ▁when ▁pie cers ▁were ▁admitted , ▁it ▁again ▁fell ▁behind ▁Bol ton . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁it ▁still ▁had ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁members , ▁spread ▁over ▁ 1 5 ▁branches . ▁ ▁After ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁membership ▁of ▁the ▁union ▁decl ined ▁rapidly , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁it ▁stood ▁at ▁only ▁ 1 2 ▁people . ▁ ▁Despite ▁this , ▁it ▁surv ived ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁dissol ved . ▁ ▁General ▁Secret aries ▁ 1 8 6 8 : ▁Thomas ▁As ht on ▁ 1 9 1 3 : ▁Fred ▁Bir chen ough ▁ 1 9 3 6 : ▁Albert ▁Know les ▁ 1 9 5 3 : ▁Walter ▁Lee ▁ 1 9 6 7 : ▁Frederick ▁May all ▁