Category: Labour history news

News and information of interest to labour historians.

Documents & objects, Labour history news

Digitised and online: the papers of George Lansbury

As the first of George Lansbury’s papers go online, Daniel Payne sets out how LSE Library is digitising its vast archive of material relating to the former Labour Party leader, and introduces some of the treasures it contains. Starting with the first two volumes, which are available online now, LSE Library recently announced plans to digitise its entire George Lansbury archive. An early supporter of … Continue reading Digitised and online: the papers of George Lansbury

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Commentary, Labour history news

Stalinism and ultra-leftism: a warning from history – the leadership of the CPGB, 1928-1934

Alan Campbell and John McIlroy share headline findings from their research into the leadership of the Communist Party of Great Britain during the Comintern’s Third Period, 1928–1934. In a recent article for Labor History, we continue our extended prosopographical study of leading British Communists between the wars. It reports on a survey of the 66 members who served on the Central Committee (CC) of the … Continue reading Stalinism and ultra-leftism: a warning from history – the leadership of the CPGB, 1928-1934

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Labour history news

From New Dawn to Labour Prophet: taking union journals to a wider audience

Since shifting its approach on digitisation to make as many union journals as possible available online, the Modern Records Centre has managed to scan a vast quantity of material and make it available free of charge to researchers, as Liz Wood explains. After two years of steady scanning, the Modern Records Centre at the University of Warwick has hit the milestone of 100,000 pages of … Continue reading From New Dawn to Labour Prophet: taking union journals to a wider audience

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Events, Labour history news

‘They came for bread not bayonets’: Halifax marks the Great Strike of 1842

One hundred and eighty years ago the people of Halifax marched to demand bread and the ballot. Now thanks to Calderdale Trades Council and its supporters, their struggle has been marked with a series of events and in more permanent ways, as Dan Whittall explains. At least 150 people gathered in Halifax on Saturday 13 August to take part in a series of commemorative events … Continue reading ‘They came for bread not bayonets’: Halifax marks the Great Strike of 1842

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Commentary, Labour history news

Communist women leaders in the 1920s and 1930s

Alan Campbell and John McIlroy share headline findings from their research into the lives of the women who sat on the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Great Britain in its first two decades. In two recent articles, we examine a small group of women active in the labour movement who participated in the leadership of British Communism between the foundation of the Communist … Continue reading Communist women leaders in the 1920s and 1930s

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Labour history news

Castles of the labour movement: inside the trade union head office building boom

By the early twentieth century, an increasingly confident trade union movement was building statement ‘castles’ in which to house their headquarters. Mark Crail looks at what came close to being a trade union quarter in central London. As trade unions grew in size and complexity in the 1920s, so increasingly they moved into larger, more imposing, and often purpose-built headquarters – some leaving their original … Continue reading Castles of the labour movement: inside the trade union head office building boom

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Labour history news

Help preserve the Marx Memorial Library socialist newspaper archive

Ninety years of socialist newspaper history is at risk from the ravages of time. Meirian Jump, Archivist & Library Manager at the Marx Memorial Library, explains how you can help. The Marx Memorial Library is the proud custodian of a complete archive of the Daily Worker/Morning Star newspaper dating back to the first issue in January 1930. For decades copies of the paper have been … Continue reading Help preserve the Marx Memorial Library socialist newspaper archive

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Labour history news

‘The beginning of a flowing tide for Labour’? Labour’s Wakefield by-election victory

James Parker tells the story of Labour’s by-election victory in the Wakefield by-election of 1932. A by-election victory at Wakefield ninety years ago marked the start of the Labour Party’s slow recovery from electoral disaster in 1931. In opposition after the unhappy experience of minority government from 1929-31 and the loss of some of its key leaders to the National Government in August 1931, Labour … Continue reading ‘The beginning of a flowing tide for Labour’? Labour’s Wakefield by-election victory

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Labour history news

Petition aims to save mill museum at Belper world heritage site

A museum that tells the story of a significant part of Derbyshire’s industrial history looks set to close its doors in September 2022 after Amber Valley Borough Council halted a long-standing funding arrangement. Campaigners are now seeking support for a petition to restore funding and keep it open. Belper North Mill Museum, part of the Derwent Valley Mills Unesco World Heritage site, shows how cotton … Continue reading Petition aims to save mill museum at Belper world heritage site

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Labour history news

Kent mining museum opens at former Betteshanger Colliery

The century-long history of coal mining in Kent, one of the UK’s most southerly coalfields, is now commemorated at a new museum. The Kent Mining Museum, based at Betteshanger Country Park near Deal, opened its doors to visitors on 2 April, and aims to provide a permanent home for the stories and collections of Kent’s mining communities. Former miners from the county’s collieries are among … Continue reading Kent mining museum opens at former Betteshanger Colliery

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