天津本是中國(guó)北方的大商埠。但是，經(jīng)過八國(guó)聯(lián)軍的入侵，百業(yè)都受到很大影響。尤其是天津的商業(yè)受到的影響更大。清光緒二十九(1903)五月一日，經(jīng)邑紳王賢賓、寧世福、卞熤光商議，成立天津商務(wù)公所，以資救濟(jì)天津商業(yè)。
光緒三十一年(1905),經(jīng)商部議準(zhǔn)，改組為天津商務(wù)總會(huì)。由王賢賓任總理，寧世福任協(xié)理。并籌設(shè)天津商務(wù)中學(xué)等學(xué)校和商報(bào)諸事。使“公所成立之初，規(guī)模粗具” ,“至是始漸臻完善” 。會(huì)址初設(shè)在估衣街豫章會(huì)館，光緒三十一年(1905),遷至北馬路。
1913年，天津商務(wù)總會(huì)進(jìn)行改組，葉登榜被選為總理，卞蔭昌為副理。1920年，又改組，更名為天津總商會(huì)。卞蔭昌任會(huì)長(zhǎng)。1927年，卞蔭昌去世，改選張仲元為會(huì)長(zhǎng)，王益寶為副會(huì)長(zhǎng)。1931年春，屆期改選，張仲元、楊曉琳、楊西園、王文典、王曉巖選為常務(wù)委員，張仲元為主席。天津總商會(huì)之名改稱天津市商會(huì)。
據(jù)民國(guó)二十二年(1933)《津商會(huì)檔案》記載： 1931年改組后，“原擬于各種建設(shè)事業(yè)多所努力，惟就職之后，即值地方多事故捐稅繁增，而東省風(fēng)云同時(shí)逐漸吃緊，故兩年以來所有精神、財(cái)力皆消磨于奮斗苛稅、應(yīng)付環(huán)境之中，而于建設(shè)事業(yè)大多未能舉辦。不過對(duì)于開拓海外貿(mào)易及維持國(guó)貨兩端，差可稍盡職責(zé)。其開拓海外貿(mào)易，如派員赴南洋各地考察商業(yè)及溝通兩地國(guó)貨，力求推銷尚覺粗有成績(jī)?！?br>天津商會(huì)是中國(guó)最早成立的商會(huì)之一。它是近代市場(chǎng)經(jīng)濟(jì)的產(chǎn)物，是工商業(yè)資產(chǎn)階級(jí)的法人團(tuán)體。它在中國(guó)的商會(huì)中最具代表性。它的成立，對(duì)引導(dǎo)商民了解認(rèn)識(shí)世界，開通風(fēng)氣，引進(jìn)先進(jìn)的科學(xué)技術(shù)，推動(dòng)社會(huì)生產(chǎn)力的發(fā)展，溝通工商企業(yè)與政府的關(guān)系，調(diào)解商務(wù)糾紛，平息和緩金融風(fēng)潮，進(jìn)行商情調(diào)查等方面，都做了大量工作。

·20世紀(jì)30年代天津商會(huì)贈(zèng)公安局的消防機(jī)車試車情況

Tianjin had been a big trade port in north China.However,the invasion of the Eight Powers of the AlliedForces caused dramatic destruction of the vocation ofindustries,especially of trade,in Tianjin. In May 1st,1903 (the 29th year of Emperor Guangxu),gentriesWang Xianbing,Ning Shifu and Bian Yiguang decidedto set up Tianjin Trade Association(whose purpose wasto protect the proprietor`s interests) to revitalize trade inTianjin.
In 1905 (the 31st year of Emperor Guangxu),approved by Trade Department of the royal government,Tianjin Trade Organization was reorganized into TianjinTrade Union General. Wang Binxian was appointed asthe director,and Ning Shifu the deputy director. Theyalso prepared to found Tianjin Trade Middle School andTianjin Trade Newspaper. These events made TianjinTrade and Commerce Union influential in industrycircles in Tianjin and made industries in Tianjin well ontheir way. The initial address of the Union was located inYuzhang Hall in Guyi Street. It moved to North Street in1905 (the 31 st year of Emperor Guangxu).
In 1913,Tianjin Trade Union General wasrestructured. Ye Dengbang was elected as the directorand Bian Yinchang the deputy director. In 1913,it wasrestructured the third time and was renamed TianjinGeneral Trade Union with Bian Yinchang as its director.When Bian Yinchang died in 1927,Zhang Zhongyuanwas elected as the director and Wang Yibao the deputydirector. In the spring of 1931,Zhang Zhongyuan,Yang Xiaolin,Yang Xiyuan,Wang Wendian and WangXiaoyan were elected as members of the standingcommittee and Zhang Zhongyuan the director of theunion. Tianjin General Trade Union was also renamedTianjin Trade Union.
According to the Record of Tianjin Trade Unionin 1933 after the restructure in 1931,Zhang Zhongyuanplanned to dedicate his effort to multiple constructionsof industries. However,many events took place inTianjin after he took his office and there was heavyand multifarious tallage levied to trade. Situation innorth-east China was also tight. Therefore,he struggledhimself physically and spiritually in tackling with theharsh tallage and tight environment. Those constructionsof industries he had planned had to be left aside.However,he did have managed to explore foreign tradeand maintain national industry,for example,he has sentdelegations to investigate trade in areas of south PacificOcean and promote exchange between China and areasof south Pacific Ocean.
Tianjin Trade Union was one of the earliestin China. As a legal entity of bourgeois trade andcommerce,it was the result of market economics inmodern China. It was a typical representative of tradeunions in China. It did a lot in helping businessmen inTianjin know the world,in introducing modern scienceand technology,in pushing forward social productivity,in communicating between industries and government,in settling trade disputes,in appeasing financial stormand in trade investigating.