Workers Organisations & Strikes Archives - Page 2 of 22 Bristol Radical History Group

Striking Women: from Grunwick to Gate Gourmet

An exhibition telling the story of South Asian women workers' struggles in two industrial disputes. The fiftieth anniversary of the two year dispute at the Grunwick film processing laboratories in northwest London and the 2005 Gate Gourmet strike at Heathrow. The exhibition explores themes of migration, women and work and the industrial movement more widely. You can find out more at the Striking Women website. .

Bristol and the 1926 General Strike

Exhibition

The exhibition will be launched on Saturday 16 May.

The Future in our Past

Book launches, poetry and exhibition opening

Callum Cant and Matthew Lee will talk about their new book The Future in our Past: The General Strike, 1926/2026 published by Verso. Richard Devereux will read poems from his newly published collection Coal and Fire (Culture Matters). Authors of two of the new BRHG General Strike Centenary Series will launch their new pamphlets: Mike Richardson’s Class or Company Loyalty? The printing industry and events of May 1926 in Bristol. And Chris Bowkett’s Conflicts of Interest: Co-operators, trade […]

Opening Up the Archives

Bristol and the General Strike in 1926

Join the archivists and our historians in the Education Room to view original documents from the special collections. This year we will be focusing on Bristol and the General Strike in 1926.

Patriots, volunteers and scabs Postponed

The 1926 General Strike in Bristol

*** This walk has been postponed because it clashes with the Great Bristol Run.*** For nine days in 1926, the country ground to a halt as over four million workers downed tools in support of the miners. Mapping the flashpoints from the 1926 General Strike in Bristol, this behind-the-scenes walk around the city centre delves into the hidden histories from the strike, the use of propaganda and how the state fought back. A two-hour walk from Kingsley Hall on Old Market Street via the centre ending […]

Patriots, volunteers and scabs

The 1926 General Strike in Bristol

For nine days in 1926, the country ground to a halt as over four million workers downed tools in support of the miners. Mapping the flashpoints from the 1926 General Strike in Bristol, this behind-the-scenes walk around the city centre delves into the hidden histories from the strike, the use of propaganda and how the state fought back. A two-hour walk from Kingsley Hall on Old Market Street via the centre ending at the St James Barton – Bear Pit. Start point: Hydra Books, opposite Kingsley […]

Bristol men and women who were involved in the General Strike

By Rob Whitfield

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. We would welcome additional information, and especially photographs, regarding these workers, and any other workers involved. Please send them to brh@brh.org.uk. 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 […]

Patriots, volunteers and scabs

The 1926 General Strike in Bristol

For nine days in 1926, the country ground to a halt as over four million workers downed tools in support of the miners. Mapping the flashpoints from the 1926 General Strike in Bristol, this behind-the-scenes walk around the city centre delves into the hidden histories from the strike, the use of propaganda and how the state fought back. A two-hour walk from Kingsley Hall on Old Market Street via the centre ending at the St James Barton - Bear Pit....(and then to the Cube for a drink, samosas and […]

The General Strike in Gloucester and Swindon

Gloucester Docks, Sugar and Strife - Tony Conder As an industrial city Gloucester's industries were hit by the strike in 1926. The dock workers and boatmen of Gloucester played a key role in taking action and suffering in the aftermath. The business of the docks pitted powerful conservative forces who made no attempt to recognise the emergency against an almost cheeky gallantry by their striking workforce. A Railway Town and the General Strike: Nine Days in Swindon in May 1926 - Stuart Butler […]

‘Bread or Blood’ – The Merthyr Rising of 1831

The talk will cover the explosive social, economic and political reasons behind the Merthyr Rising of 1831. The Merthyr Rising in 1831, was a rising not a riot, as viewed by the status quo. It was the most ferocious and bloody event in the history of Industrial Britain. It will conclude by looking at the main legacy of May 1831 and the reasons why we commemorate the events today.