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The North West Labour History Group was formed
in 1973. It followed in the wake of the formation of the National Society
for the Study of Labour History in 1960. The
rapid development of that society led to the establishment of national
societies in Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Regional groups, the
first of which was the North East Group in 1966, supplemented these four
national societies. The North West Group was formed in 1973 based primarily
in Liverpool and Manchester.
The north west
is particularly rich in material of interest to labour
historians. The staple industries of nineteenth century Britain flourished here: cotton
textiles, coal and iron mining, shipbuilding, engineering and chemicals. Urbanisation was rapid with the spectacular growth of
Liverpool and Manchester and the cluster of
towns in the textile districts such as Oldham and Stockport in south
Lancashire and Nelson, Colne and Blackburn in the north of the county. Migration into
these towns was remarkable. Although the Irish predominated
considerable numbers of Welsh, Scots and workers from neighbouring
country districts poured into the major towns in search of higher standards
of living. There were also substantial enclaves of Chinese and Blacks. The
influx of people, many of whom brought with them their own culture and
religion, led to serious ethnic and sectarian issues, particularly in
Liverpool, which inhibited working class unity and progress.
The retail cooperative movement was founded in Rochdale and exerted a profound influence
within the region. Shopping at the coop was the norm for many working class
people until well after the Second World War. The excesses of industrial
capitalism encouraged radical protest movements that have become benchmarks
in the history of the labour movement. Peterloo in 1819, Chartism in the 1830s and 1840s and
the foundation of the Trades Union Congress in 1868 are examples. Radicals
such as John Doherty and Robert Owen are associated with the region as are
the struggles of trade unions, particularly in the cotton textile districts
and at the waterfront in Liverpool.
With such a rich tradition there was good reason to establish a labour history group here. An inaugural meeting was
held in Liverpool in January 1973 attended
by about 15 people and the North West Group for the Study of Labour History (later renamed the North West Labour History Group) was formed. Our aim was similar
to that of the national society with an emphasis upon the north west. We sought to bring together
all those who were interested in the labour
history of the region and to encourage and organise
that interest. This was to be achieved through meetings and publishing
pamphlets and books. At first we intended to hold at least two conferences
a year, one in Manchester and one in Liverpool, and to publish an annual journal for
members and the general public.
In respect of meetings we have met with mixed success. Initially they
were successful but we found that conferences organised
by the group itself failed to attract a sufficiently large audience, a
result, perhaps, of the competition on Saturdays for sport and shopping.
However by associating with other like-minded organisations
joint conferences have been more fruitful. In 1981, for example, the Irish Labour History Society joined us in Liverpool for a weekend
conference on The Irish and British Labour
Movements: the Experience of Dublin and Liverpool
which proved to be a great success. More recently the group was joint organiser with the national society and the
Metropolitan University of Manchester in a conference to celebrate the
centenary of the Labour Party that was held in
March 2000 with some 150 participants.
The first issue of our journal was published in 1974 and has appeared
annually since then. From humble beginnings – the first issue consisted of
18 pages and was typed and stapled – the annual journal, now usually over
100 pages in length, is printed and bound. We have sought to provide
articles and book reviews that have an academic merit but which are
presented in an accessible form for non-academic readers. Our approach is
exploratory, searching, analytical and critical but presented in a manner
which we hope is interesting and lively. Articles have covered a wide range
of historical issues including, Chartism, the General Strike of 1926, Women
and the Labour Movement, the Cooperative
Movement, the Black presence in the north west, the Irish Community in the
north west, the Lancashire cotton textile industry, Liverpool waterfront organisation and the Labour
Party. (1) Contemporary issues of importance
have not been neglected. In recognition of the coalminers' strike of
1984/5, an issue was devoted to coalminers' history including a number of
short articles by those involved in the strike such as the Agecroft Women's Support Group. (2) The prolonged Liverpool
dock workers' dispute that lasted from 1995 to 1998 has been covered in
three contributions (3). Issue No.24 concentrated on sport, leisure and
society in the north west
with articles on football, rounders and
Lancastrian football heroes.
The group is closely associated with the world-famous Working Class
Movement Library sited in Jubilee House, Salford, founded by Ruth and Eddie Frow. It is the venue for our committee meetings and
the resources of the library provide us with material to support our
publications.
The strength of the group derives from the loyalty of our members and
the handful of activists who serve on the committee. The devoted efforts of
successive editors of the Journal, the secretaries and the treasurer in
particular are to be applauded. No survey of our activities would be
complete without paying tribute to Eddie Frow. He
was a founder member of the group and a committee member until his death in
1997 aged 90 years. His enthusiasm for our group, his wide knowledge and world-wide
contacts were of immense value. To honour his
memory the group published a commemorative book containing a collection of
articles and reminiscences reflecting his interests and the passions of his
life. (4)
There are some 400 members in the group and in common with most small
societies finance is a perennial problem. Our membership should be much
higher and we invite readers who are interested in the history of the north west to join
us (details below). The cost of publishing our annual journal absorbs most
of our resources and as these costs continue to rise
so the need for new members becomes increasingly urgent.
The study of labour history has experienced a
number of vicissitudes over the last 20 years. Nevertheless so long as
there are activists who seek to secure a more equitable society; so long as
there are those who appreciate the importance of the struggles and endeavours of past generations to achieve that end, the
continuance of our group is assured. We face the new millennium with confidence.
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