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As revealed in the Nerve 9 article, the general strike of May 1926 shook British society to its foundations. Merseyside was alive with radical working class activity. For the first time, newspaper articles, telegrams and graphics have been brought together with book references to tell the story of that fascinating time in our region's history. Click items in italics to see the documents.
Ten Days in the Class War
By Adam Ford
Monday 3rd May
· Agents briefed to fall into conversation with the
strikers were dispatched around the country...From Liverpool came a report
that one J. Walsh, 'about 34, dark complexion, slim, clean shaven, dirty,
slight twist to both eyes, very shabbily dressed, decidedly verminous'
was 'one of the intellectuals of the party.' (A Very British Strike, Anne
Perkins)
Tuesday 4th May
· Merseyside Strike Committee reports all engineers and
shipyard workers on the Mersey are out.
Wednesday 5th May
· ‘At Liverpool warships land supplies’ (The General
Strike – May 1926, Robert Page Arnott) - HMS
Ramilies/HMS
Barham
· Merseyside Council of Action Strike Bulletin states: ‘Permits
issued are being abused and vans labelled ‘Food Only’ are
being used to transport blacklegs, metal and machinery, etc. These abuses
may compel council to withdraw permits already issued.’ (The General
Strike – May 1926, Robert Page Arnott)
· 'Archbishop of Canterbury met both Baldwin and MacDonald to put
forward an eccentric idea from the Bishop of Liverpool (Albert Augustus
David) involving continuing a subsidy by public subscription. It was politely
rejected, but Baldwin as well as MacDonald encouraged him in his attempts
to mediate.' (A Very British Strike, Anne Perkins)
· ‘An effort was made at Wallasey this morning to run a skeleton
tram service, but it failed owing to the pickets refusing to allow the
trams to go out. An attempt was made at 1pm to put into effect the Emergency
Committee order for a bus service, but as the buses were leaving the shed,
tramwaymen rushed forward in a body and prevented one from leaving. About
six, however, got onto the road, but were stopped later in different parts
of the town. In Liscard-road a bus was seized by a wagon load of tramwaymen
who clambered on the side of the vehicle and forcibly ejected the driver.
Three windows were smashed and the mechanism of the bus interfered with.
In Brighton-street the men stopped the bus by pushing a plank through
the window and afterwards deposed the driver. Passengers were in both
buses, but none were injured.’ (Birkenhead News)
· ‘The Chief Commissioner for Police desires it to be known
that able-bodied men desirous of assisting the police can enrol as special
constables for the period of the present emergency only.’ (Birkenhead
News)
· ‘complete stoppage of transport other than food’
· ‘first strike arrests in Liverpool’ (Echo
& Express bulletin)
Thursday 6th May
· Warrington’s Central Strike Committee sends a telegram
to Citrine (acting secretary of TUC): ‘Central Strike Committee
urges withdrawal of all workers.’ (Marxism and Trade Union Struggle:
The General Strike of 1926, Tony Cliff and Danny Gluckstein)
· Corn merchants W. Stonely & Co. apply to Merseyside Council
of Action for a permit
to transport maize meal and ground oats to Preston.
Merseyside Council of Action bulletin
· Liverpool Council of Action, Trades Council and Labour Party
call
upon TUC General Council to stand by decision to call out all workers.
Friday 7th
· Merseyside Council of Action reports ‘splendid response’
to call
· the National Transport Committee, consisting of all the transport
unions circulated telegrams to the local transport committees on 7/5.
This was sent to Liverpool:
LONDON TO ENGINEERS HALL MOUNT PLEASANT LV WE INSTRUCT ALL LOCAL TRANSPORT COMMITTEES REVIEW ALL PERMITS WHICH HAVE BEEN ISSUED NO TRADES COUNCIL LABOUR PARTY COUNCIL OF ACTION STRIKE COMMITTEE OR TRADE UNION BRANCH HAS AUTHORITY TO DEAL WITH THE PERMITS PLEASE CONVEY TO ALL CONCERNED + NATIONAL TRANSPORT COMMITTEE UNITY HOUSE LONDON
Saturday 8th
· ‘Happily, however, a ferry service is still maintained
and the boats which ran at normal times were crowded with people in business
in Liverpool.’ (Birkenhead
News)
· ‘Several thousand employees at Birkenhead docks downed
tools on Monday night and work was at a standstill on Tuesday morning,
apart from a handful of labourers engaged on road-making work. Groups
of men including dockers, carters and transport men generally lounged
moodily at street corners discussing the position.’ (Birkenhead
News)
· ‘Messrs. Lever Bros., Port Sunlight desire to acknowledge
with gratitude the kind assistance by private motor-car owners to employees
going to or returning to Port Sunlight.’ (Birkenhead
News)
· ‘Congratulations to the Workers of Great Britain.’
(The Unemployed
Worker)
Sunday 9th May
· ‘Despite any rumours with reference to men resuming work,
the number of strikers is being added to by the thousand.’ (Merseyside
Council of Action Bulletin)
Monday 10th May
· ‘TOTAL ENROLMENT for essential services – L’pool
Town Hall 12,865, including 1,234 heavy lorry-drivers, Railways 1,226,
Shipping 871, Docks & Cold Storage 2,603. Butchers & Millers now
rolling up. No more plumbers needed. Few more Steam Waggon Drivers required.
Total enrolments, including Bootle “Specials”, 22,546.’
(Echo
& Express Bulletin)
· ‘LEWIS’S LEAD – in addition to guaranteeing
6,000 odd employees against any reduction of basic wage rate for next
three yrs, thus exposing story of general attack on wages, Lewis’s
also announce that “There has not been nor will there be any reduction
in staff in consequence of the present unfortunate industrial situation”.
(Echo
& Express Bulletin)
· ‘MOSCOW’S MONEY RETURNED. T.U.C. officially state
that cheque for some thousands received from Moscow has been returned.’
(Echo
& Express Bulletin)
· L’POOL ARRESTS – John Hedley (42) after speech at
Islington Sq. (Echo
& Express Bulletin)
· ‘You are enjoined to play the man and win. The General
Council emphasises the fact that no settlement will be made which does
not safeguard all workers concerned in the dispute.’ (Merseyside
Council of Action Bulletin)
Tuesday 11th May
· ‘The Liverpool communist who was arrested for a seditious
speech has been given 3 months hard labour.’ (Liverpool
Public Libraries Wireless Bulletin)
Wednesday 12th May
· ‘A hostile demonstration towards a squad of special constables
by a crowd numbering about 1,500 took place in Cleveland Street on Tuesday
afternoon.’ (Birkenhead
News)
· ‘Official notice has been received from the General Council
T.U.C. that the Strike is settled.’ (Merseyside
Council of Action Bulletin)
· The General Council of the Trades Union Congress has unconditionally
surrendered to the Government.’ (Communist
Party of Great Britain statement)
Thursday 13th May
· ‘Work to be resumed’ as soon as individual unions
reach agreements for no victimisation of strikers. (Special
bulletin of the Merseyside Council of Action)
Other Media
'The Pocket Atlas', Punch cartoon, 1/5/1926
'Waiting For A Reprieve, Punch cartoon, 1/5/1926
British Worker front page, 5/5/1926
'How The "Gentlemen of England" Man The Trains', Trades Union Congress leaflet
Letter from Merseyside Council of Action to NUWCM union
