Ben Tillett, was born in Easton, Bristol in 1860 and founded the first unions for unskilled workers and a leader of the Great London Dock Strike of 1889. He went on to be a founder member of the Labour Party and the Daily Herald Newspaper. At various times he was also the Alderman of London County Council, Labour MP for Salford North and Chair of the Trades Union Congress.
If you would like to read more about Ben Tillett buy the Bristol Radical Pamphleteer #20 Ben Tillett by Jim McNeill.
Bill Guilding’s mural on Stapleton Road Railwway Station, Bristol.
A Detail from Bill Guilding’s mural on Stapleton Road Railwway Station, Bristol.
A detail from Bill Guilding’s mural on Stapleton Road Railway Station, Bristol.
A detail from Bill Guilding’s mural on Stapleton Road Railway Station, Bristol.
From a handbill in Bristol Socialist Society ‘Justice’ scrapbook which can be found in Bristol Central Reference Library. (refandinfo@bristol.gov.uk). See the text below.
Ben Tillett Portrait
Ben Tillett Portrait
On December 18th in Bristol’s Horsefair there was a public gathering, (deemed illegal after an arrangement made by Bristol’s mayor with the Home Office). Tillett spoke to the meeting and became “very excited”, his rhetoric became much more militant, which led, a few weeks later, to his arrest for inciting the street violence that erupted soon afterwards.
“If it came to a fight,” he cried, “they could fight too, with fists or clubs, and if it came to guns they could pick them up also”. Then he got the hundreds of people present to repeat an oath after him: “If the necessity demands, I will protect my home, my interests, my wages, by means of violent or pacific measures”.
Ben Tillett. The Bristol Magpie. Saturday 7th January, 1893.
The Great London Dock Strike of 1889 Strike Manifesto.
Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Labourers Union membership certificate, 1910 .
"The situation of the 130,000 port workers was truly pitiable; most got only five to seven months’ work a year; hiring was done in pubs with a deduction of 35% for the sub-contractors. The workers fought in fog and cold to get a work-ticket which the hirer showed in his ‘cage’, as it is called, where the sub-contractor is protected from the crowd by iron bars."
A Brief History of the Dockers Union, Pamphlet, Ben Tillett (1910)
Before the First World War, Tillett had defended the idea of an international general strike in case of war, but in 1914, like most trade union leaders, he decided to support the British war aims. 'Labour at the front: Mr. Ben Tillett during the visit which has made his appeal for national "Backing Up" [of the troops]” '- from The Illustrated War News
Ben Tillett (left) photographed kissing Evelyn Hamilton in 1935 as she sets off from London to John O’Groats. Hamilton was perhaps best known as the pre-war long distance cyclist. She was also a friend of the famous racing cycle manufacturer, Claud Butler (right).
Ben Tillett addressing a meeting.
Mike Baker’s plaque on Bannerman Road in Easton, Bristol, which forms part of the Easton Sign Trail.
Ben Tillett was born into poverty in 1860 at 8 John Street [which was opposite where Bannerman Street now runs], Easton, Bristol in the shadow of the Easton Coal Pit. Ben was the eighth and last child of Benjamin Tillett, labourer, and his wife, Elizabeth (nee Lane). His early years were “days of hardship and revolt” and “acute unhappiness”. Ben’s mother died when he was just one year old, and he had a succession of stepmothers. His two elder brothers worked in the South Wales coalfields, while his father worked as a cart polisher and also in a comb factory. As well as housing the Tillett family their two-up-two-down terraced house also provided accommodation for a lodger as well as a miner with his wife and daughter.