News and information of interest to labour historians.
Left on the Shelf Books, the UK’s largest dealer in radical second-hand books, pamphlets and journals, has changed hands following the retirement of its founder and long-term owner Dave Cope. Set up in 1992 after Cope bought the second-hand stock of Central Books, and for many years the main retail and wholesale outlet for the Communist Party of Great Britain, Left on the Shelf relocated … Continue reading Left on the Shelf enters a new era
In 2006, Historical Studies in Industrial Relations (HSIR) 21 published ‘The General Strike and Mining Lockout of 1926: A Select Bibliography’, compiled by John McIlroy, Alan Campbell, Keith Laybourn and Quentin Outram. To mark the one hundredth anniversary of the strike, this is now being updated for publication in HSIR 47 later this year by Dave Lyddon and Quentin Outram. We are asking users of … Continue reading HELP NEEDED IN UPDATING Bibliography of the 1926 General Strike
An independent statutory Orgreave Inquiry promised by the Labour Party in its 2024 general election manifesto has formally begun work following publication by the government of its terms of reference. The Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign, which has long campaigned for justice for those caught up in the events at the Orgreave coking plant at the height of the miners’ strike, said that while it … Continue reading Public inquiry into ‘Battle of Orgreave’ begins work
The latest issue of Historical Studies in Industrial Relations (Vol. 46, September 2025) is now available online via Liverpool University Press (subscription required). Table of contents Research Articles‘History through Literary Imagination: Portrayals of Worker Representation and Collective Action in Condition-of-England Novels, c.1830-1855’Michael Gold ‘The Rise and Demise of the Institute for Workers’ Control, 1964-1985′Alan Tuckman Essays‘Industrial Relations, 1975 to 2025’Richard Hyman ‘Michael Burawoy and the Manufacturing of … Continue reading Historical Studies in Industrial Relations 2025 now online
The organisers are pleased to announce an open call for submissions to the 2026 editions of the Social History Curators Group journal and conference, under the theme of ‘The Long March – Strikes, Protests and Riots Through History’. Inspired by the centenary of the 1926 General Strike, this year’s theme invites papers that examine how museums and heritage sites engage with stories of strike, protest, rebellion, and resistance. The organisers … Continue reading Call for 2026 SHCG Journal and Conference Submissions
A major new People’s History Museum exhibition titled On the Line explores the General Strike, bringing together powerful images and objects from the past one hundred years and taking visitors to the ‘front line’, shining a light on how communities provided ‘lifelines’ and retracing ‘battle lines’ while asking the question, ‘Where is the line?’ Marking the centenary of the 1926 strike, the exhibition opens at … Continue reading On the Line: PHM explores the 1926 General Strike
Legendary folk singer, musician and political activist Peggy Seeger is to perform at a special one-off concert to mark International Workers Day. The event will take place at Cecil Sharp House, London, on the evening of 7 May 2026, and tickets are on sale now. Buy tickets. Seeger will perform alongside prominent folk singers and musicians Jackie Oates and Nick Hart, Lancashire ballad singer and … Continue reading Peggy Seeger to perform ‘Songs for the Workers’
It has been a big year for labour history journals with both the North West History Journal and Saothar marking their fiftieth issues, and Scottish Labour History publishing its sixtieth edition. This roundup looks at the latest journals published by: Scotland Introducing the 2025 issue of Scottish Labour History, Stewart Maclennan, chair of the Scottish Labour History Society notes that this year sees both the … Continue reading Labour history journals 2025
Liverpool University Press, the Society’s publishing partners in the Studies in Labour History book series, are offering up to 50% off print and ebooks in their Winter Sale. Use discount code 27WINTER at checkout on their website before Thursday 18 December 2025. Click here. Find out more about the Studies in Labour History book series. Continue reading Half price history books for Christmas 2025
The Irish Labour History Society has marked the publication of the fiftieth volume of its journal, Saothar, with an event at the Irish Labour history Society Archives and Museum in Dublin. Guest speaker was Dr Joan Allen, chair of the Society for the Study of Labour History, who also contributed an article titled ‘Saothar: fifty years of publishing on labour history’ to the special issue. … Continue reading ILHS marks fifty years of Saothar
Society for the Study of Labour History 