Exhibition: Clive Jenkins and the ASTMS Trade Union

Clive Jenkins and the ASTMS Trade Union

Sutton House & Breaker's Yard

Feb - Nov 2019

Our exhibition kicking off 2019 tells the story of the near 30 years when Clive Jenkins and the ASTMS (Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs ) trade union were based at Sutton House.

As the Association of Supervisory Staffs, Executives and Technicians (ASSET), the Trade Union organisation took up tenancy of Sutton House in Spring of 1953. ASSET merged with the Association of Scientific Workers in 1968 to form the ASTMS. Sutton House, in varying capacities, remained their administrative offices for almost 30 years. They left in the early 1980s, and the house soon fell into disrepair.

Their leader was the charismatic Clive Jenkins (May 2nd 1926- Sept 22nd 1999), who was born in Port Talbot, South Wales, and took his first job in industry at the age of 14. Clive was an intriguing character, with one foot in and one foot out of the establishment he was so critical of. He was known as being an engaging and impassioned orator, as having a ‘love affair with claret’ and exclusive parties, and as a divisive but influential figure in the Labour party.

“He was quite brilliant. An acerbic wit, people always thought he was being sarcastic, well sometimes he was, but he was also extremely clever and quite a warm hearted fellow underneath.”

Joy Gehry, former Office Manager for ASTMS at Sutton House

Visitors will be able to explore a recreation of Clive’s office, in the rather ostentatious grand Linenfold Parlour. With support from our volunteers, we’ll use images and accounts from our archive to recreate the spirit of Clive and the ASTMS in the place he would have worked.

“We often overlook the pivotal role Sutton House played in hosting some of the Left’s most progressive thinkers of the mid-late 20th century. I’m really excited we’ll be telling these stories of Clive and the ASTMS for the first time.”

Sean Curran, Community Learning Manager and Clive Exhibition Curator

Visitors will have access to unseen material from our collection that will be displayed for the first time, and to hear stories of what it was like to work with Clive at Sutton House. Our volunteers are helping to build our understanding of this important period, by delving into our archive, cataloguing and indexing material, and recording oral histories.

“Delighted to have been able to contribute to this exhibition"

Jean Colson, Archive and Research Volunteer

Photographs by Adrian Tauss