[From the Daily GraphicLink opens in a new window, 15 May 1926]

Chaos and confusion"

Strike fortnight : A diary of the principal events and phases of the strikeLink opens in a new window, 1926

• 13 May 1926: 'The British Gazette'Link opens in a new window claims that there has been an "unconditional surrender" by the strikers. Many employers state that they will only reinstate striking workers if they agree to revised (worse) employment conditions. Workers resume the strike and more are on strike than on any previous day.
• 14 May 1926: The Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin sends proposals to the miners and coalowners which are less favourable to the miners than the Samuel memorandum. The railway unions accept terms of reinstatement proposed by the railway companies which include the statement “that in calling a strike they committed a wrongful act”.
• 15-18 May 1926: Various agreements are made for resumption of work. There is widespread victimisation of strikers.
• 20 May 1926: The Miners’ Delegate Conference rejects the Prime Minister's proposals. In the Hammersmith North parliamentary by-election, the Labour Party gain the seat from the Conservatives.
• 21 May 1926: The coalowners reject the Prime Minister's proposals.
• 25 May 1926: The government is reported to be arranging for import of foreign coal.
• 8 June 1926: A conference between the miners and coalowners ends in deadlock.
• 21 June 1926: A Bill to suspend the miners’ Seven Hours Act for 5 years and permitting a return to an eight hour working day is introduced into the House of Commons with the support of the coalowners.
• 5 July 1926: Coalowners post notices of new terms of employment, based on an eight hour working day for miners.
• 15 July 1926: The Miners' Federation of Great Britain requests the Trades Union Congress General Council to impose an embargo on movements of coal. The General Council refuses but undertakes to provide financial support for locked out miners.
• 17 Aug 1926: The Miners' Federation of Great Britain Delegate Conference empowers the union executive to reopen negotiations with coalowners and government without prior conditions.
• 19 Aug 1926: Meeting between miners and coalowners ends in deadlock, as coalowners make it clear they will only accept unconditional surrender.
• 26 Aug 1926: Miners' representatives meet with members of the government, including Winston Churchill, and are told that there will be no further subsidy for the coal industry.
• 27-30 November 1926: Miners return to work to lower pay and longer hours. Total defeat.
• 20-21 January 1927: A conference of trade union executives is convened to review the general strike. The Trades Union Congress blames the miners for not accepting the Samuel memorandum.
• 1927: The Trades Disputes and Trade Union Act makes all sympathetic strikes and mass picketing illegal, forbids the trade unions’ political levy, civil service unions to affiliate to the Trades Union Congress, and local authority workers from breaking their terms of contract (on pain of imprisonment).

Selected sources:

• Summaries of BBC news broadcasts:
  • 4 pm, 13 May 1926Link opens in a new window
  • 7 pm, 13 May 1926Link opens in a new window
  • 1 pm, 14 May 1926Link opens in a new window
  • 4 pm, 14 May 1926Link opens in a new window
  • 7 pm, 14 May 1926Link opens in a new window
• 'The British Gazette', no.8Link opens in a new window, emergency newspaper issued by the government
• 'The British Worker', official strike news bulletin of the Trades Union Congress:
  • No.9Link opens in a new window, 13 May 1926
  • No.10Link opens in a new window, 15 May 1926
  • No.11Link opens in a new window, 17 May 1926
• Trades Union Congress General Council official bulletin:
  • No.10, 13 May 1926Link opens in a new window
  • No.11, 14 May 1926Link opens in a new window
• Reports of Trades Union Congress committees, reflecting on the management of the strike:
  • Report of the Strike Organisation CommitteeLink opens in a new window, including information about the start and end of the strike
  • Report of General Purposes CommitteeLink opens in a new window, including comment on the setting up of a Transport Section to be responsible for despatch riders (to communicate with strikers across the country), issuing of permits, etc.
  • Report of Intelligence CommitteeLink opens in a new window, including comment on the response to the strike call, the effects of the stoppage, the attitude of the police and the use of military personnel
  • Report of Propaganda CommitteeLink opens in a new window, including information about providing speakers for public meetings
  • Report of Publicity CommitteeLink opens in a new window, including information about 'The British Worker' and the issuing of bulletins
  • Draft report of the Negotiating CommitteeLink opens in a new window, including detailed information about negotiations before and during the strike
  • Draft report of the Public Services Committee and Electricity and Gas Advisory CommitteeLink opens in a new window on the supply of power and other public services during the strike
  • Summarised report of meetings of the Food and Essential Services CommitteeLink opens in a new window
• 'The settlement of the General Strike'Link opens in a new window, Trades Union Congress and Labour Party 'notes for speakers', putting forward the reasons for the calling off of the dispute
• 'The General Strike is over!'Link opens in a new window, leaflet issued by the Communist Party, Sheffield District Committee, criticising the end of the dispute, 13 May 1926
• Summary of protests received by the Trades Union CongressLink opens in a new window from local trades councils and strike committees following the calling off of the strike, 13-17 May 1926
• 'The nine days'Link opens in a new window, pamphlet by A.J. Cook, General Secretary of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain, 1926
• 'Statement on the General Strike of May, 1926'Link opens in a new window, pamphlet issued by the Miners' Federation of Great Britain, 12 January 1927
• 'Communist plotting: lessons from the General Strike'Link opens in a new window, pamphlet written by Sir William Joynson-Hicks ('Jix'), Home Secretary, and published by the National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations, September 1926
• '"Jix" attacks the trade unions'Link opens in a new window, Trades Union Congress and Labour Party 'notes for speakers' criticising Sir William Joynson-Hicks' claims of 'Communist plotting', 20 August 1926
• 'The secret history of the Great Strike and the blackleg state'Link opens in a new window, pamphlet which contains an article reprinted from 'Lansbury's Labour Weekly', summarising events during the strike and attacking the actions of the government, 1926
• Copies of telegrams received reporting the victimisation of strikersLink opens in a new window, sent to the Trades Union Congress from local trades councils and strike committees after the calling off of the strike, 13-17 May 1926
• Letter and circulars about the case of Edith CartwrightLink opens in a new window, who received a prison sentence after allegedly throwing a stone at Hatfield colliery, Yorkshire, October 1926
• Letter, press cuttings and summary of the case of Mark Fletcher and Alwin RydeLink opens in a new window, imprisoned for allegedly throwing a stone at a bus at Ripley, Derbyshire, June 1926
• Descriptive account of a tour during the General StrikeLink opens in a new window by Harold Croft, Trades Union Congress representative, May 1926
• 'Merthyr Tydfil County Borough souvenir of the general strike: May 4th to May 12th, 1926'Link opens in a new window
• 'Reflections on the great strike'Link opens in a new window by W.E. Bowen, President of the Isle of Wight Divisional Labour Party, 22 May 1926
• 'The General Strike May 1926: Trades Councils in action'Link opens in a new window, book published by the Labour Research Department which contains summaries of the activities of many local trades councils and strike committees during the strike

See all digitised sources from the strike aftermathLink opens in a new window