George Howell Papers on Microfilm
Collection Number: 5423 mf
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library
Title:
George Howell Papers on Microfilm,
1864-1910
Collection Number:
5423 mf
Creator:
Howell, George
Quantity:
25 microfilm reels
Forms of Material:
Papers (documents), microfilm.
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and
Archives, Cornell University Library
Abstract:
Autobiography, diaries, and correspondence of George Howell;
also included are minutes of the IWMA, papers of the Trades Union Congress, and news
clippings.
Language:
Collection material in English
George Howell was born in Wrington, Somerset, the oldest of eight children of a
builder and contractor. During the week he worked twelve hours a day as a
mortar-boy, and at one point he was a bricklayer, but, dedicated his Sundays to
reading.
Howell didn't enjoy working as a builder so he got a job as an apprentice shoemaker.
While working at this he was introduced to radical newspapers including the Northern
Star and the Red Republican. As a result he joined the Chartist movement in 1848.
Howell relocated to London in 1854 where he returned to bricklaying, because he was
unable to find work as a shoemaker. He continued to attend radical political
meetings and through these meetings he met several prominent people, including Karl
Marx, George Holyoake, Charles Bradlaugh and Frederic Harrison. Howell joined the
Operative Bricklayers' Society (a New Model Trade Union) in 1859, and was a major
part in leading a strike in support of a nine-hour working day. Because of his work
with the union he became one of the foremost New Model unionists, along with Robert
Applegarth and George Potter, but ended up blacklisted by employers for five years.
In 1861 he was elected, along with Potter and Applegarth to the executive of the
London Trades Council (LTC). He also became full-time secretary of the Reform League
in 1865 after a campaign for universal suffrage. Howell organised demonstrations in
London in 1866 and 1867, and was a big influence on the campaign behind the 1867
Reform Act. Even with all of this, he was still not happy with the scale of reform
and continued to campaign for universal suffrage.
Howell was appointed secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in 1871, and was a
regular contributor to the journal the Bee-Hive and published several books in the
1870s.
He tried unsuccessfully to become a part of parliament at Aylesbury in the general
elections of 1868 and 1874 and at Stafford in a by- election in 1881. Howell was
finally successful in 1885 as Lib-Lab candidate for Bethnal Green North East,
London. He helped to pass the Merchant Shipping Act 1894, while in Parliament, and
was successful in defending his seat in 1886 and 1892, but, lost his seat in 1895 to
the Conservative Mancherjee Bhownagree.
Due to poor health he retired from public life . His old friend Robert Applegarth and
the TUC raised a 1650 testimonial to buy him an annuity before his death in
1911.
Autobiography, diaries, and correspondence of George Howell; also included are
minutes of the IWMA, papers of the Trades Union Congress, and news clippings. Papers
are noteworthy relative to American radicalism because of his work as Council of the
International Workingmen's Association and his association with prominent American
leaders. Originals at the Bishopgate Institute in London. Materials were filmed on
behalf of the Society for the Study of Labour and Radical History.
Names:
Howell, George, 1833-1910
Form and Genre Terms:
Papers (documents)
Microfilm.
Access Restrictions:
Access to the collections in the Kheel Center is restricted. Please contact a
reference archivist for access to these materials.
Restrictions on Use:
This collection must be used in keeping with the Kheel Center Information Sheet
and Procedures for Document Use.
Cite As:
George Howell Papers on Microfilm #5423 mf. Kheel Center for Labor-Management
Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.
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Description
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Date
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positive
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| Reel 2 | |||
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positive
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| Reel 3 | 1866-1869 | ||
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positive
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| Reel 7 | |||
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positive
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| Reel 8 | |||
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positive
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| Reel 9 | 1864-1908 | ||
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positive
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| Reel 10 | 1864-1908 | ||
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positive
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| Reel 18 | |||
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positive
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| Reel 19 | |||
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positive
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| Reel 20 | 1867-1906 | ||
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positive
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positive
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| Reel 22 | |||
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positive
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| Reel 23 | |||
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positive
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| Reel 24 | 1909-1910 | ||
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positive
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| Reel 25 | |||
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positive
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