Coming soon a series of podcasts telling the story of Harry Constable, the unofficial dockers’ leader in the 1940s and 50s, read by Christopher Eccleston and Eithne Browne, and based on recordings compiled by Bill Hunter.

Dockers set the pace for all the gains in wages and conditions during the 1940s and 50s. Most of their battles, against their bosses, the government and sometimes their own union, were led by rank and file committees. Harry Constable was one of their leaders who became known and respected among workers in all the major docks in Britain.

“Every docker filled with pride
when they had Harry by their side.
In London or in Merseyside
no honour could be greater.”

Alun Parry, Liverpool singer/songwriter

Harry’s father and grandfather were dockers. He was brought up in London’s East End and had sixteen brothers and sisters, several of whom perished in the poverty and hardship of the dockland area before they reached their teens.

In these podcasts Constable paints the landscape of his life. He tells us about the struggles of working people to survive and how he became an unofficial dockers’ leader.

Actor Eithne Browne introduces us to Harry in this foretaste of his story to be released as weekly podcasts.

If Harry don’t go by Alun Parry is from his album: when the sunlight shines

Other Episodes

Introduction
Episode 1 – Where the Sun Never Rose
Episode 2 – Family Life in Wapping
Episode 3 – Walks through the East End
Episode 4 – School Days
Episode 5 – Home, hospital and hardship
Episode 6 – Fighting the Fascists
Episode 7 – Work, War and “The Spike”
Episode 8 – Years of Turbulence
Episode 9 – Expulsion from the union
Episode 10 – Dockers on Trial
Episode 11 – The ‘Blue’ and the ‘White’
Episode 12 – Characters on the Docks