The union was founded in 1893 as the Lanarkshire Miners' Federation, bringing together local miners' unions based in Bellshill, Blantyre, Hamilton, Larkhall, and elsewhere.
[1] The members of the early federation were: The union was initially led by Robert Smillie and William Small, both close associates of Keir Hardie, and both were founding members of the Independent Labour Party.
[3] In the 1920s, the two leading officials were Andrew McAnulty and William Allan, both members of the Communist Party of Great Britain.
[4] However, they were both suspended in 1928, and left to found the rival United Mineworkers of Scotland the following year.
[5] The union affiliated to the National Union of Scottish Mineworkers, which in turn became an affiliate of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain (MFGB).