HISTORY DAY - STRIKING HUDDERSFIELD

For nine days in May 1926 much of Britain came to a standstill when the TUC called out union members in support of miners across the country, locked out by colliery owners for refusing to accept lower pay and longer hours. Huddersfield Local History Society’s annual History Day, STRIKING HUDDERSFIELD, will be marking the centenary of the General Strike by also focusing on strikes that occurred in the Huddersfield area before 1926.
Martin Jones, author of a pamphlet published by Huddersfield TUC to commemorate the General Strike, will talk about the Strike in the Huddersfield area while Janet Hughes will explore the experience of women during the Strike and Lockout. There will also be shorter talks including Catherine Howe on Huddersfield and the Great Strike of 1842, David Taylor on the 1881 Newsome Weaver’s strike and Alan Brooke on the 1883 Weavers’ Strike. Strikes were not always confined to industry as will be shown by Richard Hobson who will talk about the 1926 New Zealand team rugby league strike.
This year’s History Day takes place on Saturday 28 November at Greenhead Masonic Hall, 26 Greenhead Road, Huddersfield, HD1 4EN (doors open at 9.30am for 10am start) but places must be booked in advance by emailing [email protected]). For non-members the attendance fee will be £10 (please note the membership fee for a single member is only £10).
(Image - Springfield Mill, Kirkburton, where the 1883 weavers' dispute began, courtesy of Alan Brooke)