Lest we forget
In November 1927,a Welsh miners march from the Welsh valleys to London was organised by the National Unemployed Workers Movement. The marchers were demanding a decent level of unemployment relief, the dropping of the unemployment bill and an adequate government responce to the problems of the coal industry. Although well supported along its route, the marchers had to face the prospect of no offical support as the Trades Union Congress had sent a circular to trades councils advising them not to give any help to marchers and their organisers.
The Scottish NUWM conference of 1928 concluded that the welsh miners march of the previous year had been a success in terms of highlighting the prevailing economic situation and the high levels of unemployment throughout British coal communities. Based on this the Scottish branches of the NUWM decided to hold a similar march of Scottish miners,to Edinburgh, to meet the Scottish Board of Health and to demand full relief for the large numbers of unemployed miners in Scotland.
Led by NUWM leader Walter Hannington,a crowd of over 250 men marched from the coalfields of Lanarkshire,Stirlingshire and Fife to Edinburgh. The march attracted a lot of support along its route and the Scottish co-operative society provided food fro the marchers. The 1928 Scottish miners march won the NUWM important gains in Scotland in terms of recognition and dealt a blow to the perceived wisdom of the Scottish parish councils that the unemployed had no rights and could expect only charity.