A Brief History

The Association was founded on 12th March 1907 by a few memorial masons anxious to raise standards in the trade. Its original name, the 'National Association of Master Monumental Masons', was shortened in the 1970's to the 'National Association of Master Masons'. Unfortunately this title led to a lack of understanding as to who and what NAMM represented so in 1990 the decision was made to rename it 'National Association of Memorial Masons'. Changing fashions led to substantial changes in the logo but none were felt to be as satisfactory as the original so this, with some minor changes, has recently been readopted.

Raising standards in an unregulated industry, and in a culture where anything to do with death is swept under the carpet, is extremely difficult but this has always remained NAMM's aim. In 1940 its London District proposed the setting up of a guild - a proposal which was brought up again in 1992 and is finally to be implemented. 'Craftex' the Association's national craft competition, came into being in the 1950s and has grown steadily over the years to reflect the new methods of working within the industry.

From the early days NAMM laid on short specialised seminars for members but in 1986 it took the very large step of becoming the managing agent for a City & Guilds validated training course devised by its Technical and Training Committee in conjunction with Bath College. This move soon resulted in the Department of Employment conferring upon it the status 'Approved Training Organisation'. Although initially set up under the Youth Training Scheme, the course is used by trainees of all ages - and with impressive results. Government cutbacks and increased red tape led to funding becoming difficult and a resulting drop in numbers but now that NVQ accreditation has been agreed more money should be available again.

The outline written Code of Working Practice adopted by NAMM in the 1980's was extensively revised in 1990 and has now been accepted by many burial authorities as the minimum standard to which memorials should be fixed. The Code is kept under close scrutiny and is revised when necessary.

In addition, NAMM has been researching and developing new and better methods of fixings and is urging all the relevant authorities to ensure that masons who fix badly are not allowed to work in their burial grounds.

Standards of business practice also cause concern, so in 1990 a written Code of Good Business Practice was introduced. The Association's Conciliation and Arbitration Service has now become well known and respected by the various consumer organisations, Citizens Advice Bureaux etc. and, through them, the public.

As in any membership based organisation, giving help to members whenever it can has always been high on NAMM's agenda. The current regional organisation apparently started in the war when 'Districts' were formed for reasons of mutual assistance. 1976 saw the Scottish Association joining forces with NAMM and forming the Scottish Region, and in 1978 the Wholesalers and Manufacturers, then in associate membership, were accepted as full members. The 'Wholesale Section' was born.

It was also at this time that a National Executive Officer (now known as the Chief Executive) was first employed to work alongside the part time secretary who, until then, had been the only paid employee of the Association. The remit was to promote the Association and to encourage better provision, fewer regulations and a larger market for memorials - cremation and various other factors having had an adverse effect on the trade. NAMM soon realised that, to fulfil this remit, a public relations campaign was also necessary.

Because it did not have sufficient funds to finance such a concept itself, it decided to invest £5,000 in the setting up of a campaign which would then be funded by a levy raised from anyone selling memorials. So began the Memorial Awareness Board (MAB) (previously known as the Memorial Advisory Bureau).

Other important milestones in the Association's history include it becoming the employers' representative on the National Joint Council for the Monumental Masonry Industry which negotiates wages and working conditions within the industry.

In the 1960s it set up its trade show 'Tradex'. Although originally a small 'members only' show, usually held in the ballroom of the Conference hotel, it grew to be the major exhibition for the whole industry. In 1996 Tradex joined forces with a new exhibition for the construction masonry industry, 'The Natural Stone Show', to form 'The Natural Stone Show and NAMM Tradex'. This biannual exhibition is currently staged at Wembley.

In the early 1980s the Association became an active member of the Council of British Funeral Services; in 1981 it was involved in the founding of the International Monument Federation, to which the memorial associations in most of the English-speaking countries of the world now belong; in 1989 it joined the European federation of natural stone associations 'EuroRoc' (then known as 'FIMIGCEE')

During this time the workload increased dramatically and it had become obvious that more full-time staff were required. So in 1984 NAMM moved from the shared secretariat to establish its own office from where it continued to increase its involvement with other bodies, including the 'Living Churchyards & Cemeteries Project'

Accurate knowledge of NAMM's history before the 1940s is unfortunately very limited owing, it is understood, to a major fire in which most records were lost. However, from those that are left show it always to have been an active, well-supported organisation facing numerous challenges, many being very similar to those facing it today.