Ben Tillett

Ben Tillett ~ Working class friend or foe? A talk and discussion led by Jim McNeill

To launch Bristol Radical History Group’s new pamphlet, “Ben Tillett” this talk will cover the life and work of this Bristol-born, Trade Union leader. Tillett was the fiery and outspoken leader of numerous dock strikes from 1888 to 1914 in Bristol, London, Hull and elsewhere. However, by the outbreak of the First World War he, along with many union and Labour Party leaders, had become an open class collaborator and a recruiting sergeant within the working class for the bloody war in
Europe.

This talk will also highlight how the Victorian and Edwardian employing class co-ordinated their combating the  rise of mass trade unionism by organising blackleg labour that was protected by both the police and the military. In the light of recent class struggles such as the miners and the printers at Wapping then there are lessons to be learned as to what kind of leadership we want to elect to lead such struggles.

So come prepared for a discussion as well as buying this new BRHG publication!

Listen to this talk:

Part 1

Part 2

• Download part 1 (19 Mb mp3 file)
• Download part 2 (37 Mb mp3 file)