This is an absolutely splendid
book. Well written and beautifully illustrated. I first saw it when I visited
the Peoples History
Museum in Manchester, Nick Mansfield’s old home, he was
Director for 21 years. It was irresistible the picture on the cover of the
Workers Institute in Cradley Heath drew me in. I have always had a love for the
buildings of the British Labour Movement, from Co-op shops to Chartist
Cottages, from the Arts and Crafts of the Clarion cafes to the high modernism
of the Daily Workers headquarters in Covent Garden.
As Nick points out you would not
think there was much to link these structures however deeper research shows “unexpected
links, which if pursued, can give a coherent narrative.” In the preface Nick
gives credit to Raphael Samuel “the founder of History Workshop and guru of the
new public history” who researched the preservation movement in the two
fascinating volumes of Theatres of Memory (originally published in 1994 a new
edition available from Verso 2012).
Samuel spoke at a Conference at
the TUC in 1991 entitled “The Landscape of Labour History”. This lead to
English Heritage supporting a leaflet, “Where do you stand? The Landscape of
Labour History”, which was widely distributed and introduced a typology of
labour movement buildings and the criteria for listing.
For many of our finest labour
movement buildings this was already too late. Established architectural
historians like Nikolaus Pevsnor studiously ignored these buildings (like
sports grounds and stadiums) and even the labour movement itself with the year
zero attitude of many in the Labour Party had no interest in saving these
magnificent buildings.
I am very hopeful that this book
will have the same effect that John Gormans magnificent book Banner Bright
(1986) did for labour movement banners. Today Trade Union, Co-operative Society
and Socialist banners are considered works of art and if anyone finds and old
one in the attic they are rescued and presented as the beautiful artefacts that
they are.
Nicks book on Labour Movement
Buildings is not the last word, he admits he does not cover Scotland or Wales, and so there is work to be
done. There is also the task of filling in the gaps in the narrative and in
buildings that Nick has missed.
Nonetheless, with chapters on
Trade Societies, Non-conformity, Radicalism, Owenism, Chartism, Co-operation,
Trade Unions, Mechanic Institutes` and education, Socialism, the Clarion
Movement, The Labour Party , also Nicks speciality the rural labour movement, Ex-servicemen
and Commemoration of War, and Holidays and Leisure, he has
been very comprehensive.
He also includes Buildings Identified
with key events that whilst not necessarily built by the movement have had a
huge impact on its development. I remember my complete state of shock when
exploring Manchester’s
radical history when I realised that the Free Trade Hall with its plaque
commemorating the Peterloo massacre, was now the frontage of a ghastly modern hotel.
He also laments those we have lost, some like the original Holyoake House home
of the UK Co-operative Movement, thanks to the Luftwaffe, some thanks to
neglect and indifference often from Labour local authorities. In many ways as
Nick points out “labour movement buildings continue to be the Cinderella of
architectural conservation.”
Nonetheless a start has been made
there are some well conserved crucial buildings, like Rosdean, the Chartist
Cottgae in Dodford Worcestershire now in the care of the National Trust, The
Rochade Pioneers Museum reopened after a mature facelift, The Burston Strike
School in Norfolk, and my beloved Cradley Heath Workers Institute now moved
brick by brick into the Black Country Museum.
I think this is a very important
book. I particularly welcome the fact it has been published by English
Heritage. After all England’s
heritage belongs as much to workers and their institutions as it does to Kings and
Queens and Lords and Ladies.
These buildings are the landscape
of our history and we must continue to pressure both English Heritage and the
National Trust to take our heritage and our history seriously. Lastly I am sure
all of us active in the movement will know of buildings not in this book. My
thoughts turned to Leicester’s Secular Hall
for example and the other work of the architect Larner Sugden in Leek in
Staffordshire.
Maybe English Heritage and Nick
could be prevailed upon to create a website where we could document buildings
of significance and build campaigns to save the best of them.
Thank you Nick Mansfield for
starting this off – buy this book.
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