General Strike Brighton 1926

[billinbrighton]

I am researching the 22 men arrested during the Battle of Lewes Road and appeared in court on 12 May 1926. I only have the following list and would be grateful for any help regarding the past and futures of these men.

1. George Richardson  £5 fine paid  167 Havelock Road

2. William Batchelor  1 month   S.R Lifter   86 Picton Street

3. Albert Lawrence 6 month Goods Porter 17 Franklin Street

4. John Lawrence Knight 4 month  S.R Driller 31 Millers Road

5. Alfred Blakesley 4 month Seaman 66 Hereford Street   Note: Moved

6. Percy Isaac Sawyer 3 month  S.R Hammerman 66 Ewart Street

7. Joseph Alfred Vinall Discharged  Mental

8. Fred King  6 month Tram  74 Franklin Road

9. William Joseph Knight 6 month Tram 45 Arnold Strret

10. John Walkden 4 month S.R  41 Park Cresent Road

11. Charles Marchant  40/- Bottlewasher 12 Southover Street

12. George Edward Newton 6 month Tram 67 Hartington Road

13. William Jones 6 month (?)oot Operative 6 Tichbourne Street

14. Horace Grosvenor 2 month Tram 38 Ladysmith Road

15. Algernon Sidney King 2 month Tram 95 Ladysmith Road

16. William Woolgar 1 month S.R Engine Fitter 51 Park Cresent Road

17. Percy Alfred Phillips 1 month Labourer 6 Islingword Street

18. Robert Victor Thompson 2 month S.R Painter 38 Stanley Road

19. Walter Birkhead 2 month Kitchenhand 4 Kimberly Road

20. Thomas George Spencer Remanded 8 days errand boy 51 William Street

21. Arthur J. Mitchell 2 month 42 Hendon Street, Kemptown
 
Thanks for any help!!! Sorry for any spelling mistakes as all taken from poor, hand typed list

[Roy G]

Too many to comment on but it's worth looking some of the names up on FreeBMD and then following through on family history websites like Genes Reunited and relevent censuses.
.
eg John Lawrence Knight, born Steyning District (Hove or Preston) 1883 married 1908 (link on Genes).
Horace Grosvenor born Brigton 1887, married Kate King 1911, daughter and a son. (link on Genes)
Percy Isaac Sawyer born Brighton 1891, married Rose Martin 1919, daughter 1920
Robert Victor Thompson born Brighton 1904, (2 links on Genes) Thomas George Spencer born Brighton 1908 (link on Genes),
Joseph Alfred Vinall born Brighton 1904.
George Edward Newton may have been George Edmond Newton born Brighton 1897 (link on Genes)

Roy G

[billinbrighton]

Thanks Roy for the work you have done and the suggestions. I will get onto their birth records but it is a lot more difficult to find details of their life after being given 'hard labour' in 1926 and how this affected their families.
Cheers Bill

[Roy G]

I take it you have read the various local books in the Queenspark series and Googled the BATTLE OF LEWES ROAD for the piece published on the My Brighton website and the University's collection of eyewitness reports.  If not, it may be worth your while to do so.

As for tracing descendents, if Genes or 'Ancestry' does not help, a piece in the local paper would seem to be a more ecconomic way to find out more.   You could also approach the Sussex Family History Group to see if they would put a piece in their next quarterly journal due out in March

I also checked a few names on FreeBMD to see if any died in Brighton.  Algernon King did in 1951, so a street directory should give you his local address and an electoral roll, the names of those of voting age that lived with him.  That may be a starting point.
Algernon was married to Emma Parsons (1914) and had 5 children born 1915-1922.  Freebmd will also give you the 3 sons names so that they too can be chased up in more recent local street directories.

Roy G

[billinbrighton]

Have since found that George Richardson was charged with 'inciting to riot' and the evidence was that he was carrying a copy of Punch - a Communist Party broadsheet - and shouting 'Up the Russians'. He was found guilty and sentenced to 1 month hard labour or fine of £5, which he paid.
William Batchelor was probably William Henry Batchelor born Dec 1899. Accused of shouting 'They would be no bloody good without their houses (horses?). What a brave lot of b******s, go for them, they won't hurt you'. Found guilty and sentenced to 1 month hard labour.
Albert Lawrence was born around 1878 but I can find no birth record. He was charged with assulting Police Sgt Wells and P.C Minton and sentenced to 6 month hard labour.
Still searching and any help appreciated!!!

[Roy G]

If the birth year you have for Albert is correct, I suggest he was the Albert who married Emma Underwood in Lambeth (1900).  The couple then moved to Brighton where between 1903-1918 they produced a total of 8 children.   Roy G

[Roy G]

My husband directed me to this topic and I found your research interesting.  Have you tried any labour movement archives? Either the local Labour Party or the Communist Party might have documents and/or records of assistance they provided to the families while their men were in prison. Unfortunately none of the old stalwarts that I knew in the 70's and 80's are still alive, they would have been a good source of information.  Roy already mentioned local papers, how about the socialist and communist press at the time? Those have probably been deposited at Collingwood, if the party apparatus is unable to help you. Good luck with your research!
JG