A series of articles, events, and news covering the centenary of the 1926 General Strike.
This year has seen a flurry of events, broadcasts, and publications marking the centenary of the 1926 General Strike. Amongst all the books and articles published, one powerful account of 1926 is in danger of being overlooked or forgotten. Mike Mecham recounts Idris Davies’s ‘The Angry Summer: a poem of 1926’. I was introduced to Idris Davies, like many others I suspect, by the American … Continue reading Idris Davies: the ‘Angry Summer of 1926’
Llafur, the Welsh People’s History Society, continues its summer series commemorating the centenary of the 1926 General Strike and seven-month lock-out. The final two sessions look at 1926 in archives, libraries, and collections, as well as the strike’s enduring legacy in the present. All online sessions are accessible to all and will be held via Zoom at the times shown below. Book your tickets here. … Continue reading Llafur 1926 centenary programme
To mark the one hundredth anniversary of the 1926 General Strike and mining lockout, Dave Lyddon and Quentin Outram are revising the Historical Studies in Industrial Relations (HSIR) bibliography of the strike. Thanks to all who responded to our previous request for possible entries. This is an expanded version, including many new entries from contemporary periodicals. As before, please contact Dave Lyddon or Quentin Outram, … Continue reading Update: Bibliography on the 1926 General Strike
Llafur, the Welsh People’s History Society, is holding a series of summer talks, panels and discussions on the 1926 General Strike and lock-out in Wales. The following programme of six online sessions will take place over the course of this summer and early autumn. All online sessions are accessible to all and will be held via Zoom at the times shown below. Summer Programme: “Now … Continue reading Wales, 1926 and the coalfield community
To mark the 100th anniversary of the British General Strike, a new exhibition at the University of Newcastle, reveals how workers, politicians, and trade unionists faced the challenge of the General Strike and how its opponents organised to resist it. The exhibition is part of the broader General Strike 100 which brings together stories, exhibitions and events to remember the strike and its impact on working … Continue reading Exhibition: When Britain Stood Still: The General Strike at 100
Academics, independent historians, heritage professionals, trade unionists, activists, and many more gathered in Manchester at the People’s History Museum for a one-day conference marking the centenary of the 1926 General Strike. May 2026 marks the centenary of the 1926 General Strike when, for nine days – from 3 to 12 May 1926 – industrial production across Britain ground to a halt as trade unionists and … Continue reading 1926 General Strike centenary open day report
The Fig Tree online webzine and Crooked Spire Press of Chesterfield have announced a new special issue to commemorate the centenary of the 1926 General Strike. Submissions are sought for poems covering the following topics: The General Strike of 1926. The union movement – its history and benefits. Historic strikes both before and after 1926. The role of unions in the modern world. Poems written … Continue reading Call for poems for the 1926 General Strike Centenary
A century on, the strike that shook Britain comes to life on stage – and it’s now just weeks away. May 1926. Millions of workers across the country walked out, standing shoulder to shoulder for a fairer world. To mark the one hundredth anniversary of the 1926 General Strike, ‘Centenary’ celebrates the event at the Glasshouse International Centre for Music in Gateshead. Created by Wisecrack … Continue reading Centenary: The 1926 General Strike on Stage
To mark the centenary of the 1926 General Strike, Professor Michael Sanders (University of Manchester) will deliver an online talk on Wednesday 20 May at 7pm covering two Mancunian female trailblazers. Elizabeth Gaskell may have been one of the first to write a ‘picket-line’ romance, in her much-loved classic North and South, but she was certainly not the last. In the centenary year of the ‘General … Continue reading Online Talk: South and North rather than North and South: The ‘Big Strike’ Novel
The People’s History Museum in Manchester is hosting a special open day to mark the centenary of the 1926 General Strike on the 9 May 2026. The event will delve into the strike’s continuing significance and legacy. Academics, activists, trade unionists, and heritage professionals will explore the 1926 General Strike through a range of papers and panels, and highlight rare archival material. The event is … Continue reading 1926 General Strike Centenary Open Day
