Category: Bursary reports

The SSLH runs two bursary schemes. Articles in this section are reports back from the recipients of bursaries setting out how they were able to advance their research.

Bursary reports, MA & BA bursaries

Mick Ekers (Essex) on Burston strike school master Tom Higdon and labour activism between the wars

Mick Ekers visits Norfolk Record Office to research the life in politics of Tom Higdon, one of the two teachers at the heart of the famous Burston School Strike which lasted from 1914 to 1939. The story of the Burston School Strike is quite well known. In 1914 Annie and Tom Higdon, two teachers in a village school in Norfolk, were sacked as a result … Continue reading Mick Ekers (Essex) on Burston strike school master Tom Higdon and labour activism between the wars

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Bursary reports, MA & BA bursaries

Jessica Kumar (Liverpool John Moores) on exploring the League of Nations Union in the North-West of England

A generous bursary from the Society for the Study of Labour History enabled me to gather invaluable material for my master’s dissertation regarding the League of Nations Union (LNU) in the North-West of England, a project I am undertaking at Liverpool John Moores University Continue reading Jessica Kumar (Liverpool John Moores) on exploring the League of Nations Union in the North-West of England

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Bursary reports, Research bursaries

Edda Nicolson (Wolverhampton) on the early history of the General Federation of Trade Unions, 1899-1926

My thesis examines the early history of the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU) from its inception in 1899 until the general strike in 1926. It uses emotions history methodologies to consider how feelings were used in their publications, reports and minutes. Continue reading Edda Nicolson (Wolverhampton) on the early history of the General Federation of Trade Unions, 1899-1926

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Bursary reports, Research bursaries

Dr Gordon J Barclay and Dr Louise Heren on the Battle for George Square 1919: myth, memory and reality in Red Clydeside

A demonstration in Glasgow during the 40-hours strike in January–February 1919 descended into violence – the ‘Battle of George Square’: either ‘a vicious and unprovoked attack’ by the police, or a consequence of the week-long, occasionally violent, conflict between the strikers and ‘traitor’, ‘blackleg’ tram-workers, many of them women. The ‘Battle’ is simultaneously the most iconic event of Red Clydeside, the most mythologised event in … Continue reading Dr Gordon J Barclay and Dr Louise Heren on the Battle for George Square 1919: myth, memory and reality in Red Clydeside

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Bursary reports, Research bursaries

Scott Rawlinson (University of East Anglia) on the labour movement and Labour Party in Peterborough, 1898-1939

My PhD research looks at the development of the labour movement and Labour Party in Peterborough from 1898 to 1939, with a particular focus on the period from 1918 to 1939. The aim is to understand the nature of Labour organisation and identity in a mixed constituency beyond the heartlands (that is, an area which does not occupy a special place in standard histories of the party’s development, and … Continue reading Scott Rawlinson (University of East Anglia) on the labour movement and Labour Party in Peterborough, 1898-1939

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Bursary reports, MA & BA bursaries

Thomas Ottley (Edge Hill) visits the Searchlight archive to research the ideology of the National Front

The bursary from the Society for the Study of Labour History allowed me to complete research for my dissertation project that I am undertaking at Edge Hill University. My dissertation assesses how the National Front sought to sell their ideology to difference audiences, with a particular focus on working-class votes. Specifically, it examines how the party used Spearhead (the National Front’s mouthpiece journal) to build … Continue reading Thomas Ottley (Edge Hill) visits the Searchlight archive to research the ideology of the National Front

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Bursary reports, Research bursaries

Shaun Pitt (Northumbria) on the Anarchist Movement in Britain

My thesis focuses on intersections between Britain’s anarchist movement and its fledgling ‘New Liberal’ movement at the turn of the twentieth century. ‘New Liberalism’ is a term used to describe the new wave of British liberalism that was more radical, communal and interested in state intervention. At the same time Britain’s anarchist movement was enjoying one of its greatest periods of mainstream popularity and distribution. … Continue reading Shaun Pitt (Northumbria) on the Anarchist Movement in Britain

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Bursary reports, Research bursaries

Michael Reeve (Hull) visits The National Archives to research First World War tobacco provision

On 20 and 21 June 2019 I conducted research at The National Archives in Kew, London. My aim was to collate primary sources to form the basis of a book chapter related to themes from my recently completed PhD. Namely, this work will focus on the charitable giving of tobacco to soldiers during the First World War, including the development of local tobacco funds and … Continue reading Michael Reeve (Hull) visits The National Archives to research First World War tobacco provision

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Bursary reports, MA & BA bursaries

Matthew Case-Legge (Chichester) on the Labour Party and the debate over public ownership

I visited the Labour History Archive and Study Centre, attached to the People’s History Museum in Manchester. For my dissertation, I wanted to examine the development of the Labour Party’s conception of the public ownership of industry during the inter-war period. Before arriving I was not sure quite which industry to focus on, waiting for that to be informed by the amount of material available. … Continue reading Matthew Case-Legge (Chichester) on the Labour Party and the debate over public ownership

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Bursary reports, MA & BA bursaries

Beth Fisher (York) on the Labour Party’s foreign policy towards Nazi Germany, 1936-1939

With the help of the generous bursary given by the Society for the Study of Labour History, I was able to make three research trips to the Labour History Archive at the People’s History Museum, in Manchester. My MA dissertation is on the Labour Party’s foreign policy towards Nazi Germany, 1936-1939. While the road to the Second World War, and the Third Reich, are saturated … Continue reading Beth Fisher (York) on the Labour Party’s foreign policy towards Nazi Germany, 1936-1939

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