Bonus episode for our three-part miniseries about the UK’s 1926 general strike, in collaboration with the General Strike 100 project and told using interviews with striking workers themselves.

In this episode, East London dock worker, Harry Watson, talks about life and work on the docks around the time of the general strike as well as the split of skilled dock workers away from the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

Our podcast is brought to you by our Patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes without ads, bonus episodes, two exclusive podcast series – Fireside Chats and Radical Reads – as well as free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistory

• Listen to the whole exclusive bonus episode without ads by joining us on Patreon. As well as more from Harry, it also includes Betty Harrison who recounts her experience of the 1925 textile workers' strike: https://www.patreon.com/posts/e120-1-1926-155633267
• Listen to our exclusive music bonus episode where we explain the history behind the theme song used for this series (recorded for us by award-winning artist, Montaigne)

More info

• Find out about events to commemorate the strike in your area (and beyond!) on the General Strike 100 website
  • You will also find dozens of stories about incidents which took place during the strike in cities, towns, and villages across the UK
• Get a copy of our interviewee, Judy Cox’s Revisiting the General Strike of 1926: When Workers Were Ready To Dare
• More information including sources, further reading, images and soon a transcript available on the webpage for this episode: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e119-121-1926-general-strike/

Acknowledgements

• Thanks to our Patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to Jazz Hands and Fellow Worker.
• Episode graphic: traffic on Westminster Bridge as a result of public transport being shut down. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.
• Our theme tune for this preview is Montaigne’s version of the classic labour movement anthem, ‘Bread and Roses’, performed by Montaigne and Nick Harriott, and mixed by Wave Racer. Download the song here, with all proceeds going to Medical Aid for Palestinians. More from Montaigne: website, Instagram, YouTube.
• Edited by Jesse French