Mass-Observation Archive

Worktown Collection (1937-40)

Box 7: Party Politics

7/A Liberal Party

Observer accounts

"Great Lever Ward Election", meeting, ms and index card 10pp, 29.4.(?), THH

"Liberal Party Meeting", ms and index card, 5pp, 25.11.37, EB

"Meeting of Young Liberals", ts, 3pp, 6.11.39, JC

"Arthur Greenwood at Victoria Hall", meeting, ts, programme attached, 8pp, 12.11.39

"Young Liberals", meeting ts, 1p, 13.11.39, GT

"Young Liberals", ts, 1p, 20.11.39, GT, brief details of play reading

"Meeting of Young Liberals", ts, 2pp, 18.12.39, JC

7/B Labour Party

"Directive for Labour Crusade meeting", ts, index card

Observer accounts

"Attendance at LP meetings", ms, 1p, list of attendance

"Labour Party", ms, 1p, details of membership

"IMS Executive mtgs", ms, 1p, list, details of those present and topics to be dealt with

"Reorganisation of LP", ms, 2pp, details of those present and issues to be dealt with

"West Ward IMS mtgs" ms, 1p, brief details of meeting

Chart, ms, 1p, structure of Labour Party membership

"Labour Party Gala", ms, 28pp, 7.8.37, WH observer account of the opening of the Labour Party Social Club

"In Labour Party Office, Spinners Hall", ts, 1p, 8.11.37, THH, observer visit to Labour Party office

"Labour Crusade Meeting", ms, 6pp, 24.9.37, [HJP], incomplete

"Labour Crusade Meeting", ms, 4pp, 24.9.[37], AB

"Crusade Meeting", ms, 5pp, 24.9.[37], WH

"Labour Party Crusade Meeting", ms 5pp, 24.9.[37], BB

"Beehive", ms, 3pp, 22.2, WH, overheard comments about the Herbert Morrison meeting

"Morrison meeting", ts, 1p, 27.2.38, JS

"Morrison meeting", ms, 10pp 27.2.[38], WH

"During the meeting", ms, 2pp, [27.2.38] card attached

"After the meeting", ms, 2pp [27.2.38], conversation between observer and Bob Davies

"Labour Meeting - Spinners Hall", ms, 6pp, 27.2.38, AVW

"Morrison's Speech", ts, 6pp, 27.2.38, APW

Untitled document, ts, 1p, 27.2.[37], JS, replies from people questioned in the street about the meeting at Spinners Hall

"Morrison Meeting", ms, 5pp, 28.2.38, NC, incomplete

"Bridge Street Labour Committee Rooms", ms, 7pp, 22.1[?] WH, visit to the Committee Rooms

"First Impressions", ts, 3pp, 28.10.38, GT, visit to Tonge Ward Labour Club, Hulton Ward Committee Room: Morris Green and Bradford Ward Labour Institute: Bridgeman St.

Untitled document, ts, 6pp, Rt. Hon. Major Attlee's speech at an unspecified meeting

"Conversations", ms, 2pp, unspecified location and meeting

Letters

From Arthur Tomney to Councillor Clarke, ms, 2pp, complaining, on behalf of a lady friend, about the behaviour of Labour workers using a room in her house.

From Arthur Tomney to Mr. Hadley, ms, 2pp, 3.11.37, referring to the above matter

To [Mr. Tomney], ts, 1p, 8.11.37, unsigned

From Thomas McCall (President) and Ellis Clarke (Secretary), Bolton Labour Party, ts, 1p, 24.11.37, an appeal for recruits

From Doris Taylor to Tom Harrisson, ms, 1p, 18.1.38, referring to the Advisory Council for the Women's section of the Labour Party

From Ellis Clarke (Secretary) Bolton Labour Party, ts, 1p, 21.2.38, about unsold tickets for the Herbert Morrison meeting

From Ellis Clarke, ts, 1p, 14.5.38 about nominations for the Speakers Panel

From William Geere (President) and Ellis Clarke, ts, 1p, 23.7.38, about the Summer Campaign

Programme, ts, 1p, unspecified meeting

Leaflets (3) "Great Lever Ward Municipal By-Election" Thos. McCall, Labour Candidate

Booklets: "Labour and the Popular Front", "Labour's Immediate Programme"

Leaflet "Great Mass Conference", 26.3.1938, Spinners Halls, Hon. Sir R. Stafford Cripps speaker

Index cards (6)

Misc ts, 2pp, ms, 1p

7/C Labour Party

Observer accounts

Untitled document, ms, 3pp, 27.1[?], WH observer visit to the Labour Committee Rooms

"Conversations:- In Labour Committee Rooms Great Lever", ms 5pp, 22.4[?], WH

"Politics", ts, 5pp, 27.10.37, ZB, Labour Party Municipal election meeting

"Delegate Meeting of the Bolton Labour Party", ts, 8pp, 3.11.37, THH

"Discussion with Fagan in The Royal Arms over Five Gills of Mild", ts, 2pp, 4.11.37, THH recruitment of observers and political activity of Conservative and Labour members

"Labour Party Re-Organisation Committee, ms, 9pp, 29.11.37, EB

"Tonge Ward Labour Club, ms, 1p, 4.12.37, EB, visit to the club

"Labour Party Re Organisation Sub Committee", ms, 3pp, 30.12.37, EB

"Report of Sub-Committee to Consider Methods of Re-Organisation of the Bolton Labour Party, ts, 3pp, 14.1.38 official document

"Labour Party Delegate Meeting", ms, 3pp, 6.4.38, BR

"Delegate Meeting", ts, 3pp, 6.4.38, BB

"Short Conversation in Committee Room Clarence Str,", ms, 2pp, WH

Paper folder containing a report about Mr. Joseph Hale, election candidate, ms, 7pp, 10.37

Paper folder "The Appeal The Morris Meeting", containing:

Handbill for "Rumworth Ward Municipal Election. Polling Day, November 1st, 1937", letter to Tom Harrisson from Ellis Clarke, ts, 1p, 21.10.37 about a letter to one worker in each Ward, letter from Thomas McCall (President) and Ellis Clarke (Secretary), Bolton Labour Party, ts, 1p, 24.11.37, appealing for recruits, letter from E.W. Bennett, ts, 1p, about a By-Election meeting to be held on 26th April, observer interview with Hadley, ts, 1p, 21.10.[?], JS

Paper folder "May Day - Labour Activities and Conversations containing accounts of activities

"Town Hall Steps", ms, 2pp, 1.5.38, WH, rules about meetings on the steps

"May-Day Meeting", ms, 5pp, 1.5.[38], WH

Letters

Doris Taylor to Tom Harrisson, ms, 2pp, 18.11.[?], reference to Ward meeting

From Ellis Clarke, ts, 1p, 6.10.37, invitation to a meeting in the Spinners Hall (Rothwell Hall)

From Ellis Clarke, (2), ts, 1p, 11.37, incorporating the Agenda for a Bolton Labour Party meeting to be held on 1.12.37

From Bolton Labour Party, ts, 1p, 14.1.38, about a Special Delegate Meeting to be held on 21.1.38

From Bolton Labour Party, ts, 1p, 23.2.38, about the Monthly Meeting of Party members and Delegates to be held on 2.3.[38]

Paper folder containing overheards and comments on political events

The Citizen, March 1938

"Labour Party, ts, 5pp, 15.12.39, JA, visit to headquarters

7/D The Conservative Party

Observer accounts

"Conservative Candidates Adoption Meeting St. Simon & Judes School", ms, 17pp, 27.4[?], THH

"Politics", ts, 5pp, 28.10.37, ZB, Conservative Party Municipal Election Meeting (Great Lever Ward)

"Politics", ts, 1p, 30.10.37, ZB, questions put to councillors

"Eve of the poll meeting - Conservatives", ms, 15pp, 15.12.37, WH

"Tory meeting, all saints", ts, 2pp, 18.1.38, FHC, audience response

"Tory meeting, Second speech, all saints", ts, 3pp, 18.1.38, [incomplete]

"Missc (sic) Election Data, excluding canvassing", ts, 3pp, 20.1.38, FHC

"Conservative club rooms, Farnworth", ms, 1p, 24.1.[38] HS, incomplete

"Derby Hall Conservative Meeting", ms, 10pp, 17.2.38, NC

"Conservative Meeting .. held in Derby Hall", includes "The Follow" and "Conversations", 17pp, 17.2.[38] WH

"Conversations coming out of Derby Hall", ms, 1p, 17.2.38, AVW

""Follow", ms, 1p, 17.2.38, AVW

"Derby Hall Conservative Meeting", ms, 14pp, 17.2.38, APW

"Questions.Haslam.Entwistle.Meeting.Derby.Hall", ts/ms, 2pp, 17.2.[38], FHC

"Dress of some of audience in Derby Hall", ms, 3pp, 17.2.38, AVW

"Conservative Meeting Derby Hall", chart, ms, 17.2.38, LT

"Conservative Meeting at Derby Hall", ts, 9pp, 24.3.38, BCP, [incomplete]

"Conservative Councillors' Attitude to Legislation", ts, 3pp

"About what people laugh Conservative meeting", ts/ms, 1p

Letter from Bolton Conservative Association, ts, 1p, 3.2.38, about a public meeting to be held on 17.2.38

Newspaper cuttings (2),

Index cards (2)

Misc 1p, ms

Posters "Grand Garden Fete and Gala" 5.6.37, "Vote Conservative Vote Wilmot"

7/E The Communist Party

Observer accounts

"Communist Meeting", ts, 2pp, 26.1.38, EB

"Communist Meeting", ts, 1p, 7.2.[?] FHC

"Communist Party Crusade Meeting", ms, 11pp, 7.2.[?], WH

"Meeting of Communist Party and Sympathisers", ms, 1p, 3.10.[?], EB

"Interview with Branch Secretary Worktown CP", ts, 1p, 12.10.39

"CP Meeting, Sunday Nov 5th 1939 (Open Meeting)", ts, 2pp, 5.11.39, GT

"CP Branch Meeting (Closed)", ts, 2pp, 10.11.39, GT

"Mrs. Kathleen Taylor on her Experiences in the USSR - 1927-1937", ts, 8pp, JC

"Russia Today", ts, 2pp, 22.11.39, meeting after Mrs Taylor's lecture

"CP meeting: Town Hall steps", ts, 5pp, 21.7.40, BA

Communist Lectures - Observer accounts

"Communist Lecture No 2", ms, 6pp, 21.11.37, EB

"Communist Educational Lecture", ms, 7pp, 5.12.37, EB

"Communist Meeting", ms, 2pp, 12.12.37, EB, Communist educational lecture No 5

Booklets (2), "Theory of Communism", details of the lectures to be held

Handbill "Six Educational Lectures on the Theory of Communism"

Index cards (3)

"Questions", ms, 3pp, EB, questions asked at unspecified meeting

Untitled document, 3pp, EB, [incomplete]

Chart "Speech of Pollitt", ms, 1p, 7.2.38

Paper folder "CP Literature at the Crusade Meeting" contains handbill "International Brigade Dependants' and Wounded Aid Committee:A Public Meeting on 9.11.37", newspaper Communist Crusade, 2 newspaper cuttings, poster "A Great Communist Crusade, Mass Demonstration 7.2.[?]", two application forms

Article reprinted, Reynolds News, 20.3.39 "Clear Out The Cliveden Set!"

Song sheets (2) "Forging Ahead"

Booklets: "Hitler's Friends in Britain", "Speeches in Parliament", "Discussion"

Card: "A Mass Meeting ..... on Monday 7.2.38"

Misc ts/ms

7/F Junior Imperial League

Observer account

"Inaugural Meeting of Imps. Derby Ward", ts, 3pp, 22.3.38, FHC

Index cards (2)

Letters

From Vera Farrow, J.I.L. Organiser, (2) ts, 1p, 14.3.38

From W.G. Morris and Jean Brown, ts, 1p

Booklet: "Branch Management A Simple Guide for Officers and Committee Members"

Leaflet: "The Junior Imperial and Constitutional League"

Magazine: Torchbearer, 3.38

"The Junior Imperial League", printed letter and invitation to inaugural meeting

7/G Labour Guild

Observer Accounts

"Central Labour Guild", ts, 3pp, 6.1.[?], BB inaugural meeting of proposed Bolton Central Labour Guild

"Bolton Labour Guild", ms, 3pp, 20.1.38, EB, Councillor Pilling talking about Russia, invitation card for meeting attached

"Labour Guild", ms, 13pp, 17.3.[?], WH Dr. Galloway speaking on Public Health

"Labour Guild Debate on Gentleman's Agreement", ms, 16pp, 10.12.[?], WH

Paper folder "Grierson on Germany", containing "Labour Guild meeting addressed by Col. Grierson ...", ms, 4pp,

"Labour Guild of Youth Major Grierson speaker", ms, 5pp

Handbill "A Public Debate", 9.12.37

Index cards (9) reference to Bolton Labour Guild

Draft letter from Alf Booth and Geo Thompson

"Who appears in this?" list of names of councillors, Labour Party members

7/H Irish Labour Club and Socialist Club

Observer accounts

"General Conversation Irish L.C.", ms, 2pp, 22.2.[?], WH

"Irish Labour Club", ms, 8pp, 17.3.[?], WH, visit to the club

"Socialist Club Bridge Street", ms, 2pp, 17.3.[?], WH, visit

"Socialist Club", ms, 1p, 1.4[?],WH, visit

"Socialist Club", ms, 3pp, 11.4.[?], WH, visit

"Irish Labour Club demonstration", ms 2pp, 6.12.[?], WH

"Socialist Club Talk", ms, 9pp, 15.12.[?], WH

"Labour Clubs", ms, 3pp, 24.12.[?], WH, visits to the Irish Labour Club and the Socialist Club, Wood Street

Letter from Jas Paulden to Tom Harrisson, ms, 1p, 26.12.37, about gift to club members and information about debate programme for following year

List "Bolton Socialist Club", ms, 1p, 23.2.38, summary of bar takings

"Irish Labour Club", ms, 1p, 14.5.38, DJ, visit to the club and the Socialist Club

Index cards (15) reference to Labour and Socialist clubs