Manningham Mills Strike Centenary - Bradford, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 48.498 W 001° 46.647
30U E 580503 N 5962885
This blue plaque commemorates a 4 month long strike during 1890 and 1891, at what was at the time the largest silk mill in the world.
Waymark Code: WMJXZT
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 01/14/2014
Views: 3
The plaque is on the side of the mill near to the junction of Lillycroft Road and Heaton Road. Thetext on the plaque is as follows.
MANNINGHAM MILL STRIKE
CENTENARY
1890 1990
At this place in
December 1890 began the
Manningham Mills Strike,
which lasted until April
1891. This led to the
founding of the Bradford
Labour Union which in
turn saw the formation of
the national Independent
Labour Party in Bradford
three years later.
Bradford City Heritage
During the industrial revolution Bradford became a major textile manufacturer and was known as the 'Wool capital of the world'.
This mill was erected in 1873 by successful businessman Samuel Lister on the site of a previous mill that had burnt down.
It specialised in silk and velvet production and employed 11,000 men, women and children. The strike started after Lister cut the wages of employees in the velvet production section of the factory because the United States had imposed tariffs on the import of velvet material and was affecting the factory's exports. The workers argued that the factory was still making a profit and that it was unfair to cut their wages.
Initially 1,000 people went on strike which turned into a long bitter dispute. There were riots in the streets of Bradford and eventually a total of 5,000 people joined the dispute. Lister refused to back down and eventually the workers were forced to go back to work.
After the strike ended the Independent Labour Party was formed, and although always a separate organisation it was the forerunner of the modern Labour Party.
The mill finally closed in 1992 and has been been converted to apartments and in 2006 the first residents moved in.