Tens of thousands of workers in Bristol were involved in the miners’ lock-out and the General Strike. Here is a brief selection of the names of people who were involved.
The trade union leaders
Each of the unions involved were national organisations with their own national leaders. At local level there were union organisers and the Bristol Trades Council which helped to run the strike across the city.
Edwin Parker was the Secretary of the Trades Council. Born in Bedminster in 1888, he was described as an ‘agent’ in the 1911 census. By 1926 he was the full-time secretary of the Trades Council and a Labour councillor on Bristol City Council.
Fred Berriman was the President of the Trades Council. Born in Bedminster in c.1880, he was a compositor in the printing trade, working for J. Wright and sons. He represented Bedminster West ward as a Labour councillor for many years.
Charles Gill was the agent (organiser and negotiator) for the Bristol Miners’ Association in 1926. He was born in Bedminster in 1872 and still lived in the area in 1926. He had been employed at the South Liberty coal mine in Ashton Vale before it closed in 1925. In the opinion of Fred Moss, an ex-miner, Charles Gill was always praised by the miners for his hard bargaining with the employers. He also represented Bedminster East ward as a Labour councillor for many years, eventually becoming the City’s Lord Mayor.
Ruby Part was the local organiser for the Workers’ Union. A milliner (hatmaker) by trade, she was born in Swindon in 1894. The Workers’ Union had members in a wide range of industries, many of which were not involved directly in the General Strike, but Ruby Part was known for her ability as a public speaker and spoke at rallies and mass meetings during the Strike.
Miners
Fred Moss was a miner at Speedwell Pit. Born in 1906, he started work at the pit in 1921. After the miners’ lock-out of that year, his wages dropped by 50%. He continued working at Speedwell until it closed in the 1930s. His autobiography, City Pit, was published in 1986.
Harvey Gunter was born in 1900. He lived in Saffron Street, Whitehall and worked at the Wyndham Colliery. At the time of the 1921 Census he was out of work because of the lock-out.
Francis Harding was born in 1901 and lived in Whitehall Road. He worked at Speedwell Pit but was also out of work in 1921 because of the three-month long miners’ lock-out of that year.
Herbert Jenkins was born in 1878 and lived in Alma Cottages in South Liberty Lane, Ashton Vale. In 1926 he was working in Deep Pit in St. George, probably because South Liberty Colliery had closed in 1925.
Albert Mosely was born in 1889 and lived in Wellington Road. He worked at Hanham Colliery until it closed in March 1926. At the time of the 1921 Census he was out of work because of the miners’ lock-out.
Dockers
Thomas Haskins worked on the docks at Avonmouth for the Anglo-American Oil Company. He was born in 1875 and lived in St. George.
Albert Phillip was born in 1895. He worked for British Petroleum at Avonmouth Docks and lived in West Town Road, Shirehampton.
Henry Butcher lived in Cook Street, Avonmouth and worked on the docks there for C.J. King, a local shipowner. He was born in 1892.
Gregory Room worked as in a grain store at Avonmouth Docks, employed by Bristol City Council Docks’ Committee. He was born in 1891and lived in Walter Road in Shirehampton.
Railway Workers
Charles Malpass was a porter at Temple Meads Station. He was born in 1890 and lived in City Road in St. Pauls.
Frederick Chilcott was born in 1890. He worked for the Great Western Railway as a signalman and lived in Cotswold Road in Bedminster.
Albert Crook was an engine driver, employed by the Great Western Railway at St. Phillips Marsh depot. He was born in 1890 and lived in Bath Road in Totterdown.
William Paxton was born Oxfordshire in 1901. By 1926 he was working as a locomotive fireman for the Great Western Railway and living in Keynsham. He was one of a small number of people in Bristol who belonged to the Communist Party and was involved in producing and distributing a daily strike bulletin called the Bristol Fighter.
Printers
George Malley was born in 1900.He lived in Alfred Place, Kingsdown and was employed at the printing works of Jones and Humphreys. At the time of the 1921 Census he was out of work.
Sidney Woodward was born in 1900 and lived in Fern Street, St. Pauls. He was a litho-printer employed by Stephens and Eyre in St. Pauls.
Emma Stephens was born in 1900. She lived in Colston St. in the centre of Bristol. She worked as a printers’ machinist at E. S and A. Robinson’s factory in East St., Bedminster.
Eliza Baldwin was born in 1900. She lived in Hales Buildings, Clifton and was employed as a printer feeder at Burleigh’s Printers in the centre of Bristol.
