Film Number

7707

Title

RUTH AND EDDIE FROW INTERVIEW - PART 2

Producer

WFA

Date

1989

Gauge

U-Matic HB SP

Colour

colour

Sound

sound

Running Time

21 mins 45 secs

Description

The second part of an interview with the activists and historians, Ruth and Eddie Frow at the Working Class Movement Library in Salford. The interview was part of the research for a film about unemployment and low pay focussing on the activists and activity at Kirkby Unemployed Centre in Merseyside. Ruth and Eddie speak about the history of their direct experience of the unemployed movement in the North West through the National Unemployed Workers' Movement (NUWM), specifically the years 1930 to 1934 when Eddie was involved. Eddie speaks about the hunger marches at Birkenhead and Liverpool, where the biggest demonstrations and clashes with the authorities took place, because of their strong tradition of militancy and some of the greatest working class leaders in Leo McGree and Joe Rawlings. Eddie speaks about specific events and incidents which took place on the hunger marches in Preston, Rugby and elsewhere; about the importance of the Spanish Civil War in forging Working Class unity; and factory gate meetings, many organised by the National Unemployed Workers' Movement which forged unity between employed and unemployed workers.

[Catalogued as part of 'Revitalising the Regions' a Screen Heritage UK project, 2011]