General Strike Day 3: Thursday 6 May 1926
[Police baton-charge at Elephant and Castle, London, from a General Strike photograph albumLink opens in a new window]
Do not believe anything you hear"
The Daily MailLink opens in a new window, 6 May 1926
- The government states that it will take measures to prevent victimisation against volunteers.
- In the House of Commons the Liberal Party politician Sir John Simon declares the strike to be illegal.
- The government newspaper The British GazetteLink opens in a new window carries a front page message from the Prime Minister, stating that "constitutional government is being attacked".
- The Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice grants an interim injunction against officials of the Tower Guild Branch of The National Sailors' and Firemen's Union of Great Britain and Ireland, at the request of the national executive of the union, preventing branch members from joining the strike.
- Sir Herbert Samuel, Chairman of the Samuel Commission on the Coal Industry, returns to Britain from Italy, where he has been on holiday.
- A large demonstration of strikers march peacefully through the streets of Swansea to Victoria Park, where a sports event was being held.
- Unfounded rumours spread, including that a Cabinet Minister has been badly injured and that policemen have been murdered.
- Four men arrested in Marylebone, London, for selling 'West London News Bulletin' leaflets which include the inaccurate news that police in Liverpool have joined the strike. The printer is also charged with "committing an act likely to cause disaffection among the civil population of Great Britain."
- In Middlesbrough, lorries are chained to railway lines in an attempt to wreck trains driven by blackleg or volunteer drivers, and stones are thrown. The lines are cleared by Naval Ratings. The Stationmaster receives a serious head injury. The bus station is also attacked.
- Disturbances in the East End of Glasgow in the early hours of the morning, as 500 miners march to a tramway depot to prevent student volunteers, sleeping at the depot, from driving the trams. A large number of police officers are rushed to the scene and baton-charge the miners, who respond with missiles. During the day shop and pub windows have been smashed and goods looted, particularly footwear and alcohol.
- Disturbances in Edinburgh, including baton-charges by mounted and foot police after stones are thrown at corporation buses.
- "Rowdyism" as bus set on fire in Elephant and Castle, London.
- Carnarvonshire County Council (along with several other local authorities) passes a resolution calling for the government to reopen negotiations with the miners.
- Dame Nellie Melba's farewell concert at the Royal Albert Hall is postponed.
Selected sources:
- Summaries of BBC news broadcasts:
- 'The British Gazette', no.2Link opens in a new window, emergency newspaper issued by the government
- 'The British Worker', no.2Link opens in a new window, official strike news bulletin of the Trades Union Congress
- Trades Union Congress General Council bulletin, no.3Link opens in a new window
- Trades Union Congress Intelligence Committee 'Intelligence Service' bulletin:
- Trades Union Congress Intelligence Committee progress of the strike report no.1Link opens in a new window, 10.30pm
- 'Daily Mail' emergency editionLink opens in a new window, including list of 'Strike Don'ts' and copy of the article 'For King and Country', which the newspaper's printers had refused to print shortly before the start of the General Strike
- 'Leeds Weekly Citizen', special strike bulletinLink opens in a new window
- 'Workers Bulletin', strike special no. 3Link opens in a new window, Communist Party of Great Britain
- 'Sir John Simon and the strike'Link opens in a new window, leaflet issued by the Oxford University Labour Club, May 1926
- 'Lying propaganda! The truth about London Hospital'Link opens in a new window, leaflet issued by Stepney Trades Council (Council of Action)