New blog post - Women, Trade Unions and Lifelong Learning. www.librariesgaveuspower.net/post/women-t...

To support the book, I've created website which I will use to share interesting things I've found along the way. You can find it at: www.librariesgaveuspower.net

Ellen Wilkinson: Minister of Edu. '45-'47. @usdawunion.bsky.social official George Tomlinson: Minister of Edu. '47-'51. Started work at 12 and became President of his local Weavers Assoc TUists who guided the Labour Party's educational policy when the future of secondary edu was still v uncertain

Two books I've putting off for quite a while as I know they'll require a lot of notes!

'Time Off to Learn' (1987) was published to support 'Paid Educational Leave' & covered: - Workbase. NUPE project to deliver basic skills in the workplace. Started in 1979! - Take Ten. Sheff City Council workers 10 days paid release to learn The big question: where are these issues now discussed?

One of JF Horrabin's National Council of Labour College (NCLC) cartoons attacking the motives of the state for supporting working class education.

"It's time for the unions to re-join the fight for adult education" - my blog for the @weaadulted.bsky.social www.wea.org.uk/unions-adult...

This is essential. A criticism levelled at the TUC during the 'ULF years' was that the movement failed to shift Government policy on this important issue. The GMB & T&G made the case in the 90s & was also the view of the Working Group on Workplace Learning, which was Chaired by UNISON's Head of Edu

'Reducing funding for adult learners is “harming social outcomes, health and wellbeing, economic growth and individual opportunity”' The need for an increase, not decrease, in funding adult education is made startling clear by @learnworkuk.bsky.social report. Read @feweek.bsky.social article below👇

In the early 20th century trade union education flourished. However, the main providers (WEA & National Council of Labour Colleges) did not get on. This 21st birthday greeting to the WEA kind of sums it up. 'You ask for birthday greetings...we should be happier to attend your funeral'

Proof, if needed, that @weaadulted.bsky.social tutors were never too formal for their students. NUM summer school (no date but presumably 1950s)

Following the Russell Report into Adult Education in 1973, the @weaadulted.bsky.social called on Education Secretary, Margaret Thatcher, to be a "good fairy" to implement the findings and double the numbers involved in adult education to 4 million. Articles found in London Met Uni archive

First ever trip to the People's History MMuseum & it was superb. My archive find of the day: "To educate is to organise. To organise effectively, must be to educate" Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers" 1922

"Education on an empty stomach is a waste of money" Fred Jowett, 1904, on Bradford City Council being the first in the country to offer free school meals.

An incredible day spent at the stunning Bolton Library archives, absorbed by the world of Alice Foley, first female Secretary of a Cotton union. Her autobiography, ‘A Bolton Childhood’ should be widely read. She faced many barriers (esp from her union) to fight for equality and rights for women.

The first @weaadulted.bsky.social courses began in Jan 1908 in Rochdale and Longton & delivered by RH Tawney. The archives at London Met Uni are an incredible resource where you can trace the incredible challenges faced in setting up this remarkable achievement.

Privileged to talk to Fiona Hill & hear her story from the Durham coalfields to the Oval Office "Opportunity does not materialise from thin air & no one does anything alone. Barriers to opportunity & social mobility are personal and universal. Any individual success is a team or collective effort"

What links these? - The impeachment of Donald Trump - Stars In Their Eyes with Matthew Kelly - Cross-country running in the rain at school Oddly, they all feature in current drafts of my book about the history of trade unions and education!

Archivists of the world unite! Truly the very best people you can meet.

6 new books this week! - Memoirs (JR Clyne) - Ellen Wilkinson (B Vernon) - The Lancs Giant - David Shackleton (R Martin) - Barefoot Aristocrats (Fowler & Wyke) - Socialism over 60 years - life of F Jowett (F Brockway) - Buildings of the Labour Mvt (N Mansfield)*

Libraries Gave Us Power (or whatever it will end up being called) is very much a personal exploration. We recently moved office, and my refusal to bin everything meant I could put together just some of the booklets and documents I've used to promote learning over the past 20 years.

For anyone in the Notts/Derbs area, there are two events this week organised by the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Labour History Society.

I am fortunate to have a copy of the memoir written by NUPE/UNISONs former Head of Education, Jim Sutherland. The sub-title is 'Educate, Organise, Control', taken from his first AEU badge in the 1950s & sets the scene for his view of unions. Have just bought my very own badge, and it is beautiful.

The early stages of the Union Learning Fund (ULF) saw numerous local projects flourish. The @gmb.org.uk in Lincolnshire & Humberside were at the forefront, developing learning centres & establishing Saturday clubs & were recognised with local, regional & national awards for their brilliant work

This week's purchases: - 2 books on the theory of adult education - 1 book on the History of the National Union of Boot & Shoe Operatives - 1 really intriguing-looking history of the union mvt - 1 simply beautiful album to help me along

The role of UNISON in the 1990s (leading up to the Labour Govt) was vital. Head of edu, Jim Sutherland, created 'Open College' (focused around Return to Learn) providing a pathway for low-paid workers. Jim also convened the 'workplace learning' task group which informed Blunkett's skills white paper

Am looking forward to this event. Hopefully it will form part of a growing clamour to prioritise Lifelong Learning. Please promote.

Alice Foley's 'A Bolton Childhood'. Absolutely loved this book! It recalls her early life before becoming the first female leader of her union. A short, sometimes funny, book that deserves to be widely known.

RMT launches Apprentice Charter to demand better pay, training, and job security rmtunion.org/4hIZimB

Fred Jowett, Bradford MP (1864 – 1944) Started work at 8 as a half-timer and later educated himself at the mechanics institute and active in the Manningham Mills Dispute. On election to the council he and Margaret MacMillan ensured Bradford was the first council to offer free school meals in 1904.

Starting in 1979, Workbase, was a Ltd company born from NUPE's Basic Skills Project when NUPE official, Jim Cornelius, was asked by the uni of London what training his members wanted. "It occurred to me that manual workers only rec'd trg to do their job, white-collar workers to progress"

My first ever visit to Ruskin College. Opened in 1899 in Oxford with the aim of providing education for the working class. “He learns in order that he may raise and not rise out of the class to which he belongs” Trade Unionists packed the town hall meeting at its launch

Mann & Tillett wrote this pamphlet in 1890 in response to an attack by the older unionists on the new breed of unionism In his book on Mann, Phil Katz describes it as 'one of the founding documents of the modern labour mvt' @mrcwarwick.bsky.social mrc-catalogue.warwick.ac.uk/records/TLT/...

We’re excited to open the library’s doors in celebration of International Women’s Day, offering an opportunity to explore our archival collection on the suffragettes, women’s liberation and women’s organising in the trade union movement. Saturday 8th March, 11AM-3PM

Heartily recommend these fabulous Working Class History workshops run by @gftu.bsky.social. Always fascinating, with excellent tutors. A must for anyone interested in our history.

I've created a Starter Pack of the local Trades Council I can find on Bluesky. Please let me know what I've missed. Must be many more! @the-tuc.bsky.social go.bsky.app/51LKjwq

Minutes from the 1903 Provisional committee which would form the WEA @weaadulted.bsky.social. Representing workers were G Alcock (Railway Servants), WR Salter (Brushmaker), & AH Thomas (Engineer). From documents held by London Met Special Collections

Great speakers and themes at this one-day symposium on ‘the history and legacy of the miners’ strike of 1984/5’. Attendance is free, but please register. sslh.org.uk/2025/01/31/s...

Spent my lunchtime looking for the grave of Gravener Henson (1785-1852) at St Mary's Church Nottingham (8 mins walk from my office). Considered by EP Thompson to be one of the most outstanding trade unionists of his era. A leader of the Framework Knitters & suspected by some as 'King Ludd' himself.

In 1987 the unions and employers at Ford agreed an 'Employee Development Programme' (Ford EDAP) which changed the lives of many and went on to be hugely influential within the movement and the new Labour Govt.

In 1994 the local GPMU branch in Gloucester launched their hugely successful training company to retrain printers & ensure their skills kept pace with change. Hundreds signed up to the job-club & retraining with many finding work back in the printing industry.

Next up: the life of John Gast. "He was, with Gravenor Henson and John Doherty, one of the three truly impressive union leaders who emerged in these early years" EP Thompson

I love this diagram which traces the development of the various builders unions taken from RW Postgate's 'The Builders' History' (1923) I believe that all are now part of @unitetheunion.bsky.social except the ASWM (woodcutter machinists) in @gmb.org.uk. Found in @mrcwarwick.bsky.social

My new profile image is of William Lovett (1800-1877). Trade Unionist, Chartist, Co-operator, and lifelong champion of working class education. "The first and greatest of working-class educationalists" (RH Tawney)

"I will content myself with saying to all who think, all who hope, all who believe that national progress is a thing worth living and working for -educate, educate,educate" Frederick Rogers, Weekly Dispatch 27 Jan 1884

I've updated my overview of the Labour MPs elected in 1906 focusing on their trade union links & education Of the 29 men elected, 26 were trade unionists (23 of which were senior - Gen Sec, President etc). 4 had even helped found their union drive.google.com/file/d/18WrI...

Spending the day with the reports of Typographical Association delegate meetings dating back to 1918. Adult Education is a major topic throughout and a brilliant example of how the fight between the WEA and Labour Colleges could do more harm than good.

My journey into the Durham Coalfields has meant my book has found a new focus. It has revealed that, to the Miners, the desire for education sums up their values. Really hope I can do them justice.

'The Highway' - An interesting recounting of the work of the WEA in the North East of England in the early Twentieth Century. A great addition to my investigation into education within the Durham Coalfield. issuu.com/weainworldwa...

Of the 29 Labour MPs elected in 1906, 25 were snr trade union activists (Presidents, Secretaries etc). 5 had even helped found their Trade Union. I created this fact-sheet of these men focusing (obviously) on education @the-tuc.bsky.social It's not fact-checked yet drive.google.com/file/d/1sEa1...