Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Senghenydd Mining Disaster 439 Killed - 14 October 1913



Senghenydd Mining Disaster (South Wales) - 14 October 1913
The explosion killed 439 miners and a rescuer, is still the worst mining disaster in the United Kingdom




Robert Watson - Picket Killed 18th January 1979



Robert Watson was carrying out lawful union picketing duty at Aberdeen docks with his work mates on the 18th January 1979 , when he was struck and killed by a speeding non union lorry driver.

As far as can be be researched, Robert Watson was the only reported death during the Winter of Discontent strikes of 1979

Media hostility, copycat reporting and an unwillingness to move from an anti union narrative, means that to this day his tragic death goes unmentioned by those commenting on the Winter of Discontent strike.

The only fatality during the "Winter of Discontent" despite the media hysteria was a trade unionists going about his lawful right to strike for a living wage.

Remember Robert Watson

Marilyn Robeson



Marilyn Robeson (Paul Robeson's daughter-in law)
at Marx Memorial Library 2016

London County Council - Steam Boat

Railway Strike 1911 - Hackney Marshes

London Bus V Tram 1914


George Formby - Fighting Fascism



George Formby Fighting Fascism During WW2


"It's Turned Out Nice Again"


(Formby also refused to play segregated audiences during a tour of South Africa and was finally expelled from South Africa after police broke down his hotel room and escorted him to the Airport)


Yank Tanks - Trains of US Military in UK during WW2



American built "Yank tanks" trains at Southampton Docks
used to move around US Army equipment and soldiers during WW2

Dolphins in the Thames 1890

Dolphins in the Thames at Chelsea May 1890

 

Mary Robinson - Presidential Campiagn


London County Council - Eveline Mary Lowe

Eveline Mary Lowe (Bermondsey) 
Labour Chairman of the London County Council 1939-1940




London County Council Flag 1923


Flag of the London County Council raised at
County Hall 1923

(Future flag of an Independent London?)



























Automatic Barriers Underground 1964



January 1964 Stamford Brook (West London) experimental automatic barriers on London underground - used yellow tickets.

Introduced with agreement with the trade unions

British Rail Uniforms 1964



(Left to Right) Fireman, Guard, Driver

Monday, October 17, 2016

United Order of General Labourers of London - Union Banner 1912



United Order of General Labourers of London (U.O.G.L.), 
Union Banner 1912

Union established 1878

One of the original London Dock workers Unions

Central painting a depiction of of London Bridge

Later amalgamated into the Transport and General Workers Union in 1924






Saturday, October 15, 2016

Wimbledon NUR 1982

Cable Street 1936

Manchester Postal Workers Union Banner UPW

Clapham Independent Labour Party ILP Banner

Air Gunner J. A. Clough (KIA) - The Stench of Nazism WW2

Labour MP Acton - Joseph Sparks


Joseph Sparks born Tiverton Devon 1901
Election agent Barnstaple 1923 and Taunton 1924
Moved to London and worked as a clerk at Paddington Station in the employ of the Great western Railway
Secretary of the South Kensington Labour Party. He entered local politics at Acton and was a member of both Acton Borough Council and Middlesex County Council. He was Mayor of Acton in 1957-58. he was also President of the London Region of the National Union of Railwaymen (NUR)

Paddington NUR

He made three unsuccessful attempts to enter the Commons, standing at Taunton in 1929 and Chelmsford in 1931 and Buckingham in 1935


Elected MP for Acton 1945 



Labour Party Conference Portsmouth 1909

Lord Snell Leader of the London County Council




Lord Snell

National Socialist Party Split from BSP - WW1 - 1916




28th September 1916
National Socialist Party split from the British Socialist Party

Farewell To William Rust




Farewell to William Rust Editor of the Daily Worker

Social Democratic Party Banner - Karl Marx



Social Democratic Party banner

Not Only
The Right To Work
But The
Right To Leisure

This SDP banner seems to have a portrait of Karl Marx in the centre, if so this would surely be the earliest representations of Marx on a British banner

National union of railwaymen Banner 1919


London Carmens Trade Union Banner 1912



London Carmens Trade Union banner
Bethnal Green Carmens Trade Union banner No 22

"All Workers Have A Right To Live Well"

National union of Railwaymen - Midlands Railway Banner



Tuesday, June 07, 2016

Big Red Bike Ride BRBR 1988



P&O Dispute Dover - Cardiff Seamen's banner



Cardiff branch of the National Union of Seamen banner (now RMT) on the P&O Dispute march Dover August 1988

Cardiff Boilermakers union banner unveiled September 1893

Saturday, May 28, 2016

Labour - NHS Day 1988



Labour Party NHS Day at Alexandra Palace 3rd July 1988

(Sticker)

Election Night 1997


Park Royal (Acton) Vehicles Stewards Banner



Park Royal (Acton) Vehicles Shop Stewards Committee Banner
TUC Rally 21 February 1971 

Thursday, May 26, 2016

DATA West London Division 1971




Draughtsmen's and Allied Technicians' Association (DATA)  West London banner on the TUC march 21st February 1971 against the Industrial Relations Bill


formally The Association of Engineering and Shipbuilding Draughtsmen's (AESD), 

Later TASS, MSF,

NUR Rail Union Banners 1971 TUC "The Great March"



National Union of Railwaymen (NUR) now RMT banners on the TUC Industrial Relations Bill march "The Great March" 21 February 1971


National Union of Railwaymen banners
Glasgow National Union of Railwaymen
Euston National Union of Railwaymen
Earls Court National Union of Railwaymen
Paddington No2  National Union of Railwaymen
Chalk Farm National Union of Railwaymen

???  

TUC United Against Racialism March








TUC United Against Racialism march circa 1978/79

(Note Barbara Castle, Harriet Harman, Tessa Jowell, Jo Richardson

photo John Strrock

South Wales Miners Pageant - May Day 1939



South Wales Miners Federation May Day 
Pageant of South Wales

Orgnised by the South Wales Miners Federation in association with the Labour Research Department

1st May 1939


Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Atlas Lamps - 1924-1925 British Empire Exhibition - Wembley



GEC Atlas Lamps, 1924-1925  British Empire Exhibition - Wembley