Britain Between
the Wars
The Jarrow Crusade 1936
Today’s Lesson
In today’s class we will learn about:
● The Jarrow Crusade.
● Why it happened.
● Ellen Wilkinson’s role in the Crusade.
● Impact of the Crusade.
Economic Depression
● North East of England badly
affected by Depression.
● Largest employer was the
shipbuilding industry.
● Also lots of coal and steel workers.
● Mass unemployment.
The Dole
● Means Test Introduced,
hated.
● The elderly on the OAP living
with children were considered
lodgers.
● Forced to leave family home.
● Broke up families as pensions
considered a form of income.
Christian Overtones
● March referred to as a
‘Crusade’.
● Organisers wanted to distance
themselves from atheist
Communist organisations.
● Wanted the public to see them
as not to blame.
Jarrow Town
● Population around
35,000.
● Predominantly Working
Class.
● Devastated by closure
of Palmer’s Shipyard.
● 1934 - 68%
Unemployment rate.
Jarrow Crusade 1936
● Protest against long-term
unemployment.
● Wanted to highlight their
plight.
● Walk from Jarrow to
London.
● Over 300 miles.
Jarrow March 1936
● Started 5 October 1936.
● Men only, thought to be too difficult for
women.
● 200 fit men.
● £1,000 raised to feed and look after the
marchers.
● Took 25 days.
Disciplined March
● Military style.
● Began walking at 9:30 every morning.
● 10 minutes of rest, 50 minutes of
walking.
● Men played harmonicas at the front and
sang songs.
● Men met supporters in every town they
passed through.
London
●
●
●
●
Arrived in London after 23 days of marching.
Public demonstration in Hyde Park.
Met some MPs and councillors.
Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin refused to
meet marchers.
● Marchers took the train home.
Ellen Wilkinson
●
●
●
●
Socialist - nicknamed ‘Red Ellen’.
First woman MP.
MP for Jarrow.
MP for Labour Party although often got into
trouble with them.
● Walked with marchers for part of Crusade.
● Gave speeches and support to marchers.
● Provided free milk to all school children.
Impact of the Crusade
● No positive short-term effects.
● Marchers got their dole reduced as they
hadn’t been in Jarrow to sign on.
● In 1938, a new ship-breaking year was set
up.
● 1939, a steel works set up.
● WWII again gave more employment.
● Part of folk memory in North-East England.