General Strike/Grunwick Commemoration due on October 17th/18th has been cancelled

 

I am sorry to report that this important timely event has had to cancelled. Those people who have booked tickets should have been informed.

Some history talks at Kingsbury Library this autumn

 Guest post by local historian Philip Grant in a personal capacity

 

The opening day at the Co-op store in Kingsbury Road, 1935. (Brent Archives image)

 

Brent Libraries put on a variety of events, for people of all ages, and you can find details of what’s on and book your places at them on their Eventbrite website (“click” here). I’m writing this to let you know about three FREE coffee morning talks, each with a different history theme, which are taking place this autumn at Kingsbury Library. The talks are all from 11am to 12noon (but arrive from 10.45am to collect your free tea or coffee and biscuit), and I’m sure you will enjoy them if you decide to come along. 

 

 

The first of the three talks, taking place on Monday 28 September, is about the 1926 General Strike, which has its centenary this year. This national strike was called by the Trades Union Congress, and former TUC librarian, Christine Coates will explain the events which led to it, what actually happened (including some local examples), and whether anything was gained from this historic industrial action.

 

The second of these free autumn coffee mornings at Kingsbury Library is on Tuesday 13 October, and I will be giving that illustrated talk myself. Kingsbury – a short look at a long history will provide an introduction to the story of this area, from the earliest people known to have lived here, almost 3,000 years ago, to how it has developed over the centuries to become the place we know today.

 

The last, but not least, of the three talks will take place on Thursday 5 November, when Jeremy Waxman, the former Head Teacher at Kingsbury High School, will be giving an illustrated talk on Letters to Miss Baker. She was a teacher at Kingsbury County School (KHS’s predecessor in Princes Avenue), who kept in touch with many former pupils who were serving in the British forces during the Second World War. More than five hundred of the letters she received, from young men and women around the world, were discovered in a cupboard at the school in 2017, and Jeremy’s book about them, and his talk (which I have heard myself and can recommend) give a fascinating insight into those times.

 

 

Kingsbury Library is at 522-524 Kingsbury Road, NW9 9HE, close to Kingsbury Station on the Jubilee Line, and buses 79, 183, 204, 324 and SL10 also stop nearby. And if the recent photograph of the library looks similar to the 1935 Co-op store picture at the top of this piece, there is a good reason for that!

Philip Grant.

BRENT FIGHTING BACK - THEN AND NOW Saturday 17th October & Sunday 18th October 2pm-6pm

 

Early notice for what is likely to be a well attended weekend celebrating and learning from struggles that have taken place in Brent in the past and have important lessons for trade unionists today.

  

Saturday 17th October 2-6pm 

The 1926 General Strike in Brent.

Film: The General Strike in Brent The 1926 General Strike in Brent and the role of local trade unions. • Speakers: Mary Davis. Visiting Professor of Labour History, University of London The General Strike in Brent: Chris Coates, former Librarian at the TUC, researcher in local & trade union history • Panel Discussion: Organising unorganised workers • Poets on the Picket Line 

 

Sunday 17th October 2-6pm 

Celebrating and learning from the Grunwick Strike 1976-78

Film: The Great Grunwick Strike Speakers: Professor Sundari Anitha, co-author "Striking Women: Struggles & Strategies of South Asian Women Workers from Grunwick to Gate Gourmet" Dave Ward Gen Sec. Communication Workers Union • Panel Discussion: Issues facing trades unionists today • Music & songs of struggle. 

 

Venue 

Brent Trades Hall (Apollo Club)

375 High Road

London NW10 2JR

 

Just up the High Road from Willesden Bus Depot and served by many bus routes including 260, 266 and 297. Nearest tube Dollis Hill on the Jubilee line. 

 

 

BOOK YOUR PLACE HERE 

Dawn Butler backs General Strike at People's Assembly

Poster for the General Strike in Oakland, California 2011

I understand Dawn Butler, former Brent South MP,  surprised Brent Labour Party members at today's People's Assembly by appearing to back a General Strike against the Coalition's anti-welfare and austerity measures.

Intervening in the workshop on 'The economics of anti-austerity, jobs, investment and tax justice', at which former Brent East MP Ken Livingstone was one of the speakers, she apparently asked the audience for a show of hands for a General  Strike, and despite catcalls from the audience,continued to press her case and state categorically that she was justified in disagreeing with the Labour leadership.

This swerve to the left by one of the candidates for the Brent Central Labour nomination surprised many present. One of her potential opponents for the  candidancy is Kate Osamore, Tottenham activist and member of Unite, who is said to be backed by Livingstone and, if she agrees to stand, likely to be the candidate of the left in Brent.

Osamore was present at the Assembly chairing the workshop 'Immigration is not to blame - countering racism, Islamophobia and the far right'.

Patrick Vernon who is actively campaigning for the nomination managed to combine attendance at the People's Assembly with an appearance elsewhere to press the case for June 22nd to become a public holiday,Windrush Day, to celebrate multicultural Britain.