Film Number

7708

Title

RUTH AND EDDIE FROW INTERVIEW - PART 3

Producer

WFA

Date

1989

Gauge

U-Matic HB SP

Colour

colour

Sound

sound

Running Time

21 mins 30 secs

Description

The third 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 explains how, after WW1, the rise of the Communist International and Red International of Labour Unions enhanced the political clarity of unemployed workers. How these events enabled activists in the NUWM to analyse current events and disseminate information and understanding to their membership. They speak about the Comintern and the right wing of the labour leadership. And about the very lively working class culture that grew up out of this disaffection in sharp contrast to today where better living conditions have created more isolation amongst working people with a general debasement of the cultural scene.

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