OTD 28 February 1803

Memo­r­i­al of the Edin­burgh Com­pos­i­tors to the Court of Ses­sion. This was a request from the com­pos­i­tors of Edin­burgh that they be allowed to con­vene a meet­ing: the Com­bi­na­tion Acts were in force at the time, pre­vent­ing work­men from act­ing togeth­er to improve their con­di­tions. Per­mis­sion was grant­ed and a request for an increase in wages, which had remained sta­t­ic since 1792, was passed to the employ­ers who refused to grant it. A legal case fol­lowed, with the deci­sion ini­tial­ly giv­en in favour of the employ­ers, but on appeal to the Court of Ses­sion, this was reversed and an Inter­locu­tor was issued which, as well as award­ing the case to the com­pos­i­tors, gave the new scale of prices the force of law.