▁Hall ▁and ▁Arthur ▁Hum ph rey ▁in ▁West ▁Ham , ▁late ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 9 , ▁Nav v ies , ▁Br ick layers ' ▁Labour ers ▁and ▁General ▁Labour ers ' ▁Union . ▁ ▁John ▁Ward ▁had ▁been ▁attempting ▁to ▁found ▁a ▁similar ▁organisation ▁in ▁B atter se a , ▁and ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 8 9 0 ▁he ▁was ▁persu aded ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁new ▁union , ▁winning ▁election ▁in ▁June ▁as ▁its ▁first ▁president . ▁ ▁The ▁union ▁grew ▁rapidly , ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 8 9 2 ▁claimed ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 ▁members . ▁ ▁The ▁union ▁gradually ▁spread ▁across ▁England ▁and ▁South ▁Wales , ▁developing ▁particular ▁strength ▁in ▁the ▁port ▁at ▁Barry . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 7 , ▁Ward ▁and ▁Hum ph rey ▁both ▁res igned , ▁in ▁protest ▁at ▁the ▁union ' s ▁London - based ▁executive ▁ref using ▁to ▁increase ▁their ▁travel ▁allow ances . ▁ ▁Ward ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁leader ▁of ▁a ▁new ▁South ▁Wales ▁and ▁South ▁Western ▁district , ▁and ▁led ▁a ▁successful ▁strike ▁in ▁Barry . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁the ▁union ' s ▁general ▁secretary , ▁and ▁moved ▁the ▁headquarters ▁to ▁Barry , ▁although ▁he ▁returned ▁them ▁to ▁London ▁two ▁years ▁later . ▁ ▁While ▁Ward ▁remained ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁union , ▁he ▁was ▁away ▁throughout ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁leading ▁a ▁labour ▁batt alion , ▁and ▁he ▁then ▁led ▁it ▁as ▁an ▁anti - S ov iet ▁force ▁in ▁the ▁Russian ▁Civil ▁War .