#ellen wilkinson

Official trade unions refused to support the march, and the Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin would not meet them. After the marchers delivered the petition, it was promptly lost – the matter was not debated in the Houses of Parliament, and the government offered no assistance. It was a dramatic demonstration of the indifference of the wealthy men and women in government to the want and despair of the working classes.

Here is a bit more information, and some very nice cast photos, from the anniversary performance of Journey's End. From The Sketch, published January 29, 1930.

It's probably hard to read the text below the pictures, so here's a transcript:

"ONE OF ENGLAND'S CHIEF EXPORTS!": "JOURNEY'S END" PERSONALITIES.

"Journey's End" celebrated the anniversary of its production last week, when, after attending the performance at the Prince of Wales's, a distinguished company sat down to supper in a fair imitation of a dug-out such as is represented on the stage. Miss Ellen Wilkinson, who was pointed out as the person to whom the play owes most, in that she introduced the "benevolent millionaire" who put up the money, made a speech, and mentioned that Mr. Sherriff's famous play, and coal, were England's chief exports! Mr. Colin Clive, the creator of the part of Captain Stanhope, also spoke, as did the original Mason, who is still playing his role--though his speech was confined to the repetition of his well-known "'Ave a nice cup o' tea, Sir," with which he chipped in whenever Mr. Clive paused!

Featured in today's edition of "unexpected connections to Journey's End": noted socialist/suffragist/feminist/anti-imperialist/labour organizer/future Minister of Education/all-around icon Ellen Wilkinson, MP.

This is one dinner party about which I want to know every single detail, but alas, must settle for this brief article from the Nottingham Evening Post, January 23, 1930. (Bonus irrelevant chicken-related news included; it's what R. C. Sherriff would have wanted.)

Transcript below:

MISS ELLEN WILKINSON, M. P.

THE GOOD FAIRY OF "JOURNEY'S END"

Miss Ellen Wilkinson, M.P., is the fairy godmother of "Journey’s End."

It was she who introduced Mr. Maurice Browne to Mrs. Dorothy Elmhirst, the daughter of a millionaire, and it was Mrs. Elmhirst’s interest in Mr. Browne’s theatre ideals that caused her to find the money without question when Mr. Browne made his rapid decision to present Mr. R. C. Sherriff’s famous play.

Mr. Browne spoke of those obligations at the supper following the “Journey’s End” anniversary--with the original “dug-out” scene from the Savoy Theatre as a background to the Kit-Kat festivities--in the small hours of yesterday morning. Miss Wilkinson was present.

Colin Clive, sitting beside Jeanne de Casalis, his wife, made a humorous speech in which he foresaw the need for an institute for the cultivation of infant actors to play in the interminably running “Journey’s End.”

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As the Gorton and Denton by-election rumbles towards its conclusion next week, it's worth taking a look back at the life of Ellen Wilkinson; one of Gorton's more famous city officials and one of Britain's most influential MP's.

The Division Bell Mystery - a Parliamentary murder mystery from Ellen Wilkinson, reissued as part of the #BritishLibraryCrimeClassics series #CrimeFiction #amreading

A review of The Division Bell Mystery by Ellen Wilkinson First published in 1932 and now reissued as part of the British Library Crime Classics series, The Division Bell Mystery is Ellen Wilkinson’s one and only stab at detective fiction. As a politician, a Labour MP first elected in 1924 who was involved in the organisation of the Jarrow march and later served as Education minister in Attlee’s…

The forgotten women behind our rights revolution

On the 8th October 1929 Ellen Wilkinson, the Labour MP for Middlesbrough-commonly described as the ‘fiery particle’, gave a rousing speech on a visit to the Manchester, Salford and District Girls’ Club.

Ellen was known for her speeches that packed a punch. So it was no surprise that when talking about women in industry – hard-working, independent women – she summarised them in a pretty apt way.

‘…

“Change will not come from above” @ViragoBooks #GeneralStrike #JarrowMarch

Clash by Ellen Wilkinson

So…. I’ve managed quite well with #WITmonth during August I feel – three titles so far – but needless to say I am *not* sticking with my plans… I had wanted to read at least one Virago this month and had pencilled in “A Fine of Two Hundred Francs” by Elsa Triolet. Not only is it a book I’ve intended to read for ages, but it would have also fitted in with WITmonth and…