Catalogue Number
NBS I/D 234
Object Name
banner
Title
UNION AND VICTORY
Place
London: Port Of London; Poplar & London & England & UK
Events
Great Dock Strike; Transport Strike of 1912; Poplar Rates dispute
Date
1889
Creator(s)
NBS National Museum of Labour HistoryNBS National Museum of Labour History
Description
This banner was made for the Great London Dock Strike of 1889.
The main objectives of the striking dockworkers were: no docker or general labourer should be taken on for less than four hours a day, wages should be increased by one penny per hour (giving them six pennies an hour), eight pennies an hour for overtime, and the maintenance of meal times .
The dockers secured their objectives. More important was the establishment of their union, the Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Labourers Union, with Ben Tillett as its full-time secretary
The banner was also carried in the Transport Strike of 1912 and the Poplar Rates dispute of 1921.
Materials: the technique used to make the banner follows the style of naval flag making. The fabric letter shapes are sewn into corresponding holes cut into the main fabric ground (panel) rather than being sewn onto the surface. Both ground and lettering fabrics are plain woven wool 'bunting'.
The banner was given full conservation treatment in the People's History Museum Textile Conservation Studio in 1997.
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