How did a strike in Glasgow turn into a revolution? This TL tell the story of how it happened. From the bloody slaughters of Glasgow to the post revolution world, all will be explained.
To begin we need to go back to Glasgow, Friday 31st January 1919 where over 60,000 demonstrators assembled in George Square, outside of Glasgow City Chambers.
To begin we need to go back to Glasgow, Friday 31st January 1919 where over 60,000 demonstrators assembled in George Square, outside of Glasgow City Chambers.
PART ONE
An Event in Glasgow
An Event in Glasgow
Glasgow, January 1919.
A strike was taking place. The workers demanded a less time consuming week. Before the Great War, the standard woroking week in Britain was 54 hours. National negotiations between Unions and government had established a 47 hour week for those in the shipbuilding and engineering trades that was to be established in 1919.
After the end of the war, the Labour movement had begun to demand a 40 hour week with some even demanding a 30 hour week. In Glasgow the Scottish TUC (STUC) and Clyde Workers' Commitee (CWC) had demanded a 30 hour week. This was altered to a 40 hour week after the involvment of the Glasgow Trades Council (GTC).
One of the reasons for the movement was so that menr returning from service in the War could find employment easier, so many ex-servicemen were in the ranks of the workers.
Beginning on Monday 27th January, a modest 3000 workers went out on strike. The government and Trade Union officials thought little of it. Yet numbers rose quickly. By the 29th, 40,000 Clydeside workers were out on strike. Glaswegian electricity supply workers had begun a sympathy strike as had 36,000 coal miners in Lanarkshire and Stirlingshire.
On the 29th, the CWC had secured a meeting with the Lord Provest of Glasgow. They requested that Glasgow City Council compel employers to grant a 40 hour week but he could not come back with an answer. He assured the CWC that a reply would be ready on the 31st and asked them to return at that date. The strike went on.
Come the 31st, over 60,000 strikers and demonstrators gathered in George Square to hear the reply of the Lord Provest. The CWC delegation were meeting with the Lord Provest in the City Chambers while the demonstrators waited outside. No one noes exactly what happened next. Somehow the Police sent to control the demonstration ended up charging the demonstrators.
Some reports say that the demonstrators were unarmed, others that they were not just hurling insults at the Police but also bottles and bricks.
What happened next is not in doubt though. The police charge had started the now famous Battle of George Square.
The brutal melee that took place was heard by the CWC delegation and they rushed out, with the Provest, to stop the brawl. Running into the battle, strike leader Willie Gallacher was struck by a Police Baton and arrested. Another leader, David Kirkwood suffered the same fate as did Emmanuel Shinwell.
As Sheriff officer McKenzie was reading out the Riot Act, he had it torn from his hand by rioters.
The battle raged but the demonstrators managed to push the Police out of George Square. A small group had freed Gallacher, Kirkwood and Shinwell. The riot was spreading through the city and the main force had fought their way to Glasgow Green.
Throughout the day the riot continued and during the evening, the first of 10,000 English soldiers began to arive. The Government under Lloyd George had reacted after the failure of Police to stop the riot. Soldiers would be sent to establish order to the streets of Glasgow. Come late Saturday, February 1st, 10,000 English soldiers were on the streets, a 4.5 inch Howitzer was positioned at the City Chambers, a tank depot was established at the Cattle Market and Lewis guns lay at the North British Hotel and the General Post Office.
The decision to send English soldiers was taken because the government feared that Scottish soldiers would join the demonstrators and a revolution would take place. The demonstration was called a "Bolshevist Uprising" by the government.
A strike was taking place. The workers demanded a less time consuming week. Before the Great War, the standard woroking week in Britain was 54 hours. National negotiations between Unions and government had established a 47 hour week for those in the shipbuilding and engineering trades that was to be established in 1919.
After the end of the war, the Labour movement had begun to demand a 40 hour week with some even demanding a 30 hour week. In Glasgow the Scottish TUC (STUC) and Clyde Workers' Commitee (CWC) had demanded a 30 hour week. This was altered to a 40 hour week after the involvment of the Glasgow Trades Council (GTC).
One of the reasons for the movement was so that menr returning from service in the War could find employment easier, so many ex-servicemen were in the ranks of the workers.
Beginning on Monday 27th January, a modest 3000 workers went out on strike. The government and Trade Union officials thought little of it. Yet numbers rose quickly. By the 29th, 40,000 Clydeside workers were out on strike. Glaswegian electricity supply workers had begun a sympathy strike as had 36,000 coal miners in Lanarkshire and Stirlingshire.
On the 29th, the CWC had secured a meeting with the Lord Provest of Glasgow. They requested that Glasgow City Council compel employers to grant a 40 hour week but he could not come back with an answer. He assured the CWC that a reply would be ready on the 31st and asked them to return at that date. The strike went on.
Come the 31st, over 60,000 strikers and demonstrators gathered in George Square to hear the reply of the Lord Provest. The CWC delegation were meeting with the Lord Provest in the City Chambers while the demonstrators waited outside. No one noes exactly what happened next. Somehow the Police sent to control the demonstration ended up charging the demonstrators.
Some reports say that the demonstrators were unarmed, others that they were not just hurling insults at the Police but also bottles and bricks.
What happened next is not in doubt though. The police charge had started the now famous Battle of George Square.
The brutal melee that took place was heard by the CWC delegation and they rushed out, with the Provest, to stop the brawl. Running into the battle, strike leader Willie Gallacher was struck by a Police Baton and arrested. Another leader, David Kirkwood suffered the same fate as did Emmanuel Shinwell.
As Sheriff officer McKenzie was reading out the Riot Act, he had it torn from his hand by rioters.
The battle raged but the demonstrators managed to push the Police out of George Square. A small group had freed Gallacher, Kirkwood and Shinwell. The riot was spreading through the city and the main force had fought their way to Glasgow Green.
Throughout the day the riot continued and during the evening, the first of 10,000 English soldiers began to arive. The Government under Lloyd George had reacted after the failure of Police to stop the riot. Soldiers would be sent to establish order to the streets of Glasgow. Come late Saturday, February 1st, 10,000 English soldiers were on the streets, a 4.5 inch Howitzer was positioned at the City Chambers, a tank depot was established at the Cattle Market and Lewis guns lay at the North British Hotel and the General Post Office.
The decision to send English soldiers was taken because the government feared that Scottish soldiers would join the demonstrators and a revolution would take place. The demonstration was called a "Bolshevist Uprising" by the government.
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Early Sunday (February 2nd), leaders met in secret to discuss what to do. Present were people like Willie Gallacher, John Maclean, David Kirkwood, Emmanuel Shinwell, Harry Hopkins and George Edbury.
John Maclean pushed forward the idea of starting a revolution in Glasgow. Shinwell argued against it but Gallacher supported Maclean. After a few hours of debate, a vote was taken. Of the 15 people at the vote, 9 voted for Macleans' revolution and 6 voted for Shinwells' stand against revolution.
Shinwell then reportedly said to those present:
"I will not fight against your Revolution. I will take no part in leading your Revolution. I will partake in the removal of soldiers from Glasgow but I will not have my beloved Britain turned into Germany."
At 2pm, the soldiers of the Maryhill barracks in North West Glasgow saw an unusual sight. The men of the Maryhill barracks were all from Scotland, many from Glasgow but were confined to their barracks until the situation in Glasgow was away. A crowd of around 300 had assembled nearby, despite the soldiers on the street. Some in the crowd carried red flags and waved them proudly above their heads. At the front of the group stood Emmanuel Shinwell and Willie Gallacher. After a few minutes of standing about, the group began to move.
They marched towards the barracks, stopping at the front gate to be met by an officer and two Privates. For a moment all was quiet. The Revolutionary group faced the soldiers.
The officer began proceedings, "May you please explain why you have presented yourselves here?"
Shinwell spoke, "In the name of the good, honest workers of Glasgow, Scotland and Great Britain, we ask you to help end the occupation of the streets. Many of the soldiers behind those gates are Glaswegians. How must it feel to see your city and its people occupied by 10,000 Englishmen. To see the beating of workers again and again outside these gates and have no way in which to stop it?
We ask of you one thing: join with the workers, many of whom fought in the Great War and end the occupation. End the oppression of the Labour movement before more harm can be done. Join with your fellow men to stop an injustice."
The officer retreated into the barracks to discuss with his men what action to take. Within fifteen minutes, a force of English soldiers was making its way to the barracks intent on arresting the Revolutionaries.
The soldiers of the Maryhill barracks stood at the gates while the English soldiers began rounding up the crowd.
One soldier who was a Private described the scene,
"They were herding them like cattle. These wre just people who wanted to protest an injustice and they were treated like animals. I witnessed a stout faced man in his fifties hit in the stomach by the stock of a rifle then kicked while he lay on the ground. He just stared at us in the Barracks the enitre time."
The beatings lasted several minutes. As the rounding up of Revolutionaries came to and end, one punched a soldier. The soldier was knocked tot he ground. The Revolutionary ran as fast as he could away from the Barracks. Most soldiers were stunned but others took aim. A single bullet struck the Revolutionary in the head killing him instantly...
Early Sunday (February 2nd), leaders met in secret to discuss what to do. Present were people like Willie Gallacher, John Maclean, David Kirkwood, Emmanuel Shinwell, Harry Hopkins and George Edbury.
John Maclean pushed forward the idea of starting a revolution in Glasgow. Shinwell argued against it but Gallacher supported Maclean. After a few hours of debate, a vote was taken. Of the 15 people at the vote, 9 voted for Macleans' revolution and 6 voted for Shinwells' stand against revolution.
Shinwell then reportedly said to those present:
"I will not fight against your Revolution. I will take no part in leading your Revolution. I will partake in the removal of soldiers from Glasgow but I will not have my beloved Britain turned into Germany."
At 2pm, the soldiers of the Maryhill barracks in North West Glasgow saw an unusual sight. The men of the Maryhill barracks were all from Scotland, many from Glasgow but were confined to their barracks until the situation in Glasgow was away. A crowd of around 300 had assembled nearby, despite the soldiers on the street. Some in the crowd carried red flags and waved them proudly above their heads. At the front of the group stood Emmanuel Shinwell and Willie Gallacher. After a few minutes of standing about, the group began to move.
They marched towards the barracks, stopping at the front gate to be met by an officer and two Privates. For a moment all was quiet. The Revolutionary group faced the soldiers.
The officer began proceedings, "May you please explain why you have presented yourselves here?"
Shinwell spoke, "In the name of the good, honest workers of Glasgow, Scotland and Great Britain, we ask you to help end the occupation of the streets. Many of the soldiers behind those gates are Glaswegians. How must it feel to see your city and its people occupied by 10,000 Englishmen. To see the beating of workers again and again outside these gates and have no way in which to stop it?
We ask of you one thing: join with the workers, many of whom fought in the Great War and end the occupation. End the oppression of the Labour movement before more harm can be done. Join with your fellow men to stop an injustice."
The officer retreated into the barracks to discuss with his men what action to take. Within fifteen minutes, a force of English soldiers was making its way to the barracks intent on arresting the Revolutionaries.
The soldiers of the Maryhill barracks stood at the gates while the English soldiers began rounding up the crowd.
One soldier who was a Private described the scene,
"They were herding them like cattle. These wre just people who wanted to protest an injustice and they were treated like animals. I witnessed a stout faced man in his fifties hit in the stomach by the stock of a rifle then kicked while he lay on the ground. He just stared at us in the Barracks the enitre time."
The beatings lasted several minutes. As the rounding up of Revolutionaries came to and end, one punched a soldier. The soldier was knocked tot he ground. The Revolutionary ran as fast as he could away from the Barracks. Most soldiers were stunned but others took aim. A single bullet struck the Revolutionary in the head killing him instantly...
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Okay, I know the ending was a bit wacky and the whole thing was probably terribly written. Also sorry about the lack of pictures, I have yet to find out how to put more than one in a post.
I understand that it's a bit of a stretch to create a revolution from that event, hopefully if I update it I can redo parts and write a better TL but I probably will update this.
Anyway comments and suggestions are always welcome.
Many thanks,
RAFF
I understand that it's a bit of a stretch to create a revolution from that event, hopefully if I update it I can redo parts and write a better TL but I probably will update this.
Anyway comments and suggestions are always welcome.
Many thanks,
RAFF