Bulletin Spring 2014

The Women’s Social and Political Anne Vine received only three votes, when Union in West London she stood for the Barnes District Council in 1895 – presumably herself, and her It is difficult to believe that all women did proposer and seconder. More successful not get the vote until 1928, only seven was Mrs Corrie Grant who was one of the years before I was born. My mother was candidates for the Chiswick School Board 21 in 1929 and was among the youngest of in October 1896 when she and the other women to benefit from universal franchise winning candidates were sponsored by in Britain. Yet votes for women had been a temperance and church groups. Later that hard struggle, and before the First World year she spoke out for equality for women War, after many promises had been in the professions and trades, much to the broken, the fury of those fighting for the annoyance of a Dr Fountain who said vote erupted across the country in a women undercut men’s income in the campaign of destruction and civil medical profession by charging absurdly disobedience that became the most low fees. sensational issue of the time. Voting in national elections before 1914 The thought of women voting in national elections was considered ludicrous and in was confined to men who owned or rented 1906 Herbert Nield, the Conservative MP property above a certain value. This meant for Ealing provoked great laughter at a that few low earning working class men Conservative Party meeting by saying that and no women had the vote in national a House of Commons Women’s Franchise elections. Since 1882, however, single Bill, had been rightly defeated, would women and widows who met the property have meant that a woman could be the qualification could vote in local council House of Commons Speaker! ….. And women might be High Court judges! [roars elections, and since 1894 could stand for of laughter]. election for local councils. Despite this local concession women hardly ever stood The cases for and against giving women for election for local councils and so the vote were forcibly argued, and at a unnatural was it thought that women packed public debate in Chiswick Town should serve on local councils that Miss Hall in May 1909 the proposal to give the

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vote to women was defeated by 196 votes Mrs East. Miss Clarissa M. A. Coombs, a to 132. school board teacher of Normanhurst, 98, Nationally the campaign for women’s Sutton Court Rd was the secretary and Mrs votes went through three stages. The first Julia A. East, whose husband was a head phase began in the mid 1800s and in 1867 teacher, the treasurer. a number of women’s groups established The Chiswick branch organised its first the National Society for Women’s public meeting at Chiswick Town Hall a Suffrage. That did not last long because of few months later, but Christobel internal disagreements and it split between Pankhurst’s speech was drowned out by a those who favoured a moderate approach hundred young men in the gallery who and those who preferred more radical created pandemonium Male supporters of campaigning. The moderate grouping was the suffrage went into the gallery and led by Millicent Fawcett and the radicals violet scenes ensued as several of the mob by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters. were thrown out. A stinking powder was The second phase originated in 1903 when thrown from the gallery and some ladies in Mrs Pankhurst and her daughters founded the audience beat hasty retreats. Disrupting the Women’s Social & Political Union meetings by releasing rats and mice, (WSPU). This is the best known decade throwing stink bombs and sounding off and began with huge marches and bells and hooters was a regular tactic of demonstrations, interrupting cabinet anti-suffragette men. On this occasion, members’ public meetings and throwing Mrs East, the WSPU Chiswick branch stones at their cars and carriages. It treasurer, was presented with a bill developed into smashing West End shop £1.2s.6d bill for broken chairs which she windows, burning down buildings, and refused to pay until a summons was digging up golf courses. Imprisoned issued. women went on hunger strike and were The simple case for the vote put forward force fed. This militant campaign came to by campaigners was one of justice. an end when the 1st World War broke out Women were as intelligent as men, were in 1914 and the women’s movements better qualified to deal with social suspended campaigning and backed the legislation, and they paid taxes but had no war effort. representation. The case against was that parliament dealt with imperial matters The WSPU in Chiswick concerning the empire, the army and the navy which were exclusively male affairs. In 1918, at the end of the war, women over There were more women than men and it 30 with property qualifications, or who would mean the country would be run by were wives of men with the property women if they had the vote. But the real qualification, were given the vote, and the reason was total prejudice against the idea final phase was a non-militant campaign to of women in parliament. gain the vote for all women - that was In February 1908 Miss Coombs (probably achieved in 1928. Clarissa Coombs’s younger sister) In September 1907 a Chiswick branch of attracted a large crowd by sketching the WSPU was formed at Homeleigh, 21, Suffragette publicity on the pavement in Brandenburg Road, the home of Mr and Chiswick High Road. A crowd gathered,

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new members were enrolled and she and Mrs East (but neither woman appears collected two shillings and a penny for on the 1911 census because that census WSPU funds. Clarissa Coombs was not so was boycotted by the WSPU.) There is fortunate a year later when she was swept little evidence of activists from the from a temporary platform as she working class areas of Brentford and South addressed a meeting at the corner of the Acton. Some of the Acton women laundry High Road and Duke Road in Chiswick. workers got organised into a trade union Several times she ‘pluckily’ got back on and the priorities were better pay and the stand and was in real danger until Mrs conditions Genevieve Harris of 1, Bourne Place came There are no reports of shop window out of her house, rescued Clarissa and a smashing in the Western suburbs but two companion, and drew them indoors. The women from Churchfield Road, Acton crowd still threatened until dispersed by were arrested and fined for smashing police reinforcements. Mrs Harris, wife of windows at the National Insurance Dr William Treeweath Harris, said she had Commission Building in Buckingham no interest in votes for women but it was Gate. One of them had a hammer with a shameful to see a woman set upon by a label attached with the words ‘the only crowd of men ‘I believe they call way to ensure peace is to give women the themselves such. What I did was not out of vote.’ Another woman from Churchfield sympathy for the suffragette cause, but for Road was arrested and fined for throwing another woman.’ pepper in screwed up paper at Lloyd In April 1908 a WSPU meeting was held George as he left a meeting. It missed and at Grove Mount, Grove Park where a Mrs hit three policemen causing much eye Baldock, who had twice been in Holloway irritation. Pillar boxes were vandalised prison, said in her younger days she had several times in Chiswick by pouring made shirts for 9d a dozen and did not black liquid into them to obliterate mind suffering in order to make things addresses on envelopes and postcards. better. There was an alarming incident at Other activities were interrupting church the close of the meeting when there were services with prayers for those suffragettes tremendous bangs at the window and upon who were imprisoned and being force-fed. inspection a ½ inch hole was found as if a They also dug up the greens on Acton Golf bullet had hit the glass. But no bullet was Course (where the Old Oak Estate is now) found. - on one green, the words ‘Votes for Women’ had been cut in two foot sized Violence in west London – Kew Tea letters. House set on fire The most serious acts were the burning of empty buildings. Locally, the Hurst Park The movement in Chiswick, as elsewhere, Racecourse stands, an empty house at was largely a campaign of middle and Hampton and the Tea House in Kew upper class women – except in Lancashire Gardens were set alight. In each case the where women were organised into trade arsonists were caught and sent to prison unions in the cotton mills and campaigned and several went on hunger strike. How to for the vote. The 1901 census records a deal with hunger striking was a problem servant in the households of Miss Coombs for the authorities who justified forced

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feeding on the grounds that the women were mentally unstable and for their own good they should not be allowed to starve to death. Another view was that martyrs should not be created. In fact forced feeding was equivalent to torture. The problem was solved by the ‘Cat and Mouse Act.’ A hunger striking woman would be released and then re-arrested to finish her sentence once she had recovered. This could happen to the same Burnt out tea-house in Kew Gardens woman several times but of course the Other suffrage groups police had to find her, which was often difficult. One woman on temporary release There were other suffrage associations was found in Richmond and dragged to active in the western suburbs. The station to be taken back to Holloway Women’s Freedom League, a breakaway Prison. Chiswick was searched for group from the WSPU that disapproved of Christabel Pankhurst who had disappeared. militant tactics, had branches in Southall In fact she had gone to Paris. The and Acton. There was a Middlesex branch proprietor of the burnt out Kew Gardens of the non-militant London Society for Tea House was Mrs Catherine Mary Women’s Suffrage that organised several Strange of Dukes Avenue, Chiswick and meetings. At one in Ealing, where there the women responsible were Lilian Lenton were riotous scenes, John Raphael of the and Olive Wharry. The Tea House Men’s League for Women’s Suffrage said business was registered in the name of a he had never heard a satisfactory objection man and the culprits said they would not to women having the vote, something he have burnt it down if they had known the said was inevitable. Raphael captained business was owned by a woman. Mrs England at rugby and was killed in the war Strange also ran a Tea House in Regents in 1917. Another group was the Church Park that was also burnt down and she League for Women’s Suffrage that held a then visited the WSPU headquarters to ask meeting in West Acton in 1912. that her other two Tea Houses in Hyde Yet another group was the Thames Valley Park and Kensington Gardens be spared. branch of the National Union of Women’s She also pointed out that between 40 and Suffrage Societies that held its first 50 women had been thrown out of work by meeting in Lady Yoxall’s garden in the destruction of the refreshment places in Richmond. Miss A. Helen Ward was Kew and Regents Park. Miss Kerr of the about to speak when an aeroplane flew WSPU replied that the women would be over, and she recalled that years ago a man glad later on that they had helped women had said women would not get the vote get the vote. “If you could have seen their until men could fly. With a gesture she faces,” replied Mrs Strange, “when they indicated the airman overhead. came to work and found there was none, you would have a contrary opinion.”

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Anti-Suffrage League Twelfth Essex Conference on Labour History The feeling against votes for women and particularly the WSPU gave rise to the This conference was held on Saturday 19th formation of the Anti-Suffrage League in October at the Witham Labour Hall. With 1908 and several meetings of local its usual popularity it was attended by over branches took place in Acton and 70 members of the Essex Labour Chiswick. The militants said they would Campaign Forum, and some from the cease their activities only if they were Labour Heritage National Committee. It given the vote, but as a letter to the was chaired by Charles Cochrane. Chiswick Times pointed out the government could not be seen to giving Countess of Warwick way to ‘violence’, and the activities of these ‘odious ladies’ made the task of The first talk was delivered by John peaceful campaigners more difficult. Gyford, on the Countess of Warwick, an Deadlock ensued. The militants would not unusual left wing convert. John had been stop until they got the vote and the given a leaflet by an Essex councillor for government would not consider the matter an Essex Labour Day, which was held in until they stopped the militancy. We’ll the 1930s in the grounds of Easton Lodge, never know who would win because the the Countess’s estate at Dunmow. This Great War broke out in July 1914 and soon remarkable event attracted over 5,000 local after the WSPU suspended all activities people who arrived on foot or by bike. and threw its weight into the war effort. They included farm workers, factory In 1918 the government granted the vote to workers, clerks and teachers. The day’s three million women aged 30 or older events included a pageant, whereby the whose husbands had property local Labour parties acted out great events qualifications or if they had the in labour history such as Chartist qualification in their own right. Two movement, the Peasants’ Revolt, and the million women were still without the vote Tolpuddle Martyrs. There were but the WSPU declared it a triumph, entertainments including bowls and an changed its name to the Women’s Party egg and spoon race. George Lansbury, the and unsuccessfully contested a few seats in leader of the Labour Party at the time ,was the 1918 General Election. Emmeline in attendance. This was one of many Pankhurst joined the Conservative Party in events hosted by Lady Warwick for the 1926 and was adopted as a parliamentary labour movement at her country estate. candidate but died before the 1929 General She had a history of support for strikers, Election. It took another ten years of non- she spoke for Labour politicians in militant campaigning for all women to get elections and donated generously to those the vote. in need. But her background was very John Grigg unconventional for a labour activist. She had been born in 1861 in a house in Berkeley Square into a landed family. Her

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upbringing was a traditional one for a boost markets and trade from the end of member of the aristocracy. She was the 19th century. Hand in hand went the presented at the “court”, in order to find a building of military machines, alliances suitable husband, and in spite of the and nationalist propaganda. Targets for enthusiasm of Queen Victoria that she imperialist domination were Asia and would make a suitable wife for her Africa. In 1873 only 10% of Africa had unmarried son Leopold, she decided to been colonised; by 1895 only 10% marry Lord Brook, heir to the Earl of remained outside of colonial control. The Warwick. However after bearing two sons rush for colonies was increasingly bringing for him, she was reputed to have had 14 the European powers into conflict with lovers, including a member of the royal each other – Germany and France for family. John entertained us with tales of instance nearly went to war over Morocco her colourful love life! in 1905 and 1908. Within Europe the So how did she become a socialist? It demise of the Ottoman Empire brought seems that she became very involved with rivalry for control over the newly charitable work. Concern for unemployed independent Balkan states such as Serbia. women in Essex led to her founding a The determination of the Austrian Empire needlework school and shop where their to bring Serbia to heel finally led to the produce could be sold. She founded a outbreak of war in August 1914, with the secondary school and college of assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in agriculture. Her contact with the poverty Sarajevo. Treaties to build alliances of ordinary people led her to the labour committed Germany to support Austria movement. Supporting Labour and declare war on France. To attack parliamentary candidates, she was once a France German armies needed to violate candidate herself, challenging Anthony Belgian neutrality which the UK was Eden unsuccessfully in a bye-election in bound to protect. And so world war was 1923. Before she died in 1938 she wrote precipitated. him a letter congratulating him on his At the outbreak of war there was an resignation from Chamberlain’s outpouring of nationalism – Germans were government, in protest against its policy of labelled as “huns” to be hated, and those appeasing the dictators. opposing the war in Britain were given white feathers. The Socialist International, World War 1 and the response of the founded in 1889, included socialist parties Left from all European states. It had campaigned for peace – calling for an end Stan Newens reminded the audience that to the arms race and the abolition of 2014 will be the anniversary of World War standing armies. Some had advocated the 1, and amidst the expected glorification of blocking of support for war credits by war, we needed to be reminded of its socialists who had been elected to causes, the extent of the slaughter on all Parliament. Others went as far as to call sides and the courage of those who for a general strike across Europe if war opposed it at the time. broke out. By 1914 however there were Stan gave an outline of how Europe’s great already splits in the ranks and, sadly on the powers rivalled to build up empires to outbreak of war, only a minority were

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prepared to stand out against their The suffrageette movement and left wing government’s war-mongering. In Britain support for votes for women the official policy of the Labour Party was to support the government’s war policy Philippa Bilton is a relattive of Emily and to join the wartime coalition Wilding Davison, who ttried to stop the government. This was not universal King’s horse in 1913. Her great howeveer – it was opposed by Ramsay grandmother was a cousin of Emily’s. She MacDonald, Keir Hardie, who was talked about the important year which has reportedly heart-brroken, and the seen the centenary of Emily Wilding Independent Labour Party. The labour Davison, and her death under the King’s movement was as divided in the rest of horse at the June 1913 Derby. She had not Europe. intended to kill herself, but had attempted Attemppts to regroup anti-war socialists to pin a “votes for women” banner on the from across Europe were hampered by horse to get publicity for the cause. governments preventing them from travelling. Nevertheless 40 delegates managed to meet in Zimmerwald, in neutral Switzerland in 1915 to discuss how to bring the war to an end. Eventually the death toll, and increased hardship were to swing the people of Europe against the war. Strikes on the home front, mutinies, and revolution, in Russia in 1917 were to herald an end to the war. Unfortunately she had underestimated the But the slaughter had been horrendous – speed of the horse and ended up falling 16 million dead, 20 million injured. 50% beeneath its hooves. She died of her injuries of French males aged 22-30 had been lost. several days later in Epsom cottage Bravery of the troops went side by side by hospital. military blunders by the army chiefs as at Philippa gave an outline of the history of the Battle of the Somme and Gallipoli. the women’s suffrage campaign. She put it War had been waged by governments with in context of the long standing campaign little accountability to their people. for the right to vote in the 19th century. Germany and Russia had been Such campaigns had been met with force dictatorships – in Britain there was as yet on the part of the government, as at the limited suffrage. Stan concluded that the baattle of Peterloo in 18119, where 16 war had been nothing less than “organiseed demonstrators had been killed. The right to murder”. And yet the Treaty of Versailles vote was not just about voting, it was which concluded the War illustrated that about equality. In the 19th century women nothing had been learnt. He praised the andn children had been expected to work all role of the United Nations and the hours in textile mills. Opportunities for European Union in preventing wars in women to work were limited, and they Europe, but not the rest of the world. could not be awarded degrees.

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The first time the issue of women’s supporters such as Keir Hardie, George suffrage was introduced into parliament Bernard Shaw and HG Wells. The was in 1867, by John Stuart Mill. It had campaign attracted demonstrations of not been successful. The National Union support (300,000), and donations of over of Women’s Suffrage Societies led by £21,000. Millicent Fawcett had brought together a On the outbreak of war prisoners were diverse number of campaigns for the vote, released and many in the WPSU put aside including women trades unionists in the their campaign in support of the war effort. textile mills. Their strategy of peaceful campaigning and petitioning had gone Strike of agricultural workers in north- largely unanswered. This had led west Essex 1914 Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters to launch the more militant Women’s Social Ted Woodgate, a lecturer for the WEA, and Political Union in 1903. Dubbed by gave the final talk on agricultural labourers the Daily Mail – the “suffragettes” they in Essex a century ago. The now tranquil willingly embraced the name! Direct villages around Saffron Walden witnessed action against politicians and property a lockout and strike in the years 1913- though was to bring them in conflict with 1914. The centre of this was the village of the law. Many women were beaten and Helions Bumpstead (now supporting a arrested. When their demand to be treated population of 400 according to as political prisoners was rejected they Wikipedia!). resorted to hunger strikes. Rather than give in or let them die of starvation the authorities resorted to forcible feeding in prison. Emily Wilding Davison, with a record of suffragette activity since 1906, was believed to have been forcibly fed over 40 times! Clearly someone was going to die in prison. Trying to avoid martyrdom the “cat and mouse bill” was But in 1913 400 farm labourers were passed whereby women prisoners on locked out by local farmers and told to hunger strike were released and then re- resign their membership of the farm arrested to serve the rest of their sentence workers’ union. Those who refused were when their health had recovered. denied work and also threatened with The suffragettes had links with the labour eviction from their homes by means of movement. Emmeline Pankhurst and her ‘tenancy curtailment orders’. Farm husband had been members of the ILP. workers lived in tied cottages where the Some in the Party, such as Ramsay home came with the job. The union MacDonald however were concerned appealed for financial help from about the impact of limited female neighbouring villages. The local press suffrage, and they were not supportive of blamed the dispute on outside agitators – some of the violent actions of members of including the ‘red’ Countess of Warwick, the WPSU. However votes for women had and other local socialists such as the the unstinting support of key labour Reverend Edward Maxted, vicar of Tiltly.

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But the Saffron Walden district had the such as George Lansbury and Sylvia worst wage rates in Essex. Bordering on Pankhurst supported the strikers and Cambridgeshire, it had been Joseph Arch addressed rallies. Attempts to intervene by territory in the 1870s, when the National the Bishop of Chelmsford were boycotted Union of Agricultural Workers had been by the employers’ side. The strike was not strong enough to obtain wage rises. The settled until the outbreak of war in August agricultural depression in the later 1870s 1914 when the Liberal MP for Saffron however had led to defeats for the union. Walden intervened. The union won a 15 The wages of farm workers were well shillings minimum wage, guaranteed work below those of industrial workers -13 in winter, trades union recognition and re- shillings a week, cut by 50% in winter was instatement of victimised workers. It also well below the rate that Joseph Rowntree marked the foundation of the Agricultural had recommended as a minimum level to Wages Board, which survived until its eradicate poverty amongst workers in his abolition by the current coalition home town of York. government. By 1913 the union (National Agricultural There was some discussion on the future and Rural Workers Union) was making of labour history in Essex and everyone gains again. There had also been political felt that they had an enjoyable day. Lunch gains. The enfranchisement of rural was provided by members of the Braintree labourers by the 1884 Reform Act, had led Labour Party – excellent as usual. to the election of a Liberal MP for Saffron Walden, and some labourers had succeed Hayes Labour and World War 1 in being elected to Parish councils, including in Helions Bumpstead, where 2 In Hayes Labour World War 1 produced out of 7 councillors were farm workers. mixed reactions, like within the Labour The union responded to the lock-out by Party itself. The violation of Belgian calling a strike, and issued its demands – a neutrality however did provoke hostility, wage of 16 shillings a week, a weekly half although there was no support for jingoism day holiday on Saturday, holidays , of the “gutter press” which Percy overtime and harvest pay, and an end to Langdon, founder of the Hayes Labour tied cottages, plus union recognition. The Association, accused of “having done pay and holidays were still less than more to bring about the war than the enjoyed by many industrial workers. Kaiser.” Uxbridge councillor and ILP The strike lasted into the summer of 1914 branch secretary, L.W.Spencer was killed and was bitterly fought. It spread from in the War, and fellow councillor Robert Helions Bumptead across Essex and into Hudson declared that “we are all British Cambridgeshire. There were pickets before Party.” posted at the entrance to hay fields, In Hayes factories were switched to war scuffles between strikers and blacklegs and production and employers were inclined to many strikers were arrested, charged and raise wages. Women found work whereby imprisoned. The atmosphere in the they were better paid than the troops villages was affected as traditional events fighting in the trenches. This had an effect such as fetes and flower shows were on local public opinion. But by 1918 there cancelled. Labour movement activists

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was local anger at profiteering, food prices Lowestoft in Suffolk. His political and rents. Some families with soldiers activities with the labour movement had fighting abroad found themselves evicted commenced when he had returned from a because they could not afford their rents. stay in Australia with his wife and Labour councillor Drenon, founded the children. As well as his stand as a Poplar Tenants’ Defence League. He said- Labour councillor, Lansbury had been a “The patriotism of many so-called patriots dedicated pacifist and teetotaller, who had starts and ends with their pockets. It was opposed World War 1, become a member the same with the coal owners who grew of War Resisters International, and had fat out of the country’s needs and risk the attempted to stop World War 2 by trying country’s safety rather than give the to meet up with the world leaders at the colliers a living wage.” time. Prospective Labour candidate for Uxbridge The unveiling ceremony was followed by a Harry Gosling at a meeting in Harefield in talk from Chris Sumner on Lansbury’s role 1918 said – “ I hate war and militarism but in fighting for the equalisation of I object to anyone taking a liberty with me. London’s rates, as leader on Poplar I believe the country was absolutely right Council in 1921. Chris himself is the in the action it took, but it need not mean grandson of one of the councillors – that they go on fighting forever and ever, Charlie Sumner, who was to become the War must be settled.” deputy mayor. As deputy mayor he led a Labour councillors on the Hayes Urban march from Poplar, together with brass District Council refused to take part in the bands, to the High Court to demand victory and peace celebrations at the end equalisation of rates. of the War. ( the Hayes Labour Blog, edited by Michael Walker) http://ourhistory- hayes.blogspot.co.uk/

Memorial plaque for George Lansbury

On Thursday 7th November a plaque commemorating the life and achievements of George Lansbury was unveiled in George Lansbury Rocky Park, on the Lansbury Estate,

Poplar. It was unveiled by George What was equalisation of the rates? In the Lansbury’s first great grandson Nigel 1920s borough councils had to levy a rate Whiskin. It was attended by over 30 to pay for poor relief in their borough. This people, mainly the descendents of George meant that boroughs such as Poplar had to Lansbury himself. Nigel gave a brief raise more in rates than more affluent history of the life of his great grandfather. boroughs such as Westminster. When the How he had been born the son of a railway recession of the early 1920s struck, this navigator, in Halesworth, close to meant real hardship. Poplar Council,

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elected in 1919 had 39 Labour councillors listened to his talks at our conferences will out of 42. When its campaign for know that his grasp of detail is remarkable, equalisation of rates across London was and this is just as true with this rejected, the council voted to withhold autobiography. It seems that every their rates from the London County campaign, every Early Day Motion in Council in protest. Finally they were Parliament, and every solidarity trip gets a summoned to court and imprisoned. Many mention. The book illustrates the extent of of them had family responsibilities and Stan’s interests in a whole range of some were women nursing children. They political issues, to which he gave his even held council meetings in Brixton support. It is also a useful background to prison. But they received enormous the labour history of the past fifty years or support in Poplar, although not all Labour more. councils, even in deprived East London, Stan was born and brought up in Bethnal would follow their lead. However Green. He describes his early years and the eventually they were victorious and living conditions of his parents and Poplar’s rates were reduced as a result. grandparents who lived in poverty and George Lansbury was elected to overcrowded housing conditions. However Parliament, and went on to become leader Stan was not brought up as a socialist – his of the Labour Party in the 1930s. The parents were conservative minded. Stan significance of his stand on behalf of still had Liberal views in 1945 when Poplar is enshrined today in the names of Labour won a historic victory, and he was places such as the Lansbury Estate, which convinced of socialist ideals, by a school has recently undergone regeneration. friend who was in the Labour League of Youth. Stan went on to become active in Book reviews the Labour Club at University College London, where he was a student. Having a Review of “In quest of a fairer society; keen thirst for political ideas he read my life and politics” by Stan Newens widely including Marx’s Capital. For some time he was a member of the Socialist Review Group which worked to commit Labour to socialist policies. But Stan was not inclined to toe the party line, for any political party, if he disagreed with it. Stan is a conviction politician, who fought for what he believed in. He was not interested in high office and this comes out strongly in the autobiography. He became Labour MP for Harlow in 1964-1970, and again in 1974-1979. The 1980s were difficult years for Labour, and like This is the autobiography of a man who everyone else Stan had his views. He has spent all of his adult life in the labour disagreed with many on the left, by not movement. Stan Newens is the chair of supporting the candidature of Tony Benn Labour Heritage. Those of us who have for deputy leader, and for his support for

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the Falklands War. He however strongly opposed any expulsions from the Party, Buildings of the labour movement and completely disliked New Labour. Stan shows a deep commitment to Harlow where he was the MP, but a remarkable interest in international affairs, which took up a lot of his time. It was probably through the Movement for Colonial Freedom, (now Liberation) led by Fenner Brockway, that he became so very involved with political campaigners in the Middle East and Latin America. This led to many meetings both in this country and overseas – meeting people from Iraq, Iran, The first thing you do when you receive Palestine, Chile, and Cuba. This involved this book is rush to the index to see if your keeping abreast of the political situation in local Labour Party is mentioned and is these countries. among the hundreds of photographs and In 1984 Stan describes how he became an there was mine on page 94 – a photo of the MEP for the Central London constituency. Socialist Sunday School in front of the Differing from some of his left wing Hammersmith Labour Hall in 1927. There colleagues in the European Labour Group, was no indication of where it actually was he was always against Britain withdrawing in Hammersmith which opens an from the European Union. opportunity for research in the local Outside of politics Stan’s main interest and borough archives (threatened with closure commitment seems to have been his by the Tory Council until local pressure family. He was close to his parents, his saved it). brother and was married twice with five The book contains valuable information as children – four daughters and a son. Early well as photographs of buildings. I did not in his life, when he was a history teacher, know that out of the Chartist Movement tragedy struck, as his first wife died, grew the Chartist Land Company in 1845 leaving Stan to bring up two young backed by Fergus O’Connor. The company children on his own. bought several country estates that were In Stan’s own words “As I was not broken up into smallholdings with cottages prepared to adjust my views, I ruled myself that were rented to subscribing Chartists. out for career advancement, but I Sadly this utopian ‘back to land’ lasted for preferred to remain true to my original only five years before financial problems ideals. As a result I can still look myself forced the selling off of whole sites or straight in the eye.” smallholdings. The cottages were built to How many politicians can say that? The a high standard and many survive and book is published by the Memoir Club and appear in the book. can be ordered from Stan Newens, ([email protected]) Another chapter concerns the Clarion Cycling Club promoted by Robert Barbara Humphries

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Blatchford in 1894. The club still thrives Damian McBride was one of Gordon today with 1,500 members and 30 local Brown’s bag carriers. From 2003 to2009 sections. Of particular interest are two McBride was on the government payroll as surviving club houses, one of which in a Treasury official and one of Brown’s Newchurch-in-Pendle recently celebrated circle. He admits that he was a heavy its centenary. drinker, which usually included a two The trade union chapter has stories and hours lunch break spent in a pub. During pictures of numerous buildings. Some are these extended lunch breaks McBride huge such as the 1920s Lancashire and rubbed shoulders with journalists and Cheshire Miners Convalescent Home in ‘spun’ on behalf of Gordon Brown, Blackpool – now converted to apartments, leaking stories that damaged Brown’s and Maritime House in Clapham built as opponents. In some cases these opponents the National Union of Seaman HQ in the were Tories but in many instances he spun 1930s and now housed by the Department against Blairites in the Labour Party, who of Work and Pensions and a Job Centre. appear to have been regarded as ‘the real Those buildings have survived but many enemy’. that appear in the book have long gone. Did Brown know that McBride was This is a book full of interest and can be spinning on his behalf? McBride claims obtained from Orca Book Services (RRP not. Did Ed Miliband and Ed Balls who £30.00, isbn 9781848021297). were members of Brown’s treasury team, know about it? Again, McBride says not. In order to receive 25% discount and free Whatever the truth of the matter, it was a postage and packing (now £22.50) dirty business a repentant McBride please quote code 7220130021 when acknowledges this fact. ordering. Orca Book Services can be McBride’s mea culpa is well written and contacted at Orca Book Services Ltd, confirms much about New Labour that was Order Department, 160 Milton Park, suspected but not proved. Now McBride Abingdon OX14 4SD tel: 01235 465577 provides chapter and verse on what went email: [email protected]. on behind the scenes, and it does not make pleasant reading. This was not the Labour Power trip: a decade of policy, plots and Party’s finest hour. spin by Damian McBride, Biteback, Archie Potts 2013, £20 The ragged trousered philanthropists by To resort to cricket terminology the first Robert Tressell eleven of New Labour were first out on the field with the publication of their diaries, 2014 is the centenary of the publication of autobiographies and memoirs. Blair, first edition of The ragged trousered Prescott, Mandelson and Campbell led the philanthropists by Robert Tressell. It is way, followed by the second eleven of still celebrated today as a socialist classic, Blunkett, Hain, Mullin and Straw. Now it for many one of the best books that they is the turn of those who carried the bag for have ever read. the players. Set in Tressell’s home town of Hastings (named Mugsborough in the script), it

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provides a lucid insight into the lives of be forgotten. One cannot read the story of painters and decorators, who, like the older worker Jack Linden, without fearing majority of the working class at the the impact of the raising of the retirement beginning of the 20th century, faced age. Jack, in his sixties is losing his sight poverty, insecurity, and fear of illness and and cannot find work as a painter and old age. Tressell himself died at the age of decorator. In desperation he accepts a job 40 from tuberculosis, before his master parading the streets with an advertising piece was published. board, which he barely has the strength to do all day. In the end he decides he would rather starve. But he still has dependent family to feed. He reports to the local benevolence society which can arrange an interview for him in over a week’s time.

But he has no food in the house now! So Robert Tressell along with many others he is referred to

the soup kitchen, just as claimants are This book has introduced many of its being sent to food banks today. readers to socialist politics, through the Also as councillors on Hastings Council character of Frank Owen, one of the ask why council workers should get pay painters who attempts to explain in simple for Bank holidays, when workers with words to his workmates the root causes of private contractors do not, we can be their poverty, how they are being robbed reminded of the way in which public by the capitalist class and how society sector workers are lambasted by the Tory could be organised differently. He gets press for having better pay and conditions little thanks for this, often facing their than workers in the public sector. The hostility. impact of competition in driving down Owen explains the labour theory of value wages is illustrated by Owen who states and how capitalism generates that any good employer would go bankrupt overproduction as follows - if they paid decent wages, as their prices “The total value of wealth produced in this would be higher than the “sweaters and country during the last year was slave drivers”. Hence it is the whole £1,800,000,000, and the total amount paid system which is on trial, not individual in wages during the same period was only capitalists. This sounds very much like £600,000,000. In other words by means of “the race to the bottom” which we the Money Trick, the workers were robbed increasingly hear about today. of two-thirds of the value of their labour.” This book is still in print and the text is The result was a few living idly in luxury available online from the TUC Library whilst the many were working and web site. http://www.tuc.org.uk/about- starving. tuc/union-history/union-makes-us-strong- So is this just of historical interest? Sadly history-online not. The present day attacks on the welfare state, zero hour contracts and the Barbara Humphries privatisation of the health service show that the full horror of Tressell’s age cannot

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The history of labour in Islington than that of the poorest labourer living outside the workhouse. For a number of years people had mentioned to me the need for a publication The poor came to be viewed as either on the history of labour – the workers and “deserving” or “non-deserving”, with poor labour movement - in Islington. In late relief being administered in two forms. 2012 Islington Trades Union Council The deserving poor – deemed not at fault delegates were keen to pursue the idea, so through illness, accident, age or where no a local group was set up to write the work was available - received “outdoor history of labour in Islington. relief” payments, like social security benefits today. Alternatively, those a- The objective is to write a booklet that judged as non-deserving – those regarded popularises and codifies the history of as lazy or as drunkards - were offered workers in Islington, making it much more “indoor relief”, where the pauper had to go prominent and accessible to local people. into the workhouse and work for the The publication will be focused on the shelter and food provided to them. The actual people who made this history, general idea was to deter people from linking them to landmarks in the borough. seeking poor relief to keep the poor rates as low as possible but also to encourage a What follows are some extracts from the competitive labour market to keep wages story so far, written by members of our down. group. We have set a deadline to publish our booklet in autumn this year. I would In the 18th century the first known like to place on record my thanks and workhouses in Islington were established appreciation for the work that has been in Stroud Green Road, Holloway Road and contributed towards making this idea Essex Road. In 1777 a workhouse was become a reality. erected in Barnsbury Street near its junction with Liverpool Road, where male Poor Law and workhouses – Gary inmates picked oakum and repaired Heather footpaths while females did slop-work An early form of welfare and health care (low quality work, usually making cheap for workers was provided by relief clothing) and nursing. payments and workhouses that arose from In 1867, with the population of Islington the poor law first established in still growing, the borough was constituted Elizabethan times. as a Poor Law Parish under the 1834 Poor The money to care for the poor, however, Law Act, and in 1869 a much larger was always limited as it had to be collected workhouse was built in St John’s Road from local parish rate payers. In order to near to Archway. keep costs down, and to discourage When Everything was Made in Islington idleness and encourage the work ethic, the - David Rosenberg poor law evolved as a system based on the principle of “less eligibility” , whereby life The top of Holloway Road going from in the workhouse should be less attractive Archway to the Nags Head boasts little

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industry today beyond a carpentry wealthy goldsmith, who was formerly a company at the end of a side-street, Member of Parliament. making doors, window frames and staircases. Previously wood had been used The actual construction of the watercourse for other industrial purposes. A factory was carried out by day labourers, paid at a based at 470 Holloway Road made cricket piece rate or on a day rate between 10d bats, while piano factories were based at and 1s 0d a day – the higher rates were numbers 554, 550 and 598 Holloway paid for standing in water. Skilled Road. The University of the Arts building carpenters were then paid 6.5 pence in just as you turn into Elthorne Road from today’s money to strengthen the banks, Holloway Road is unmistakeably a factory prevent leakages and build bridges. The building from a previous life. Its main workers included boys, paid 6d or 9d a industrial use dates back to the 1840s day, and occasionally women as suppliers when a sculptor, engraver and inventor of beer or nails or hiring out teams of called Robert Sievier opened an India horses. The availability of work was not rubber factory there. This factory produced constant, with the largest number of a number of different products for different workers employed on any one day markets, from elastic driving bands for estimated at around 300. machinery, rope that was used in mines, to Southern Stirrings in Finsbury – David waterproof garments and waterproof Rosenberg canvas. Further down Elthorne Road were another three piano factories. Bicycles Islington’s southern boundary along were made at number 738 and number 762 King’s Cross Road deviates from the main Holloway Road. And nearby were road to skirt around the huge site of Mount workshops making umbrellas, hats, and Pleasant Sorting Office, which was built brushes, and also a number of cabinet- on Coldbath Fields, once home to a making workshops. notorious prison. But the fields near the prison were also a location for political New River in Islington – Joanna Bornat protest rallies on the issues of the day.

Four hundred years ago the arrival of the Following the “Great” Reform Act of New River in 1613 was a significant event 1832, which did not extend the franchise to for the area that was to become the London working class people, a fledgling group Borough of Islington. With the passing of adopting the grand title of the “National the New River Acts in 1605 and 1606, the Union of the Working class” (NUWC) construction of a new watercourse, running called a protest rally on Coldbath Fields from the springs of Chadwell and Amwell for 10 May 1833 to advance its campaign in Hertfordshire into the northern edge of for a National Convention of workers. the city, was able to begin Some 2000-3,000 demonstrators were It was a remarkable engineering feat - 40 matched in number by the forces of the miles long with 157 bridges - that required relatively newly formed Metropolitan much hard labour to build the river as a Police. The police penned in the commercial venture to supply water to demonstrators and then attacked them. But London, financed by Hugh Myddleton, a the demonstrators fought back. Three

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policemen were stabbed, with one dying Tolpuddle Martyrs – David Renton from his wounds. An inquest was held with a jury mainly consisting of bakers In 1834 six farm labourers from Tolpuddle from the nearby Grays Inn neighbourhood. in Dorset were transported to Australia for The Coroner urged the jury to record a forming a trade union. The labourers' verdict of wilful murder. But instead they supporters organised a Grand Rally of agreed on “justifiable homicide” arguing around 100,000 supporters that marched that had the police not attacked the from Copenhagen Fields in Islington (now demonstrators, his fatal injury would not Caledonian Park in Market Road) to have occurred. The jurors were carried Kennington Common. In response, the through the streets and cheered. government mobilised the Household Cavalry, two troops of Dragoons, eight South Islington – then called Finsbury – battalions of infantry and twenty-nine was a hotbed of activism in the 1830s and cannons to frighten the crowd. Despite this 1840s, when the NUWC and similar provocation the march preceded in bodies evolved and amalgamated into the solidarity, marching in around 25 columns, Chartist Movement. The Chartists took up 6 abreast. The Pioneer newspaper reported the cause of working class people at a time at the time that, “Labour put its hat on its when trade unions were first forming head and walked towards the throne”. The among skilled workers, with Clerkenwell Martyrs were eventually granted Green, Islington Green and White Conduit conditional pardons in June 1835 and full House on Penton Street being places where pardons in March 1836. Chartists congregated and held rallies. The boot and shoemaking trades of The numbers involved made this one of Clerkenwell and Saffron Hill were the largest demonstrations London had strongly unionised, as were the cabinet- ever seen. This was not a riotous assembly, but a gathering of literate artisans, makers in Clerkenwell’s furniture trades. Thomas Slingsby Duncombe, the radical builders, tailors, shipwrights and the like, MP for Finsbury, campaigned for the the sorts of workers who, in the aftermath release of the imprisoned Chartist leader of Chartism, would form the social John Frost. constituencies of first Radical Liberalism and then ultimately the modern labour Chartist activists in Clerkenwell had close movement. and cordial relations with radical Irish clubs in the vicinity – in Farringdon, The Grand Rally was commemorated on Blackfriars and Saffron Hill. Irish-born its175th anniversary in 2009 when Frances Chartist, James Bronterre O’Brien, editor Grady of the TUC unveiled an Islington of Chartist supporting newspaper the Poor green plaque on the side of the clock-tower Men’s Guardian, spent his last years living in Caledonian Park. in Hermes Street, Islington, off Pentonville Gary Heather – 21 February 2014 Road.

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Obituaries been elected as a Councillor in Wembley and then after the creation of the present London Boroughs in 1965 as a Brent Len Snow – a personal reminiscence Councillor where he developed his keen interest in the Council’s Education Service. The second phase in which Len and I worked closely together started only a year later in 1971. By then boundary changes had reduced Brent to only three constituencies and I would no longer be a Parliamentary candidate in the Borough. But in that year Labour made sweeping gains in local Council elections winning a big majority in both Ealing and Brent. Subsequently Len and I both became Chairs of the Education Committees in our respective Boroughs and a close Len Snow, former Mayor of Brent, who collaboration lasting several years began died in November at the age of ninety was as, we worked together on developing a friendly and charming man and a lifelong education policies in both London and stalwart of the Labour Party. He will be National Local Government organisations. deeply missed by all who knew him. Sadly One of our key roles was as Chair and his wife Joan – also ninety - is seriously ill Vice Chair of the Education Committee of and no longer able to live at their family the London Boroughs association. home. One of our proudest achievements was that I first met Len over fifty years ago and by the mid 1970s both Ealing and Brent during that long time our relationship fell had adopted a fully comprehensive school into three distinct phases. The first began system. Of course we had some minor in January 1962 when he was Chair of the differences, with Len being strongly former Wembley South Labour Party. The attached to the Council of Local Education Constituency was selecting its Authorities whilst I favoured education Parliamentary candidate for the next being kept firmly within the wider ambit general election and I was one of those of the Association of Municipal invited for interview and a little to my Authorities. However, we still got on very surprise was chosen as the candidate. It well together and of course today both was a snowy night in the very cold winter organisations have long ceased to exist. In of that year and I recall that after the late 1970s political swings led to congratulating me, Len introduced himself Labour losing power in both our Boroughs as “Len Snow” but not responsible for the and both Len and I finding ourselves in weather. opposition. For the next few years our Over the succeeding eight years and three paths crossed less frequently, though we General Elections in which I was the still met up at regional and national candidate – though never the victor - Len education meetings as well as at Labour and I were in close contact and he was of Party functions. immense help and support to me as a During the later nineteen eighties and relatively new and aspiring nineties we saw less of each other, Parliamentarian. I was a frequent visitor to especially during the period 1984 to 1999 his home and Len and Joan were always when I represented the West London most welcoming. During this time Len had Constituency – which did not include

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Brent – in the European Parliament. have lost someone whose dedication and However we did still keep in touch and commitment over a lifetime were met up from time to time. It was during unrivalled. He will be long remembered by this period that Len became Mayor of the vast number of people with whom he Brent and later went on to write two worked and enjoyed close comradeship. significant books – one on the history of the Borough of Brent and the other on the Michael Elliott development of the Labour Movement in Wembley and Willesden throughout the Len and Joan Snow were both members of twentieth century. I was pleased to buy Labour Heritage. They both attended our both books and found them a fascinating AGM in 2013. Len gave a couple of account of people and events, some of contributions at our events in West whom I had known or been involved with. London on the history of the labour The final phase of our involvement began movement in Brent. at the end of 1999 after I ceased to be an MEP and three years later once again Jean Humphries became a councillor in Ealing. In 1997/8 my wife Julie had been Mayor of Ealing Jean Humphries passed away on October and I was her consort. We both then th became members of the London Labour 26 2013 at the age of 89. She had played Mayors Association. By that time Len had a large part in the Ealing labour become Secretary of the Association and movement, but her first political activity in responsible for arranging a wide range of her teenage years was in Richard Acland’s activities. Julie and I attended many of the Common Wealth Party, which had Association’s events and were in much challenged the wartime coalition closer contact again with both Len and government. In 1945 Jean was still too Joan, who also played an important part in th st its work. young to vote (26 July was her 21 Len and I continued to see each other at birthday), but she persuaded her aunt to Labour Mayors events right up until last vote Labour on her behalf! year and particularly during my own year Jean was widowed at the age of 40. She as Mayor of Ealing in 2005/6. Len’s took up political activity after involvement activities became somewhat restricted after in a campaign against the education 2008 when he suffered a broken hip which policies of the local Conservative council he incurred whilst election campaigning – a commitment he was very reluctant to and joined the Labour Party in 1970. She give up. After this occurrence he resigned was to be an active member – always out as Secretary of the Association, but was canvassing, collecting signatures for unanimously elected its President – a role petitions and money for the miners during he continued in right up to his death. the 1984/85 strike. She was secretary of Julie and I met up with Len and Joan on the Ealing North constituency party during some other occasions as well and were delighted to attend their eightieth birthday the stormy years of the 1980s, and chaired and sixtieth marriage anniversary event in a local meeting in 1983 with speakers 2003, where we again also renewed our Hilary Benn (Prospective candidate) and contacts with other members of their Ken Livingstone. She was also a member family. It was held, typically, at a Brent of the Local Government Committee, high school with which Len had had long Ealing Trades Council, Ealing Community connections. With Len’s death both Local Health Council and a school governor. She Government and the Labour movement

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twice stood for the council in unwinnable West London Labour History Day seats, but in a good year for Labour, when she saw the possibility of winning, she did not know who was more frightened – her or the local Tories! Jean worked in the Southall Probation Service, a job she enjoyed and she saw at first hand the events of 1976 when the murder of an Asian student nearly provoked riots, and in 1979 when the National Front met in Southall Town Hall. The day ended with the death of Blair Peach, an anti-fascist protester. Jean was a supporter of Labour Heritage. Due to her efforts some of Ealing North Labour Party minutes from the 1920s and 1930s were deposited in the London

Metropolitan Archives. She was also Philippa Bilton speaks at the West London interviewed for the Labour Party Oral Labour History Day at Ruskin Hall on History Project, and her memories were Saturday 22nd February. A relative of included in the pamphlet on Ealing Labour Emily Wilding Davison, she spoke on the in the 1930s which is on the Labour history of the suffragettes. Heritage web site.

Other speakers were Ivan Gibbons on the www.labourheritage.com Dublin lock-out of 1913 and its legacy for

Irish Labour, and John Grigg on Ramsay

MacDonald and his stand on World War1.

A full report and more photos will appear Articles for the next Labour Heritage in the next bulletin bulletin to –

Barbara Humphries

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