The Women and Men of 1926: A Gender and Social History of the General Strike and Miners' Lockout in South Wales

by Sue Bruley

In The Women and Men of 1926 Sue Bruley recounts the social history of the mining communities in south Wales during the 1926 lockout. Relying on hitherto unpublished oral testimony as well as other archival material, Bruley investigates how households coped with the lockout and assesses the impact that it had on gender relations. Individual chapters consider topics such as school canteens, miners’ lodges, recreational activities, picketing, and politics.

224 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2010

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This excellent study looks at the impact (and briefly the aftermath) of the 1926 Lockout in South Wales on families, communities, and gender relations. Which makes it a unique approach compared with the more usual labour/employer interpretations. Mining communities organised subsistence and social activities; men and women moved in each others spheres. Many women with a social-feminist outlook rose to prominence.