The Gorrie Collection: Labour movement memorabilia, c.1889-1909

This material is held atUniversity of Leicester Special Collections

  • Reference
    • GB 338 MS 81
  • Former Reference
    • GB 338 MS081
  • Dates of Creation
    • 1889-1909
  • Name of Creator
  • Language of Material
    • English
  • Physical Description
    • 2 scrapbooks a box of loose papers and 9 mounted posters advertising public meetings.
  • Digital Materials

Scope and Content

Miscellaneous material relating to the Labour movement in Leicester and the East Midlands, c. 1889-1909 consisting of press cuttings, handbills, posters, circulars, invitations.

Large scrapbook (plain cover) 1889-1900:
- Consisting of press cuttings, posters, handbills, circulars, invitations, etc. (some loosely inserted), concerning the Leicester Radical Club, the Leicester branch of the Socialist League (of which Gorrie was a founder-member), the Leicester Christian Socialist Society, the Leicester Socialist and Anarchist Society, the Leicester Anarchists-Socialists, the Leicester Anarchists-Communists, the Leicester Anarchists' group, the Leicester branch of the Christian Social Union, the Leicester branch of the Independent Labour Party, the Leicester Trades Council, the Midlands Counties Socialist Federation, the Midland District Council of the Social-Democratic Foundation, etc. Among the speakers at meetings were Prince Kropotkin, Bernard Shaw, Sidney Webb, John Burns, Annie Besant, representatives of striking miners and dockers, and leading Leicester socialists.

Also includes manuscript notes by Gorrie of the first two meetings of the Leicester branch of the Socialist League, 11 and 18 October 1889.

Small scrapbook (inscribed 'Ledger') c.1889-1894:
- Containing press cuttings of letters, mainly to Leicester newspapers, on Anarchism, Socialism, labour problems, social welfare etc. Partially indexed, but a number of the pages containing items referred to have been torn out.

Box:
- Containing a bundle of papers relating to Gorrie's involvement with the Leicester Passive Resisters' League and the Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Citizens' League, 1902-1909, including summonses for non-payment of rates levied under the Education Act of 1902, receipts for goods distrained, notices of sales of distrained goods, tickets for and reports of meetings, and a few items of correspondence.

Mounted posters:
- 8 posters advertising meetings in Leicester, 1889-1894, organised by the Leicester Anarchist and Anarchist-Communist groups, the Leicester branch of the Socialist League, and the Dock Labourers' Strike Relief Fund. 1 poster advertising a meeting in Walsall of the Walsall Anarchists, 1894.

The posters were found loose in the Larger Scrapbook and mounted on card by the University of Sussex for the Hammersmith Bookshop, prior to the sale of the material to Leicester.

Administrative / Biographical History

Archibald Gorrie (1885-1941) was a founder member of the Socialist League and involved with the Leicester Passive Resisters' League and the Leicestershire, Leicester and Rutland Citizens' League. He was also an Alderman of Leicester and Hon. Treasurer of the City of Leicester Labour Party.

Access Information

The Special Collections Reading Room is open Monday-Friday. Opening hours vary, for updates see our Archives Hub repository page.

Researchers are required to book an appointment before their visit, through specialcollections@le.ac.uk or 0116 252 2056.

Acquisition Information

Purchased from the Hammersmith Bookshop Ltd, 1975.

Note

Prepared by Dr. A. Lacey. Special Collections Librarian, University of Leicester.

Other Finding Aids

Included in the publication: 'A handlist of the manuscript collection' , compiled by Brian Burch and Jenny Clark (Leicester University Library, 1998).

Related Material

'Education Act 1902: a scrapbook of news-cuttings, manuscript letters etc. relating to passive resistance to the Education Act 1902' compiled by P.F. Sparke Evans. Available at University of Leicester Special Collections (reference: SCM 06640).