The Archibald Gorrie Collection

This selection of items comes from the Archibald Gorrie collection of political memorabilia. Gorrie was branch secretary and benefactor of the Socialist League, which established a presence in Leicester in 1885. The street corner campaigning style of the league revived memories of the Chartist agitation from 40 years earlier. Among those who addressed meetings in the town were Sidney Webb, George Bernard Shaw, and Keir Hardie. Other items collected by Gorrie include ephemera relating to the Independent Labour Party, which contested one of its first bye-elections in Leicester in 1894. Amongst these items are a handbill publicising meetings in support of the ILP candidate, Joseph Burgess, and the local branch programme for Spring 1896.

Item from MS 81, Archibald Gorrie Collection (1)

Item from MS 81, Archibald Gorrie Collection (2)

Item from MS 81, Archibald Gorrie Collection (3)

Item from MS 81, Archibald Gorrie Collection (4)

Item from MS 81, Archibald Gorrie Collection (5)

Item from MS 81, Archibald Gorrie Collection (6)