Title
Unemployment in Leicester
Subject
Unemployment
Description
An audio clip about unemployment in Leicester in the 1920s and 1930s
Creator
EMOHA
Publisher
EMOHA
Rights
You may use this item in accordance with the licence https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Format
.mp3
Language
English
Type
Oral History
Transcription
Northampton was known as the great centre for boot and shoe making, that was their industry. Now, when that collapsed, well, there was stagnation. But Leicester had such a variety. We had engineering works, we had boot and shoe, worked all sorts of things, which gave us an advantage that if there was a slump in this, perhaps there was a bit of a boom in this. And we did have an advantage in the worst days of the depression, because we were, had such a variety of industries and I think Leicester at that time was in a fortunate position compared to many.
Unemployment was mounting and men were on the pittance from the Ministry of Labour and from the Relief Committee. They formed a unemployed workers movement and almost every morning meetings were held, and were big crowds, and many of the men, of course, had come out the forces. Things were getting a bit nasty, and of course, it happened throughout the country. People can stand so much - we've been promised homes for heroes. The unemployed were getting at rock bottom. The authority was afraid the unemployed would break into the Guardians offices. As the crowd of unemployed were protesting outside, possibly to see if they could get more money, suddenly, the police who were packed inside burst out with the batons, which the unemployed hadn't expected.
Unemployment was mounting and men were on the pittance from the Ministry of Labour and from the Relief Committee. They formed a unemployed workers movement and almost every morning meetings were held, and were big crowds, and many of the men, of course, had come out the forces. Things were getting a bit nasty, and of course, it happened throughout the country. People can stand so much - we've been promised homes for heroes. The unemployed were getting at rock bottom. The authority was afraid the unemployed would break into the Guardians offices. As the crowd of unemployed were protesting outside, possibly to see if they could get more money, suddenly, the police who were packed inside burst out with the batons, which the unemployed hadn't expected.
Interviewer
Various
Interviewee
Various
Location
Various
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