Thousands attended Bolton picnic in support of quarrymen

Bolton's part in Britain's longest-running industrial dispute is little-known, yet it's a fascinating story which deserves recognition.

The 'Penrhyn Lock-out' in Bethesda, North Wales, began on November 22. 1900 with the victimisation of a small group of quarrymen. It quickly spread to the entire quarry complex and became a fight for trade union rights, better working conditions and improved wages.

Lord Penrhyn refused to meet the men's representatives in the North Wales Quarrymen's Union and kept them locked out for three years. Of the 2,800 men who came out, over a thousand never returned. The village of Bethesda was decimated – shops closed down, houses became empty and families were split up.

There was wide public sympathy for the men. What they were demanding was only what was enjoyed by workers in much of British industry by the turn of the century.

The union, and the Penrhyn Relief Committee, appealed for help to the public at large. Perhaps nowhere was that support stronger than in Bolton. It was the help from local children, many of whom were working in the mills as 'half-timers', which marked out Bolton's contribution as exceptional.

Alongside the Labour Church, Allen Clarke and his newspaper Teddy Ashton's Northern Weekly, did much to galvanise support. One event that helped to build local support was the great 'Teddy Ashton Picnic' held at Barrow Bridge on May 11, 1901.

Clarke had a ready-made audience for his picnic in aid of Bethesda, through his newspaper. He built up support for the event through local groups like the Labour Church and arranged special reduced rate tickets with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. Wagonettes were on hand at Trinity Street station to take some of the visitors the three miles to Barrow Bridge, though most probably walked.

The picnic attracted a crowd of over 10,000, with people coming from all over Lancashire. There was entertainment provided by the local Clarion Choir and other musicians. The village institute laid on food to cater for the enormous crowds and quickly sold out.

The village shop produced special Barrow Bridge Rock which was popular with the children. There was even a 'moving picture show' by local impresario Fenton Cross.

The local constabulary had expressed concern to Clarke and the organisers that such a large crowd might cause disorder. In the event, a policeman turned up at Clarke's house the following day to thank him for a well-organised and entirely peaceful gathering! There wasn't a trace of litter.

Cutting from Teddy Ashton’s Northern Weekly

Fundraising efforts continued. The trades unions of Bolton responded magnificently to the quarrymen's appeal. Nineteen unions in the town contributed money, with the powerful spinners' union donating £150 and the Card and Blowing Room Operatives a further £150, with an additional £50 from the local branch.

Individual branches, such as the Bolton Spinners' Atlas no. 1 Mill, contributed smaller amounts. Engineers, bleachers and dyers, carters, hairdressers, railwaymen, miners, printers and even life assurance agents sent in substantial sums.

In June 1901 the Bethesda Choir made their first visit to Bolton as part of a national fund-raising tour. They were back the following week, performing at a concert in the Temperance Hall organised by Bolton Trades Council and the local Co-operative Society. The officers of the Trades Council spoke, alongside by the president of Bolton Co-operative Society. They were followed by the Liberal MP George Harwood and Bolton socialist activist Fred Brocklehurst.

The choir was asked to come back for a further concert. This time, the huge Albert Hall was the venue with reserved tickets selling for 2 shillings for the best seats down to sixpence. J. E. Jones, Headmaster of Bolton School, presided. A dialect recital was given by Albert Dearden.

The following day, a Sunday, Bolton Labour Church put on two performances of the choir in the Co-operative Hall, at 2.30 and 6pm.

Barrow Bridge featured once again in the campaign, with a fund-raising concert held in the former Institute on Good Friday, 1902.

The Harvey Street Choir, of Halliwell, was conducted by Mr F. Hamer. Their performance was followed by readings from the work of Bolton dialect writer J. T Staton.

Following the February concert in the Albert Hall, Clarke hit on a novel idea to involve young readers of his paper. He ran a children's column in Northern Weekly, writing as 'Grandad Grey'. At the beginning of February he published his first appeal, headed 'I WANT YOU TO HELP'.

Cutting from Teddy Ashton’s Northern Weekly showing the results of the Children’s Crusade to helkp the striking quarrymen of Bethseda

He gave a simple but moving account of the struggle so far, and asked: "Now I want the children of England – and especially the children who read The Northern Weekly – to help the children of Bethesda.

"I want you to collect money for them. I want you to collect old clothes and shoes, and shirts, stockings etc. from your neighbours and friends; then we'll send the money and clothes to the poor children of Bethesda. For we must not let the big lord beat them and their families."

The response was remarkable. Within a week 26 children had returned completed cards, with monies totalling £10.10.7. Most of the children were from the Bolton area, though some wrote in from Heywood, Ashton, Rochdale, Oldham and other Lancashire towns.

Rachel Baxendale from Darwen replied to the appeal within two days: "Dear Grandad, This is the first time in my life (that I have written a letter to a newspaper – ed.), but my dada said he would help me if I would try...We have read about the Bethesda children and we are sorry for those two little boys that had only one short for them both. We would like to help them if we could, and if you could please send us one of your collecting cards we will try. I may say that I am eight years old and in the second standard."

The following week, her contribution of 6s 5d was acknowledged in The Northern Weekly.

Susie Lord was a 13-year-old girl working at Whitewell Slipper Works at Waterfoot in Rossendale.

She wrote to The Northern Weekly to say that a copy of the paper had been passed round the Machine Room and the girls decided to have a collection. It raised £1 15s 6d, and Susie became a regular contributor to the fund. The girls in the adjoining 'Turnshoe and Clicking Rooms' contributed a further 10s 6d.

One of the most touching letters published in Northern Weekly came from 'Lily', daughter of one of the locked-out quarrymen. It was headed 'A Letter from a Bethesda Child'.

"Dear sir, I take this opportunity to thank you for your kindness, and to thank the children, who are collecting on behalf of the poor children at Bethesda, who have suffered so much during this cold weather.

"My father was at the mass meeting when Mr Lloyd read out some of the children's letters, and they were moved to tears when the sympathetic letters were read to the meeting.

"I am very glad to know you take so much interest in our cause, and that you intend to send an excursion here this summer, and I I would like to see some of the children when they come to Bethesda..... I hope you will accept my sincere thanks, on behalf of the children, and that you will accept my mistakes, as I am a 9-year old Welsh girl, who does not know to write English properly. You may print this letter in a corner of your paper, if you think it is good enough."

One of the 'excursions' took place at Whitsun 1902. Clarke organised a cycle trip from Bolton to Bethesda, offering 25s for full board for the week, or 5s for a day. The route was out via Chester and the coast, returning via an inland route through Betws-y-Coed and Wrexham.

He extolled "the cleanliness and sweet homeliness of the people" and the fine mountain scenery, walks, fishing and fresh air.

Despite their wide support, the men were defeated. By the end of October 1903 it was all over, with only a selected number of the men being allowed to return to work. The children's fund raised £147 9s 5d.

It was a small sum in comparison to the thousands raised by newspaper campaigns but in many ways it was more remarkable.

The letters from the young children, from ages of seven or eight, show an amazing degree of maturity and compassion.

At a time when children today are taking in an interest in issues like Climate Change, it's good to remember those youngsters of 120 years ago who stood up for justice.

Details of Paul's new book Moorlands, Memories and Reflections, featuring a chapter on the Penrhyn Lock-out and the history of Barrow Bridge is available from www.lancashire loominary.co.uk