<P> Owen persevered, holding a congress on 1 May 1835 to constitute a new Association of All Classes of All Nations, with himself as Preliminary Father . This was essentially a propaganda organisation, with little popular support, which attempted to gain the ear of influential individuals to propose a more rational society . In 1837, it registered as a friendly society, but was initially overshadowed by Owen's similar National Community Friendly Society . In 1838, it was able to expand significantly by sending out "social missionaries", setting up fifty branches, most in Cheshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire . In 1839, the National Community and the Association of All Classes merged to form the Universal Community Society of Rational Religionists . </P> <P> Despite its name, the Grand National was never able to gain significant support outside London and, as a result, Lovett's London Working Men's Association was its most important successor . The next attempt to form a national union confederation was the National Association of United Trades for the Protection of Labour . </P>

What was the grand national consolidated trades union