Battle of Lewes Road
The Battle of Lewes Road was a confrontation which took place in Brighton during the 1926 United Kingdom general strike.
Background
The tensions which led to the general strike were exacerbated locally by the policies of the
On 8 May, a group of strikers marched to the Town Hall in response to the council considering the use of volunteer labour on the trams, but were turned away by police at the entrance.[1][2] The police were supported by special constables known as "Black and Tans",[1] who included "farmers, sportsmen, hunting men, and retired cavalry officers".[3]
Confrontation
On 11 May, a group of middle-class volunteers, including some students, attempted to
Aftermath
The same night there was a further disturbance outside the Brighton and District Labour Club on London Road, following which another five people were arrested.[2] All 22 arrestees were imprisoned for an average of three months each.[1]
The general strike was called off the following day by the Trades Union Congress, and some transport workers who struck were not reinstated by their employers. A celebratory dinner was held for the benefit of the special constables.[2]
Significance
The local authority saw the "Battle of Lewes Road" as having served to crush revolutionary politics in Brighton, while for working-class activists it was celebrated as a day of heroism and martyrdom.[1] Following the events, there was little complaint from workers about the regular police, but much about the allegedly politically motivated special constables.[4]
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 0712909486.
- ^ ISBN 0861473159.
- ISBN 0719051703. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
- ISBN 1904385230. Retrieved 20 April 2012.