A recent donation to the Local Studies
Library provides a glimpse of Sheffield during the General Strike of
1926. Quite unexpectedly we were offered
a copy of the Sheffield Mail from 4th May 1926 which was found amongst some
papers during a house clearance in Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire. Nobody knows how the newspaper came to end up
there and lie undiscovered for almost 90 years.
The
paper is a real gem - we already have the following day’s edition - this find
provides yet more information on the events of May 1926.
The
strike, which had its roots in a long running dispute between coal miners and
colliery owners started on 3rd May. Approximately 80,000 workers went out on
strike in Sheffield. On the 4th May the
Mail reported that the ‘trams had stopped and there were few private buses
running. Volunteers continuing to enrol
in large numbers at Town Hall. Emergency Food Officer reports everything
satisfactory. Crowd prevented beer being delivered in King Street this morning,
driver being non-unionist.’
Interestingly the newspaper is just one typescript sheet because most of the staff and printers were out on strike!
You can read more about the General Strike in Sheffield in our research guide: https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/libraries/archives-and-local-studies/research-guides/general-strike.html
