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Great Women Trade Unionists
Quorn Grange, Sunday 18th November 2017
Women have always been at the forefront of the trade union movement.
From the London Match Women, and the Derby Chain Makers to the
Ford workers of Dagenham, they have blazed a trail for equal rights and
equal wages that helped to transform society.
This day-school will introduce the life stories of such brave and highly
organised women, such as Mary MacArthur, Eleanor Marx and Jayaben
Desai, and signal the importance of their lasting legacy and, perhaps, some
of the unfinished business of today.
This is the story of the demand for both Bread and Roses – given life by the
impact of these pioneers upon popular culture, gender politics, and literature.
The Chartists
Quorn Grange, Sunday 14th January 2018
The Chartists were the first working class political
movement anywhere in the world. They began the
struggle for universal suffrage – votes for all – that
took more than 130 years to finally achieve. This
struggle for democracy shook the Victorian world
to its foundations; saw industrial workers step on to
the political stage, was opposed by the authorities
at every turn, and saw the beginnings of mass,
modern-style, campaigning.
Rallies, street corner meetings, political journalism
and theatre were all honed by the Chartists. At O’
Connorville they attempted to build a utopian, rural,
society – at Newport they were met with soldiers and
a hail of lead shot.
In this day-school, the words, the deeds and the songs
of the Chartists help illustrate a story of struggle and
sacrifice that one of us should ever forget. Dr Mike
Sanders, of Manchester University, who has published
widely on the subject, will lead-off a lively discussion.