Saturday, October 30, 2010

Labour Party Women MP's 1929


Labour Party Women Members of Parliament 1929

Front row left to right
Lady Cythia Mosley, Miss Susan Lawrence miss Margaret Bondfield, Miss Ellen Wilkinson and Miss Jenny Lee.



Back Row left to right
Dr Marion Phillips, Mrs E Picton- Turbeville, Dr Bentham and Mrs Mary Hamilton
.

* Click picture to enlarge.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Margaret McMillan - War on Capitalism & Competition


Margaret McMillan


"The Independent Labour Party was
not formed to champion women.

It was born to make War on capitalism and competition"



MARGARET McMILLAN PARK
Margaret McMillan Park (New Cross, Lewisham, London) opened in 1954 and was originally laid out between Watson's Street and Glenville Grove with a series of lawns along Douglas Way where properties had been bombed. The engineering works of Clarke, Burnett & Co, employing 100 men, had been sited on the east side of Glenville Grove.


THE MCMILLAN NURSERY
The McMillan sisters Margaret and Rachel, born to a Scottish family, did much for the health and education of Deptford people. They established night camps, the girls’ at 353 Evelyn Street and the boys’ at 24 Albury Street providing washing facilities and clean clothes. The boys also slept outdoors among the graves of St Nicholas Churchyard! The sisters believed that early years' education could counter some of the effects of poverty and established a nursery school which remains.



Quote from page 131 The life of Rachel McMillan by Margaret McMillan.

Margaret McMillan: Pioneer of nursery schools, school meals, school nurses, Clarion cinderella clubs, teacher training.

Margaret McMillan - active in Glasgow, Bradford, Bromley By Bow, East London, Deptford, South London.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Early Socialist Film - The Loves of Jeanne Ney


Th
e Loves of Jeanne Ney

The first definitely pro-communist film to be shown in England was
"The Loves of Jeanne Ney" .

The New Leader reported that the film apart from being the first pro-communist film to be shown in England, was illustrated by vivid pictures of the early stages of the November revolution in Russia centering around the figure of a lieutenant in the red Army.

The second part of the film is in Paris, and there the producer loses something of his skills, the theme weakens and a melodramatic atmosphere creeps in.... but the Communist hero retains his faith to the last scene.

Independemt Labour party Journal
ILP - New Leader 4 May 1928

BERLIN

Another great film being shown (with no story and no captions).

The idea is to give the Rhythm of a Great City by showing contrasting phases of life in different classes throughout twenty four hours.

"It is a very great achievemnet and well worth the study of the Socialist propagandist".

ILP New Leader 4th May 1928

Our History - Notes from the ILP 1925



INDEPENDENT LABOUR PARTY (ILP) NATIONAL COUNCIL APRIL 1925


Consultation Committee:
Clifford Allen, Roden Buxton, James Maxton MP, R.C. Wallhead MP, Ben Reiley MP, Walter A Ayles, F. W. Jowett, Dorothy Jewson and the secretaries.



New Leader Board
Clifford Allen, Roden Buxton, Ben Riley MP, Walter Ayles, E.E. Hunter, E Sandham, H. N. Brailsford. A. Fenner Brockway and Francis Johnson (Secretary).

Information Committee (NAC Representatives)
Clifford Allen, R.C. Wallhead MP, Fred Longden, P.F. Pollard, R.L. Reiss

Publication Department
Clifford Allen, Roden Buxton, Walter Ayles, E.E. Hunter, E. Sandham, John Scurr, A Fenner Brockway, and Francis Johnson (secretary)


Office Committee
Clifford Allen, Roden Buxton, F. W. Jowett, R.C. Wallhead MP, E. Sandham, and secretaries.

Organising Consultants
Clifford Allen, roden Buxton, Margaret Bondfield, E.E. Hunter, and the Consultants

National Labour Press and Blackfriars Press
Clifford Allen, Roden Buxton, F.W. Jowett, Ben Riley, G. Benson, H. Peach, Harrison Barrow.

Finanace Inquiry
Clifford Allen, F W Pethwick Lawerence MP, E.F. Wise, H. Dalton MP, Clem Attlee MP, Dr Alfred Salter MP, J. Maxton MP, R.C. Wallhead MP, W.T. Symons , Campbell Stephen MP, E.E. Hunter (Secretary) with Fred Tait and P.J. Dollan as corresponding members.

according to the New leader 24th April 1925, One of the features of the ILP life during the past year has been the increased activity of women members


Delegation to the National Labour Party Women's Conference in Birmingham 192

ILP delegetes elected by divisional councils


Yorkshire: Mrs Wallhead Nichol and Miss M. Semple
Midlands: Mrs Borrett and Mrs Perriman
East anglia: Dr Violet Jewson and Mrs Godfrey
London & South: Mrs P. Cusden and Mrs Hookey
Wales: Mrs Moore
Lancashire: Mrs . Moore and Miss May Sandham

National Council also elected
Mrs E. M Lowe
Mrs Bruce Glasier
Miss Minnie Pallister
Miss Dorothy Jewson
Mrs Barton
Mrs Dollan
Mrs Neil Maclean
Mrs Johnson



Women's Advisory Committee
Margaret Bondfield, Dorothy Jewson, Mrs E. M. Lowe, Mrs Bruce Glasier, Minnie Pallister, Mrs Agnes Dollan, Dr Violet Jewson, Mrs E Barton, Mrs Johnson, Mrs Salter, Mrs Shimmin and Mrs Porteous.
ILP NOTES October 1925

It was reported that the ILP now had 158 ILP Guild of Youth branches in 1925
(The ILP Guild of Youth had been established in 1924 by 1925 estimated 5,000 members)

Guild News October 1925

Perth ILP Guild of Youth established October 1925. Secretary Andrew Bell, 59 Scott Street, Perth

Swadlincote ILP Guild of Youth weekend school at Matlock next Whitsun in conjunction with Belper and Burton on Trent and Derby Guild of Youth. Speaker Miles Mallenson lecture on "Socialism and Art". Secretary H. Nutt 79 Lower midway nr Burton on trent

Gloucester ILP Guild of Youth have formed an Arts Guild, also ramble and cycle rides every sunday see Mary Stoddart 18 All Saints Road, Gloucester

Bristol Fred Berriman is giving his monthly lecture on "Industrial history". Efforts are being made to get "The Flame" into public libraries. secretary W.E. Brown 12 Greville Street, Southville, Bristol.

Portsmouth ILP League of Youth stands at sixty to seventy. Arrangements have been made for the Flame to be placed in local libraries. The Dramatic Class is working hard to produce "Miles Malleson's Young Heaven at a "Kier Hardie" concert to be held in November. the Literary and Debating Class opened with a debate on "Communism". Secretary T.J. Farnes 16 Woodland Street, Kingston, Portsmouth.

London Central ILP has decided to create a Socialist Forum for the purposes of bringing together active workers in London for weekly discussion of important problems of socialist thought and policy. Meeting at Emerson Club 14 Great George street Secretary F.G. Stone 12 Colville gardens W11

Gillingham ILP
Richard Rees the famous baronet and son of former Midlands Tory anti- socialist MP (Nottingham east 1912-1922) has been selected as ILP candidate for Gillingham

Update:- Sir Richard Rees He worked for the WEA and later drove a ambulance in Catalonia, Spain

Windermere Labour Party Victory 1925
It was reported that incredibly a Labour candidate had been elected to the local council at Windermere by a majority of one and that Reg Burnett (ILP candidate for Westmorland) was very pleased (This probably represented Labour's first victory in Windermere, Cumberland) . "his enterprise and thoroughness are illustrated by the manner he spent his holiday in August. he tramped from village to village, called at every cottage, and held meetings at night - often acting as his own chairman. at the end of the meeting he asked for someone in the audiance to offer him hospitality for the night - and he always got it!" 23 October 1925

Reginald Burnett (ILP) is making a reputation in the North. He has a fine personality. He was the candidate in Westmorland at the last election. and is prospective candidate again.

Devon ILP Federation
Summer propaganda programme commenced in May with a weeks tour by Minnie Pallister and ended i September with a series of meetings addressed by Fred Brenan

Gateshead ILP
Gateshead Clarion Choir at Coxlodge, Gosforth & Dist ILP speaker H W MacIntyre

Loughton ILP (Essex)
Speaker Seymour Cocks. during the summer months this small village branch has co-operated with the Federation in outdoor propaganda. Secretary Norman Henderson, Nimrod, Station Road, Loughton, Essex.

Southall ILP Choir
Advert in the ILP New Leader 23 October 1925 Southal ILP is very anxious to form a choir, but has nobody to take on the duties of conductor please contact J.M. Cooper 14, Great George Street, Westminster


Independent Labour Party - The Flame
The Flame was the journal of the Independent Labour Party, Guild of Youth (ILP)


Margaret McMillan noted
"The Independent Labour Party was not formed to champion women.It was born to make War on capitalism and competition"

page 131 The life of Rachel McMillan by Margaret McMillan

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Hayes Cottage Hospital Occupation 25th October 1983







Hayes Cottage hospital, West London. Occupied 25th October 1983 until late December 1983, when the local health authority backed down and the hospital was saved.


Marge Bayne and Sylvia Tebbenham led the Occupation for the staff members of COHSE and NUPE.


Northwood & Pinner Cottage Hospital was also occupied at the same time starting 26th October, led by the Matron Jean Carey COHSE member
.



This is a list of Hospital Occupations/Work in's
I have secured from various accounts.


HOSPITAL OCCUPATIONS IN BRITAIN

Rainhill Asylum 1913
Radcliffe (Nottingham) Asylum 1933
Elizabeth Garret Anderson Nov 1976 - 1978
South London Weir 1976
Cane Hill Hospital Sit in 18-21 August 1976
South Middlesex 1977
Plaistow Maternity 1977
Hounslow March 1977- Oct 1979
Bethnal Green June 1976-Dec 1978
Brookwood May 1978
St Benedicts (Tooting) Nov 1978- Sept 1980
Etwall Dec 1979 - March 1980
St Georges (Hyde Park) Jan 1980
Longworth (Oxford) Dec 1980 Feb 1981
Princess Mary Feb-April 1980
St Marys Harrow Rd 1981
Brookwood 1982
Woodgreen & Southgate Oct 1982 - Dec 1982
Thornton View 5th Aug 1983-1985
Hayes Cottage Hospital Oct-Dec 1983
Northwood & Pinner Cottage Hospital Oct-Dec 1983
Botleys Park Dec 1983
Harpenden Memorial Hospital (Maternity) 2 weeks February-March 1985
South London Women's Hospital (Clapham) 26th July1984-1985
Neasden 1986
St Leonards, (Hackney) 3rd July 1984 - 16th July 1984
Wards at UCLH
NHS Direct Exeter 1st May 2012
NHS Direct Nottingham 5th July 2012

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

National Union of Railwaymen (NUR)1916-1917


RAILWAYMEN FOUND

YIEWSLEY TRADES & LABOUR COUNCIL 1917

(Trades Union Council)

At the Co-operative Hall, Yiewsley, West Middlesex a meeting was held under the auspices of the West Drayton branch of the National Union of Railwymen (NUR) Mr T. Stacey (NUR) presided and was supported by Mr A Mayer (ASE Engineering Union), J. Worsell, C. Fidler, H. Franklin, H. Bennett, J. Preedy, G Eaggleton, and J. Blake (NUR) and Councillor James Culley of Southall




The Chairman Mr T. Stacey on opening the proceedings stated that primary reason the meeting had been called was that their was no satisfactory response to the protest made by the National Union of Railwaymen to the appointment of two food traders (suppliers) to the Yiewsley Food Control Committee (Mr R.A. White and Mr Dominery - Platts Store).

Mr Mayer moved the following resolution

“That this meeting of all trade unions consider that the interests of the consumer is not advisable to have private trader in foodstuffs represented on the local Food Control Committee”.

The mover urged, that it was very necessary that labour should be more fully represented on the Food Committee.

“it was not advisable he urged to put cats to watch the cream unless they were chained so as to prevent them getting at it “

"The time was coming when labour would have to have a greater share in the government local as well as national affairs."

"As regards the Yiewsley Food Control Committee (12 members), the Labour representatives were hopelessly outvoted".

Mr Worsell seconded pointed out that the Food Control Committee had tried to stop a baker from outside the neighbourhood who desired to sell a loaf at 9d when locally a loaf could not be purchased for less than 1s

Mr C Fidler stated that the object of the food control committee was to prevent high prices being charged, but traders in food stuffs were continually protesting against not being allowed to charge higher than the maximum prices

Mr James Culley (Southall)

Expressed surprise that labour had not got a bigger representation on the committee. (By directive Food Control Committee were supposed to have a minimum of one representative of the trade unions)

Culley stated "Lord Rhondda was a very honest man – but he had spent his life in getting coal as cheaply as possible and selling it at the highest profit he could make”

"He appealed for closer co-operation between trade unionism and the co-operative societies".

Culley outlined what they at Southall were doing as regards local prices, and said that his experience was that tradesmen were grasping for the maximum prices. "There was no reason at all why milk should not be retailed at 4d a quart if the vendors liked to do so. the fact is the vendors met and themselves fixed it at 7d"

The meeting then considered the advisability of forming a Trades and Labour Council for the district.

Mr Culley said Uxbridge and Yiewsley were the only two districts in Middlesex that had no such (Trades & Labour Council),

He moved

“That this meeting now adopts the principle of a Trades and labour Council

An amendment that the words Labour Party be substituted for Trades and Labour was lost and the original resolution was carried.

Mr J. Worsell was elected secretary pro tem and he has asked all secretaries of all trade unions in the district should send thei names and addresses to Mr J, Worsell at “Clovelly” Warwick Road, West Drayton, Middlesex.

The Chairman Mr J. Blake Secretary of the West Drayton branch of the National union of Railwaymen (NUR) was the Labour representative on the Pension Fund Committee

September 1917

YIEWSLEY FOOD CONTROL COMMITTEE

The motion at the Yiewsley Food Control Committee was lost 7-2

The Yiewsley Food Control Committee also banned the pres from their meetings stating a letter from the Ministry of Food

“In reply to your letter of the 23rd inst I am to say that as the work of the local Food Control Committee will be mainly of a confidential character, the admission of the Pres to their meetings would act generally appear not to be advisable

Yiewsley 1917 was experiencing great shortages of Sugar Mr Thorne stated that the Yiewsley Co-operative “were doing their utmost to supply their customers with a small quantity

Yiewsley Urban District Council agm 1917

Mr T. Hancock, , H.H. Thorne, E.A. White, C. Heron, J. Holland, T. Rudling, J. Sutton

with the clerk Mr W.H. Lea

Mr C. Heron stood down as Chairman of the Council and Mr E.A. White was elected Chairman. And Mr C. Thorne elected Vice Chairman

NATIONAL UNION OF RAILWAYMEN (NUR) September 1917
The National Union of Railwaymen have lost 2,758 members killed in the war (todate)

August 1916

Railwaymen and Food Prices

Protest Meeting at west Drayton

An open-air meeting was called by West Drayton and Uxbridge branches of the National Union of Railwaymen (NUR) at West Drayton was held on Saturday 5th August 1916 evening to protest against high cost of living, which had been brought about.

Speakers maintained through the “grab” of the merchants and the unreasonableness of the Government towards the claims of the workers

Councillor W Torrington presided

“if the Government did its duty to the people it would see that food prices were controlled and exploitation firmly put down “

”prices of practically everything had increased some articles by over 100% and he contended that in many cases the inflated prices were quite unnecessary".

Mr C. J. Kelly of Kings Cross (London) National Union of Railwaymen (NUR) moved the following resolution

“That this meeting of railwaymen of West Drayton and Uxbridge branches of the National union of Railwaymen (NUR) and members of other trade unions in the district view with alarm and extreme dissatisfaction the present high prices of food, and the principal necessities of life and having no security against further increases of such prices due to the action of certain food speculators calls upon His Majesties Government to establish an effective control and regulation of prices with such provisions as may be necessary for their enforcement."

“the cost of living had been forced up by a certain class of people whose only object was the accumulation of large sums by the exploitation of the working classes

The workers had in many cases given their all to the country, and yet the Government were allowing them to be exploited by the food monopolies”

The only way the workers could effectively protest was through the trade unions there ought to be some real revolution in the trade unions to stir the matter up and force the Government to move.

“There was the merchants ring and they ruled what prices the private buyer should be made to pay. The Government ought to take over the full control of Food prices".

"They could not deal with these things politically now a days he went on so that they must do it industrially – act in the same way as the South Wales miners did" (hear hear)

Kelly went on to say that "It was only by such means that the Government could be brought to their senses,"

"The exploiters were ringing the necks of the working classes and these people, he maintained were traitors of the worst type, far greater traitors than Roger Casement for they were traitors in our own camp, while he was a traitor in another camp".

Mr W,J, Hill of Paddington National Union of Railwaymen (NUR) seconded stating the resolution.

“The Yellow press were largely responsible for the inflated prices and he submitted that the apathy of the Government was due to the apathy of the workers, who must make their voices heard if they were to get these things remedied. He warned the audience of the danger of industrial conscription – another subtle move on the part of the monopolies".

The resolution was unanimously carried a vote of Thanks was moved by Mr Blake and seconded by Mr Worsell

August 11th 1916 Gazette & Advertiser







Sunday, October 10, 2010

LSE Occupation 1983







LSE OCCUPATION 1983

Pictures from London School of Economics (LSE) Occupation January 1983 and NUS March
First Photo famous Arm the Workers & Students LSE Banner
Second Photo vote the Vote to Occupy in support of nursery places for under 2 children's of Students and LSE staff.
Debbi Hindson putting out the occupation banner in admin block
Nursery Campaign banner during Occupation.
Last photo Jo Richardson former MP for Slough speaking.

Occupation of the Library before roof top ladders to access administration block

The Campaign secured the expansion of the LSE Nursery

:: *** click on photo to enlarge