Glyn Robbins on Abraham Kazan and trade union housing co-ops in New York City

In 2015, I stumbled across the Amalgamated Housing Co-Operative in the Bronx, the northern-most borough of New York City. As a long-time housing worker, campaigner and trade unionist, I was intrigued by homes of such obvious quality that, I learned, had been built through the efforts of the labour movement. My interest deepened when, in 2021, I lived in the Bronx for six months as … Continue reading Glyn Robbins on Abraham Kazan and trade union housing co-ops in New York City

Labour, Health and Sunshine: The Alpine Sanatoria of the 1920s

From the late 19th century, the Alps were a sanctuary for tubercular patients. Supervised by Auguste Rollier – the ‘Sun Doctor’ – many recuperated through fraternity, labour, and the healing power of the sun… Speaker: Dr Ilaria Scaglia, Aston University.Date: 22 May 2024, 6pmVenue: Birmingham People’s History Archive, 2nd floor, Birmingham & Midland Institute, 9 Margaret Street, B3 3BS.  This talk is free, all welcome, … Continue reading Labour, Health and Sunshine: The Alpine Sanatoria of the 1920s

Patriotic Internationalists and Free Immigration: The British Labour Party’s Internationalism in Debates on Immigration Restriction, 1918–1931

Author:  Eunjae ParkThis is the abstract of an article published in Labour History Review (2024), 89, (1), 1-20. Read more. As highlighted in the recent controversies over European immigrants and the refugee ‘crisis’ that culminated in Brexit, Labour’s struggle in balancing its internationalist principles with policy administration has been a constant theme in the party’s immigration and refugee policy. This article situates the Labour Party’s discussion on the 1919 … Continue reading Patriotic Internationalists and Free Immigration: The British Labour Party’s Internationalism in Debates on Immigration Restriction, 1918–1931

One hundred years on: the first Labour government

One hundred years ago today, the first Labour Government took office. Led by James Ramsay MacDonald as prime minister and foreign secretary, the men (though no women) in its ranks included former coal miners and textile workers, a railwayman, an iron founder, and even a labour historian. Many had worked for decades on behalf of the Independent Labour Party or their trade union before entering … Continue reading One hundred years on: the first Labour government

Collection encounter: Ramsay MacDonald – behind the politics

Drop in to the John Rylands Library in Manchester on Saturday 20 January for an opportunity to see objects relating to James Ramsay MacDonald (1866-1937), the UK’s first Labour Prime Minister, and talk to archivists about his role in the Labour movement and the man behind the politics. Marking the centenary of the first Labour government, this free event, organised jointly by the John Rylands … Continue reading Collection encounter: Ramsay MacDonald – behind the politics

James Squires (Sheffield Hallam) on the CPGB, anti-militarism and pacifism after the First World War

My PhD researches the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) and its relationship with anti-militarist and pacifist ideas from the First World War. The thesis reassesses the political development of the CPGB by focusing on the conscientious objector cohort that joined the Party following its formation in 1920. I explore the impact of the 1917 Russian Revolutions on the largest anti-war group, the No-Conscription Fellowship … Continue reading James Squires (Sheffield Hallam) on the CPGB, anti-militarism and pacifism after the First World War

Ten labour history anniversaries in 2024

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

‘Sunderland Has Lost a Figure That Will Go Down in History’: Marion Phillips in the North East of England, 1923–1932

Author: Sarah HellawellThis is the abstract of an article published in Labour History Review (2023), 88, (3), 221-243. Read more. Selected as the Labour Party’s chief woman officer in 1918, Dr Marion Phillips played a prominent role in the British labour women’s movement before, during and after the Great War. However, her brief stint as Labour MP for Sunderland between 1929 and 1931 has not attracted the same … Continue reading ‘Sunderland Has Lost a Figure That Will Go Down in History’: Marion Phillips in the North East of England, 1923–1932

Book reviews in Labour History Review Volume 88 (2023), Issue 3

The books listed below are reviewed in Labour History Review (2023), 88, (3), 279-293. Read more. Hester Barron reviews Agnes Arnold-Forster and Alison Moulds (eds), Feelings and Work in Modern History: Emotional Labour and Emotions about Labour, London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2022, pp. xii + 265, h/b, £85, ISBN 978 13501 97183 Micaela Panes reviews Daryl Leeworthy, Causes in Common: Welsh Women and the Struggle for Social Democracy, Cardiff: University of Wales … Continue reading Book reviews in Labour History Review Volume 88 (2023), Issue 3

1923: a year that changed politics forever

The North West Labour History Society is holding a celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the 1923 general election that led to the first Labour government, and telling the stories of some of the newly elected MPs of 1923. The event takes place at Manchester Central Library on Saturday 11 November, starting at 10am. North West Labour History Society. Continue reading 1923: a year that changed politics forever