Jarrow March: Difference between revisions
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Protest march against unemployment and extreme poverty from Jarrow to London in 1936. | |||
In the 1930s Britain was affected by the world-wide economic Depression. Areas of heavy industry, like Jarrow, suffered the most. | |||
In 1935 Jarrow’s steel work, Palmer’s shipyard, has been closed down and most of the inhabitants of the town lost their job, because the yard had been Jarrow’s major source of employment. The town was already beset by problems and the closure even compounded poverty, overcrowding, poor housing and high mortality rates. | |||
To demonstrate against the bad situation in town, on 5 October 1936 207 unemployed men of Jarrow started to march 300 miles to London. Women were not allowed to join the march and the marchers were carefully chosen and had to be medically examined before they could begin to protest. | |||
The men from Jarrow who marched with two banners bearing the words "Jarrow Crusade" wanted Parliament and the people in the south to understand that they were orderly, responsible citizens and just lived in a region with too many difficulties. At that time Jarrow had an unemployment rate with an average of 75 per cent and really suffered from the Depression and the related closure of the steel work. Therefore the men wanted a new steel work to be built and bring back jobs to their town. [[Ellen Wilkinson]], the local MP, headed the 25-days march and carried the petition for presentation to the House of Commons which was signed by 11,572 people. The march attracted unprecedented coverage by the media and was supported by the towns the marches went through so that a further petition was collected en route. | |||
But despite public sympathy, the crusade made only little impact when the Jarrow marchers reached London. Ellen Wilkinson alone presented their petition on 4 November only watched by some of her fellow protesters in the gallery. Although the petition was accepted no specific proposal was made to help Jarrow. | |||
Later in 1938 a ship-breaking yard and engineering works were established in Jarrow and a company finally started a steelwork there in 1939. But the Depression in Jarrow continued until the Second World War and until industry got on again as a consequence of the country’s need for rearmament. | |||
Sources: | |||
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/britain_wwone/jarrow_01.shtml (Stand: 26.12.2011) | |||
Pickard, Tom: ''Jarrow March''. London: Alison & Busby, 1982. | |||
Latest revision as of 12:31, 13 June 2012
Protest march against unemployment and extreme poverty from Jarrow to London in 1936.
In the 1930s Britain was affected by the world-wide economic Depression. Areas of heavy industry, like Jarrow, suffered the most. In 1935 Jarrow’s steel work, Palmer’s shipyard, has been closed down and most of the inhabitants of the town lost their job, because the yard had been Jarrow’s major source of employment. The town was already beset by problems and the closure even compounded poverty, overcrowding, poor housing and high mortality rates.
To demonstrate against the bad situation in town, on 5 October 1936 207 unemployed men of Jarrow started to march 300 miles to London. Women were not allowed to join the march and the marchers were carefully chosen and had to be medically examined before they could begin to protest.
The men from Jarrow who marched with two banners bearing the words "Jarrow Crusade" wanted Parliament and the people in the south to understand that they were orderly, responsible citizens and just lived in a region with too many difficulties. At that time Jarrow had an unemployment rate with an average of 75 per cent and really suffered from the Depression and the related closure of the steel work. Therefore the men wanted a new steel work to be built and bring back jobs to their town. Ellen Wilkinson, the local MP, headed the 25-days march and carried the petition for presentation to the House of Commons which was signed by 11,572 people. The march attracted unprecedented coverage by the media and was supported by the towns the marches went through so that a further petition was collected en route.
But despite public sympathy, the crusade made only little impact when the Jarrow marchers reached London. Ellen Wilkinson alone presented their petition on 4 November only watched by some of her fellow protesters in the gallery. Although the petition was accepted no specific proposal was made to help Jarrow.
Later in 1938 a ship-breaking yard and engineering works were established in Jarrow and a company finally started a steelwork there in 1939. But the Depression in Jarrow continued until the Second World War and until industry got on again as a consequence of the country’s need for rearmament.
Sources:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/britain_wwone/jarrow_01.shtml (Stand: 26.12.2011)
Pickard, Tom: Jarrow March. London: Alison & Busby, 1982.