The General Strike

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  • Intro

    In 1926, a General Strike was called by the Trades Union Congress in support of the coal miners' stand against enforced pay-cuts. It lasted only nine days in May but brought large parts of Britain to a standstill, including London where there were armoured cars on Oxford Street. In this audio extract, Jack Gaster (born 1907) recalls the impact of the strike on the lives of ordinary people.

     

    This photograph taken on 10 May 1926 shows workers demonstrating and carrying banners as they march through the street during the General Strike. Copyright Getty Images.

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  • Audio

    Can't play the file above? Listen to the audio clip here

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