Records of the National Minority Movement

Scope and Content

Small collection of correspondence relating to the National Minority Movement, it also includes a printed manifesto to all workers about the 1929 General Election and papers relating to the 6th Annual Conference in August 1929

Administrative / Biographical History

Founded in 1924 by the Communist Party of Great Britain, the National Minority Movement (NMM) consisted of committees made up of militant members of existing trade unions. It was headed by the unionist Tom Mann and by Harry Pollitt (who subsequently became General Secretary of the Communist Party of Great Britain). The NMM aimed to revolutionise the policy, structure and outlook of the trade union movement and sought to appeal to those who were unhappy with the trade unions but not willing to join the Communist Party. Various trade union branches and trades councils affiliated to the NMM, especially within the transport, railway and engineering industries, and a number of leftwing trade union leaders were also supportive. Its influence in the trade union movement waned after the General Strike in 1926.

Access Information

Access will be granted to any accredited reader

Custodial History

Donated by Jim Roche, through Dr Joyce Bellamy, Department of Economic and Social History, University of Hull, June 1990

Related Material

Records of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Hull Branch) [U DCP]

Workers International League [U DP201]

Papers of Benjamin Theaker Parkin MP [U DBP]

Papers of Denzil Dean Harber [U DDH]

Papers of Harold Laski (and Frida Laski) [U DLA]

Papers of Howard Hill [U DHH]

Papers of Jock Haston [U DJH]

Photocopies of the Revolutionary Communist Party Journal, 'Militant' [U DX211]

Other repositories:

Labour History Archive and Study Centre (People's History Museum)

Oxford University, Nuffield College Library

Warwick University: Modern Records Centre