| Description | Tracks 1-6: men, including Councillors Reynolds and Birkhead from Hull, speak about the mentality of working class and socialist politics, effects of economic slump on working class movement, role of the trade unions, events during the General Strike and news brought from dispatch riders giving news about the progress of the strike in other towns, lack of desire to carry strike forward into violent revolution, disappointment of workers when strike called off, development of workers education and abilities of working class to improvise, the involvement of university students in breaking strikes, instances of strike breaking in different towns.
Discussion of unrest and mutinies within the Allied forces during First World War, fraternisation and armistices at Christmas, description of involvement of 'coloured troops' in one of these disturbances in 1919, experiences taking part in army of occupation in Germany around Cologne and being prisoner of war in Hamburg when the German naval fleet revolted in 1918, descriptions of May Day events in Germany after the war, discussion of ballot papers of troops being delayed in the first election after war would have made a difference, working class less well organised than in 1945, discussion of Allied landing at Archangel in 1920 and policies of the British government
Track 7-8: woman, possibly Lily Barker, talks about poverty, and her early working life, including helping other women with household tasks before leaving school, difficulty of taking time off work when ill, the working lives of other women, ideas about the role of women in the home and at work, ambition to get own place and save money
Tracks 9-10: Councillors Birkhead and Reynolds talk about Council of Action, representing different trade unions locally, constituted for the General Strike, disappointment and bitterness that strike called off, memories of getting news about strike being called off, objectives of strike, the expectations of strikers, growth in strength of workers movement after the First World War, miners strike of early 1920s, leading to general strike, alliance of railwaymen, miners, transport workers to facilitate General Strike, lock outs, 'British Worker' newspaper, people charged with printing seditious papers, violence of police brought in from elsewhere, difficulties for strikers in getting jobs afterwards
Track 11: silence 0.55 mins
Track 12: recorded at wrong speed 2.22 mins
Total: 64.19 mins
Dubber's reference number: PLAKF565D0020680 |