Memories of a Labour Leaderorder this book
John Wilson
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The autobiography of John Wilson, first published in 1910, and now reprinted as a facsimile edition. Born in 1837, he spent his childhood travelling with his father, who worked as a railway navvy and labourer. Wilson started work in a Durham coalfield at the age of fifteen and the book gives an account of his working experience in detail, as well as describing the economic and social conditions of Durham mining communities in the nineteenth century. He spent a number of years in the United States as a coal-miner, and describes the political and social attitudes he found there. He returned to England and, after being converted to Primitive Methodism, became active in the organisation of the Durham miners' union. He was eventually elected as the first Member of Parliament representing the newly enfranchised mining community, and his autobiography gives an account of both his personal development, and the transformation of the economic and social milieux in which he lived.

From Chapter 10, "First Cavel":

"The family with whom I now found myself were very decent, respectable people. They took me to lodge because of the companionship there was between their son, about my own age, and myself. There is nothing worthy of note during the year I was with them at Sherburn Hill except a strike which took place, and a somewhat peculiar settlement of a request for an advance in wages made by the hewers. There was no union at the time, and as a consequence the stoppage of work was sudden, and the proceedings somewhat turbulent and erratic. There were some men who went to work, and I saw two of these very seriously ill-used. One of them was standing against his own door, at the top of what was then the Engine Row. He was making insulting remarks to the crowd of angry men and women. The sight of him was sufficient to inflame, but his words added fuel to the fire. Suddenly a strong, powerful Welshman broke out of the throng, and before the 'blackleg' was aware he ran and struck him a fearful blow with his foot on the breast. The impact was so great that door and man went crashing into the house, and for some time it was feared it was a case of murder. The other case was a poor, innocent, elderly man (names withheld) whom the whole crowd of strikers met on his way from Littletown to Sherburn Hill. He was surrounded where there was a large pool of water. He was not struck, but hustled until he was got down, and then he was literally danced on by many of the young men. In connection with the strike, Rebecca and her children were out at night on mischief bent, and there was a collision between the men and the police near Littletown. The largest bulk of those who kept working lived there, and as a consequence the attention of the strikers was given to it. The rows were made a nightly marching ground, and any loose property (such as scrapers and rain-water tubs) was taken away or destroyed. The authorities silently prepared for the conflict, and one night when the men went down as usual they found a cordon of policemen standing in silence awaiting them in the dense darkness. When the crowd, unaware of their presence, got close up, at a signal, the whole of the police lanterns were uncovered, and a blinding light flashed upon them. There was immediate confusion and a general stampede, and the swiftest runners got the quickest away to safety. I spoke some years after to a man who was there. I said, 'Did you run?' 'Yes, I ran a bit,' he said, 'but there are some who have not stopped yet.' There were many men apprehended, some of whom were in bed at the time, and some were taken out of their beds, not be cause they were in the disturbance, but because they were taking part in a strike, for at that time there was one law for the employer and another for the workman. It was criminal for a workman to do that which his employer could do with impunity. He could arrange with his colleagues to reduce wages, and lock men out if the terms were not accepted, and turn them into the street to compel acceptance. There was no law to interfere with him. Let the workman want a higher price for his labour, he was liable to find the machinery of the law ranged against him, and there was a class connection, if not an open compact, between the magistracy and employers."

ISBN 0904573176. Hardback, 320 pages.

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