Red Clydeside
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Transcript of Red Clydeside
Red Clydeside
End of the War and post war
Maclean
• At the beginning of January 1918 Maclean was appointed by Lenin as the first Bolshevik consul for Scotland.
• Maclean suffered a good deal of harassment through police raids and interference with his postal services
• Maclean kept up a steady schedule of addressing meetings in the west of Scotland attacking the war and praising the success of the Bolsheviks
• Government tried to silence Maclean by arresting him• Maclean had a reputation as a trouble maker
Unrest in Glasgow
• Glasgow witnessed a huge May Day demonstration, attended by around 100,000 people calling for an end to the war
40 hour working week
• Growing support for a campaign to reduce the working week of 54 hours partly to create jobs for returning soldiers
• David Lloyd George promised a ‘land fit for heroes’
• Most soldiers became disillusioned as they still faced bad housing and unemployment
• Soldiers and workers wanted change
CWC
• Suggested a 30 hour working week• Compromised on a 40 hour working week• Demanded though that the unemployed must
be absorbed or ‘further reduction of hours must be demanded’
• By Jan 1919 huge support for a strike grew in the area
• Monday 27/1/1919• All the big factories came out on strike and
support grew
Battle of George Square
• Workers assembled in George Square
• Estimated 90,000 people
• Support for the 40 hour working week campaign and better conditions
The red flag was raised
• Police read the Riot Act and strike leaders were attacked
• The reading of the Riot Act was the traditional method used by police authorities to disperse crowds of protesters.
• Any persons left loitering with intent after the reading of the Act was liable for arrest.
Gallacher & Kirkwood arrested
Government use of Military• Tanks and English soldiers were brought into
Glasgow as the Government feared protests would turn into revolution
• Feared that Scottish Soldiers would not obey orders and join the protestors
• Running battles between police and demonstrators
• 6 tanks were available for use stationed at the Fruit Market in Glasgow Merchant City
• Machine gun posts were set up aswell at key points
Aftermath of the battle
• Within a week of the Battle of George Square, the strike was over
• 40 hour working week was not achieved• Striking workers from the engineering and
shipbuilding industries returned to work with an agreement for a 47 hour working week
• Victory in the short term for the workers