The Democratic Federation (later the Social Democratic Federation) was founded by Henry M. Hyndman as a Marxist political party in 1881. The Social Democratic Federation was one of the co-founders of the Labour Representation Committee (later the Labour Party) in 1900 but by the time 'The Border City Socialist' was published the SDF had split from the Labour Party and routinely criticised it for lack of radicalism. The Social Democratic Federation was replaced by the British Socialist Party in 1911.

'The Border City Socialist' was the journal of the Carlisle branch of the Social-Democratic Party (i.e. the Social Democratic Federation) and was first published in 1908. It includes articles on local and national politics, the theory and nature of socialism, unemployment, trade unionism, May Day, emigration, the military, nationalisation, poverty and disease, religion, old age pensions, education, Empire, aviation, railway workers, Boy Scouts, 'The Chinese coolie at home' (by J.H. Penfold, Hong Kong, nos.3-4, Jun-Jul 1908), 'State maintenance of the children' (by A.C. Bannington, no.5, Aug 1908), 'Francisco Ferrer - martyr' (no.20, Nov 1909), 'A Carlisle man in New Zealand' (T. Muse on J.G. Muse, no.20, Nov 1909), 'Electoral manifesto of the Social-Democratic Party' (no.21, Dec 1909), and 'The Amble coal-diggers' (no.24, Mar 1910). The journal also contains advertisements for local businesses, regular 'Woman's letter', and occasional poems. Cartoons are included in nos.22-24, Jan-Mar 1910. The masthead of the publication was designed by Walter Crane.

'The Border City Socialist' is available in full through the Modern Records Centre's catalogue (free):

Nos.1-24, Apr 1908-Mar 1910Link opens in a new window

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