Omnibus Strike 1937

Scope and Content

Papers relating to the 1937 Central London Omnibus Strike, notably proceedings of the Court of Inquiry into the Central London Omnibus Dispute, 1937; documentary evidence submitted to the Court of Inquiry by the London Passenger Transport Board, 1926-1937, including details of rates of pay and conditions of service, correspondence of Ernest Bevin to Frank Pick and Theodore Thomas of the LPTB, statistics relating to driver illness, and details of London traffic and bus speed; left-wing material regarding the strike, 1936-1937, notably pamphlets issued by the London Busmen's Rank-and-File Movement, the Transport and General Workers' Union and the Communist Party of Great Britain, as well as copies of The Daily Worker ; miscellaneous material, including a memorandum of agreement between the TGWU and the LPTB as to rates of pay and conditions of service for conductors and drivers.

Administrative / Biographical History

The creation of the London Passenger Transport Board (known as London Transport or LT) in 1933 brought all bus, tram, trolleybus and Underground services under a single body. The 1937 strike was protesting about conditions of work for the bus drivers and conductors, notably hours of work, rates of pay and a proposed speed-up of London buses.

Arrangement

The collection mainly comprises bound volumes and is arranged as outlined in the Scope and Content.

Access Information

This collection has been microfilmed and the originals withdrawn from public use for preservation purposes. The microfilm must be used. Apply to Archivist for originals.

Other Finding Aids

Printed handlist available.

Alternative Form Available

Microfilm made available by Follet Preservation Microfilming Project, 1998. Films are held on open access in the Library (Archives MF 293).

Archivist's Note

Sources: British Library of Political and Economic Science Archives catalogue. Compiled by Sarah Aitchison as part of the RSLP AIM25 project.

Conditions Governing Use

Apply to Archivist for copyright details. Microfilm copies only.

Custodial History

Given by the London Passenger Transport Board and others in 1938.

Related Material

The London Metropolitan Archives hold records of the London Passenger Transport Board, 1933-1948 (Ref: 1297/LPT).

Geographical Names