Video: John Goodridge on the struggles of labouring-class poets

Professor John Goodridge delivers the Society for the Study of Labour History’s annual John Halstead Memorial Lecture, titled, ‘Reading by glow worm: the struggles of labouring-class poets’. The event took place at the John Rylands Library, Manchester on Saturday 13 June 2026. Professor Goodridge is President of the John Clare Society. He was introduced by Dr Mike Mecham, Chair of the John Clare Society and … Continue reading Video: John Goodridge on the struggles of labouring-class poets

EditorMCJune 15, 2026June 17, 2026

Commentary

The Working Class in Twentieth-Century Song: A Fan’s Notes

Opening a website series on songs associated with labour history, John McIlroy looks at ‘The Working Class in Twentieth-Century Song: A Fan’s Notes[1]’ arguing that researching the genealogy of songs, finding new ones, rediscovering old ones, exploring the cultural ambience in which they were created and performed is part of the folklorist’s mission and the historian’s brief. Find out more about this series. IntroductionThe Great … Continue reading The Working Class in Twentieth-Century Song: A Fan’s Notes

EditorMCDecember 1, 2023December 15, 2023

Events

Workers’ Playtime: culture and community in industrial Lancashire

Nineteenth century industrial Lancashire was a land of smoke and tall chimneys, fortunes for the Cotton Lords and misery for their workers, the ‘hands’. But that’s only part of the story. Workers’ Playtime: culture and community in industrial Lancashire is an exhibition that goes beyond the factories to explore the cultures and communities created by the workers in pursuit of a better, fuller life … Continue reading Workers’ Playtime: culture and community in industrial Lancashire

EditorMCFebruary 8, 2023