Failure of Genreal Strike

Question 1

When was the genral strike called ?

Answer 1

4 th May 1926

Question 2

Who called the general strike ?

Answer 2

TUC -Trade Union council

Question 3

How many men and women went on strike ?

Answer 3

Some 2.5 million
(1 mill miners+ 1.5 mil workers)

Question 4

How long did the general strike last ?

Answer 4

Only 9 days

Question 5

Who took charge of the distribution of food and maintenance of health services ?

Answer 5

Ernest Bevin and the strike organising commitee

Question 6

How effective were local strike commitees

Answer 6

Huge variance - historian Keith Laybourn describes the strike as ‘chaotic, even if heroic’

Question 7

How can the gov response to the strike be described ?

Answer 7

Highly organsied

Question 8

When did the government mobilise volunteers and how many were mobilised ?

Answer 8

3rd May
300,000

Question 9

Who was the London underground operated by ?

Answer 9

2000 cambridge undergraduates, whilst another 460 worked on the docks

Question 10

What was one area which the gov stuggled to maintain ?

Answer 10

The railways

Question 11

When did the TUC call off the general strike ?

Answer 11

12th May

Question 12

Whilst law and order was maintained, where were there disturbances ?

Answer 12

Plymouth and London and some violence around a few coalfeilds.
In Glasgow miners clashed with the police

Question 13

Which Gov newspaper (edited by churchill) , debileratley rose fears that the strike posed a revolutionary threat ?

Answer 13

The British Gazette

Question 14

What role did the newly formed BBC play ?

Answer 14

Refused to publish content that damaged the governement- by avoding a sympathetic tone to the strikers, it avoided Churchills call for it to be taken over by the government.

Question 15

What happened to the TUCs paper (the British worker) , during the strike ?

Answer 15

Had to reduce its publication to just four pages when Churchill requisitioned its printing paper

Question 16

Who did the gov use instead of the armed forces during the strike ?

Answer 16

Gov formed a body of reserve policemen drawn from former soldiers and members of the territorial army.

(limited violence and use of army show gov did not beleive a revolution was likely )

Question 17

In which areas was there strong response to the strike ?

Answer 17

Cities like Bradford and Leeds , yet also impressive response in more rural areas eg in Torquay (Devon)

Question 18

Who were the workers that refused to strike labelled as ?

Answer 18

Blacklegs

Question 19

What is an example of weakness of strikers ?

Answer 19

Lots of workers from power stations went on strike, yet in London many power stations remained in operation.

Question 20

The legacy of which event made trade unionists pessimistic about victory ?

Answer 20

Black Friday

Question 21

Who did Arthur Cook of the miners federation (MFGB) blame for the strikes failure ?

Answer 21

James Thomas and TUC for never supporting militancy.

Question 22

What was the Samuel proposal ?

Answer 22

Herbet Samuel (chair of coal commision ) attempt to settle the dispute.

Samuel proposed that the coal industry be reorganised and miners wages cut for a year.

Question 23

When was the Samuel proposal rejected and why ?

Answer 23

mines rejected
TUC suggested wage reduction after reorganisation of mining industry but MFGB refused to consider any cuts.
11 th May it was rejected

Question 24

What did Bevin fail to get Baldwin to promise when they met to annouce the end of the strike ?

Answer 24

That no workers would be victimised for striking

Question 25

What did many employers do after the failure of the general strike ?

Answer 25

Made union membership a barrier to employment
In Glasgow 368 of 5000 tramway workers were suspended, many workers struggled to get their old jobs back, while wages were often cut.

Question 26

When did the government pass the trade disputes act and what did it do?

Answer 26

1927- it was made illegal for strikes to exert influence upon the government.

Question 27

How had the country been divided in order to maintain essential services

Answer 27

10 districts under civil commisioners who were able to maintain essential services

Question 28

What did the gov do after black friday ?

Answer 28

Stockpile coal

Question 29

How much did the unions spend on the strike compared to the government ?

Answer 29

Unions spent 4 million and could afford no more
Gov spent £433 million

Shows gov strengh and that the financial resources of the state were too much

Question 30

What was the labour parties attitude to the general strike ?

Answer 30

Labour party was divided

But genrally opposed, as its leader Ramsey Mcdonald was aware of how unpopular it could be and was still influenced by the impact of Russia scare in the 1924 election.

Question 31

What was the attitude of the m/c to the strike ?

Answer 31

Did not support
Thurs 6th May - middle class volunteers get some busses and electricity working

Question 32

What was the slogan of the miners ?

Answer 32

‘Not a penny off the pay. Not a minute on the day’