Descendants of the 1936 Jarrow Crusade have delivered a replica petition to Westminster, 90 years after the original marchers were denied a meeting with the Prime Minister. The group, accompanied by current Jarrow MP Kate Osbourne, carried the original petition box and a commemorative copy of the petition, printed by the same constituency printers who produced Ellen Wilkinson MP's election posters.
A Historic Journey Remembered
The original Jarrow Crusade saw 200 labourers march nearly 300 miles from the North East to London in 1936, carrying a petition with over 11,000 signatures. They sought government help to re-establish industry in the town after Palmer's Shipyard, its main employer, closed in 1934. When they arrived on October 26, 1936, Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin was "too busy" to meet them.
Now, unlike 90 years ago, the descendants were welcomed into Parliament. Lee McShane, whose great-grandfather William McShane was one of the marchers, said: "I think they all shared one common goal and that was to be heard." He added: "It's a great honour to be able to represent Jarrow and my great-grandad. The courage he showed, along with the other marchers, is admirable."
Family Legacies and Modern Reflections
Bronwyn Mogie's great-great-granduncles Henry and Robert Mogie were 24 and 31 when they joined the march. She said: "I can only imagine the mixture of exhaustion, worry and hope. They were walking towards London, but their thoughts must have been with their families back home. They carried the hopes of a whole town, and that is an enormous responsibility."
Mogie also highlighted the role of women left behind: "I also think about the women left behind, keeping families fed and together. Their determination deserves to be remembered, too." She has started a campaign for a Shipyard Heritage Museum in the region, saying: "There is dignity in being able to earn a living and build a future where you belong."
Ken Battye, grandson of marcher John Porter, noted his family's enduring connection. His late mother, Councillor Edith Battye (née Porter), served as a councillor for over three decades, including as Mayor of South Tyneside, and played a central role in the 1986 'Second Jarrow March' exactly fifty years after her father's march.
A Poignant Journey
James Croll's great-uncle Andrew Croll was just 18 when he joined the march. Croll said: "The marchers weren't asking for charity. They wanted the opportunity to work, earn a decent living and provide for themselves and their families." He added: "Although Britain is a very different place today, there are still communities that feel overlooked, where opportunities can be limited and where people feel their concerns aren't being heard."
Reflecting on his own journey to London, Croll said: "There's something particularly poignant about making the journey to London myself, 90 years after Andrew. I'll be travelling under very different circumstances, of course, but to be able to visit Downing Street and Parliament, remembering Andrew and representing the wider family, is something quite special."
