About The General Strike of 1926 Britain at a Standstill
On Tuesday 4 May 1926, Britain ground to a halt as just under two million workers downed tools in solidarity with one million miners striking for better pay and conditions. Newspapers stopped printing, transport ceased and power supplies were disrupted as the only nationwide general strike in British history unfolded. Though it lasted just nine days, the General Strike left a legacy that continues to shape British politics and labour relations a century on.
In this panel conversation, leading historians, Professor Jonathan Schneer and Dr David Torrance, revisit this extraordinary moment, examining how and why the strike began, how it was organised and resisted, and how a highly organised working class came into confrontation with a powerful and determined state.
Join us for a timely discussion marking 100 years since a strike that still resonates today.
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Jonathan Schneer
Jonathan Schneer is Professor Emeritus at Georgia Institute of Technology.
Credit: ©Jonathan Hilyer More
He earned his doctorate from Columbia University and has taught at Yale University. The recipient of numerous academic fellowships and awards, he has written eight previous books, one of which, The Balfour Declaration: the Origins of Arab-Israeli Conflict, won a 2010 National Jewish Book Award. His latest book, Nine Days in May: The General Strike of 1926 uses untapped archival sources to examine the causes and aftereffects of the strike.
Dr David Torrance
Dr David Torrance is a constitutional specialist at the House of Commons Library and a widely published historian of Scottish and UK politics.
Credit: ©Steven Richmond More
He is also an experienced biographer of political figures such as the SNP politicians Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon. He is the author of The Wild Men, published by Bloomsbury Continuum. The Edge of Revolution is his book on the dramatic story of the General Strike.
Venue and bar opening times
This is an in-person only event in the British Library Knowledge Centre.
The Knowledge Centre and bar open from 18.00.
Please arrive no later than 15 minutes before the start time of this event. If you have specific access requirements please email customer@bl.uk
Concessions
There are a range of concessions available. These include discounts for British Library Members, Young Persons (16–25s), and visitors on Universal/Pension Credit and free entry for carers.
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