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A newspaper from the General Strike in England...
A newspaper from the General Strike in England...
Item # 701777
May 11, 1926
THE EVENING NEWS, London, 11th May, 1926
* United Kingdom general strike
This was a short-lived newspaper published during the historic General Strike in England.
As noted in Wikipedia, this was a sympathy strike by the newspaper workers, in support of the general strike that lasted from May 4 - 12, 1926. It was called by the Trades Union Congress in an unsuccessful attempt to force the British government to act to prevent wage reductions and worsening conditions for 1.2 million locked-out coal miners. Some 1.7 million workers went out, especially in transport and heavy industry.
The issue of the Evening News of May 12 reports that the strike had ended. This newspaper likely existed from May 5 thru May 15, 1926.
Complete as a small, single sheet issue, typewriter set, 8 1/4 by 13 inches, good condition.
AI notes: The 1926 General Strike in Britain, which lasted from May 3 to May 12, was a pivotal moment in British labor history, marked by a dramatic confrontation between the working class and the state. Organized by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in solidarity with nearly one million coal miners facing wage cuts and longer hours, the strike mobilized over 1.7 million workers from key industries such as transport, railways, printing, and heavy manufacturing. The strike was rooted in post-World War I economic decline, falling coal prices, and the return to the gold standard, which hurt British exports and squeezed wages. Tensions escalated after the government ended a temporary wage subsidy in 1926, leading mine owners to demand harsher working conditions. Although initially well-coordinated, the strike quickly came under intense pressure from the government, which utilized emergency powers, volunteers, the military, and media like the BBC to maintain order and undermine union messaging. After nine days, the TUC called off the strike without securing any concessions, leaving the miners to continue their struggle alone—ultimately returning to work months later with lower pay. The failure of the strike led to a decline in union power and prompted restrictive legislation, notably the Trade Disputes and Trade Unions Act of 1927, effectively curbing the ability of unions to organize such large-scale industrial actions in the future.
Complete as a small, single sheet issue, typewriter set, 8 1/4 by 13 inches, good condition.
AI notes: The 1926 General Strike in Britain, which lasted from May 3 to May 12, was a pivotal moment in British labor history, marked by a dramatic confrontation between the working class and the state. Organized by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in solidarity with nearly one million coal miners facing wage cuts and longer hours, the strike mobilized over 1.7 million workers from key industries such as transport, railways, printing, and heavy manufacturing. The strike was rooted in post-World War I economic decline, falling coal prices, and the return to the gold standard, which hurt British exports and squeezed wages. Tensions escalated after the government ended a temporary wage subsidy in 1926, leading mine owners to demand harsher working conditions. Although initially well-coordinated, the strike quickly came under intense pressure from the government, which utilized emergency powers, volunteers, the military, and media like the BBC to maintain order and undermine union messaging. After nine days, the TUC called off the strike without securing any concessions, leaving the miners to continue their struggle alone—ultimately returning to work months later with lower pay. The failure of the strike led to a decline in union power and prompted restrictive legislation, notably the Trade Disputes and Trade Unions Act of 1927, effectively curbing the ability of unions to organize such large-scale industrial actions in the future.
Category: The 20th Century
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