The Great Preston Strike and Lockout was a momentous national event. It began as a series of isolated strikes at a small number of mills in August/September 1853, and became a general lockout involving most textile operatives that October. It once again became a strike in February 1854, though this time on a much larger scale, and continued until May 1854.

The dispute was immortalized by journalists and writers, including Samuel Bamford, Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell and Karl Marx, all of whom were inspired by the actions of the operatives and their famous cry of ‘ten per cent and no surrender’.

Join the University of Central Lancashire team and colleagues for an evening examining the lockout on 14 May from 5.45pm to 8pm at the Central Methodist Church, Lune Street, Preston.

The event features a series of talks on new research to be published in a special issue of Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, the screening of a short film by Sarah-Ann Kennedy, and a performance of songs from the lockout by Gregg Butler and Tom Walsh.

Tickets are free but booking is required. Book a ticket.