The small copper token shown here is one of a vast number produced by the Newcastle-born radical Thomas Spence and distributed from his London bookshop, The Hive of Liberty, in High Holborn. Continue reading Thomas Spence and a radical propaganda token from eighteenth century London
The American historian William M Johnston talked in his book Celebrations about a ‘cult’ of anniversaries. And he noted how they provide an opportunity – or excuse – to mark the passage of time in ways that help communities to build and sustain a sense of identity. For many in the labour movement, there could be no bigger anniversary in 2024 than the centenary of … Continue reading Ten labour history anniversaries in 2024
Tom Paine was one of the great figures of the enlightenment. Norfolk-born but exiled from his English homeland for his radicalism, he took up arms in America for the cause of independence, and narrowly escaped execution in revolutionary France, where he served as a member of the National Convention. Today he is widely remembered and celebrated as the author of Common Sense and The Rights … Continue reading Tom Paine: a fantastical visual biography
Thomas Spence as an English radical renowned for his ‘Plan’ to abolish private ownership of land and replace state institutions with a decentralised parochial organisation. A new book examines his political thought Continue reading The Political Thought of Thomas Spence: book launch
Society for the Study of Labour History 