 Following the 1888 Railway and Canal Traffic Act traders were given a right of complaint to the Board of Trade if they felt that railway rates or services were unreasonable.That resulted in an influential group of traders coming together in July 1889 and creating an organisation called the Mansion House Association on Railway Rates.Amongst its first members were Mr J J Colman of Reckitt & Colman, and a Mr Thomas Blackwell of Crosse and Blackwell.