Ninety years after the original Jarrow Marchers were turned away, their descendants have finally been welcomed at Downing Street. Family members of the historic march presented a copy of the original petition to the Prime Minister, righting a historic wrong.
Historic Wrong Righted
The Jarrow March, also known as the Jarrow Crusade, saw 200 people walk nearly 300 miles over three weeks from Jarrow to London. The marchers aimed to highlight the town's plight and present a petition requesting government action on rising unemployment following the closure of Palmer's shipyard, Jarrow's main employer, which left approximately 10,000 people jobless overnight.
While the petition was received by the House of Commons, it was not debated, and the Prime Minister at the time, Stanley Baldwin, was "too busy" to meet the marchers. Then-Labour MP for Jarrow, Ellen Wilkinson, walked alongside the crusaders for large portions of the journey and called the government's response "an affront to the national conscience".
90th Anniversary Commemoration
Now, Labour MP for Jarrow Kate Osborne accompanied 30 relatives of march members to London to present a copy of the original petition. The petition was printed by Smith Bros in the Jarrow constituency, who also printed Ellen Wilkinson's election posters in the 1930s.
Osborne said: "Welcoming the descendants of the Jarrow Crusade to Parliament is a real honour. The men who took part in the march were standing up for their families, their community and their right to work. They demonstrated the strength, solidarity and determination of the people of Jarrow. Ninety years later, their story is still relevant and needs to be heard."
Prime Minister Andy Burnham met the descendants at 10 Downing Street, saying: "It's been 90 years since the Jarrow Marchers were turned away. They had walked almost 300 miles to demand jobs and a future for their town, but they were ignored. I'm glad that we've been able to right this wrong today. Their courage and determination has never been forgotten, and it's a real privilege to honour their legacy here at Downing Street."
Exhibition and Legacy
As part of the 90th anniversary, Osborne helped establish an exhibition on the Jarrow March, featuring the original petition box, a marcher's badge, a House of Commons tea ticket, a postcard sent home to a daughter, and Wilkinson's personal copy of The Town That Was Murdered, a book on the history of Jarrow published three years after the march.
Burnham added: "Even today, the North East doesn't always get the attention it deserves from Westminster. In this role I am determined to change that." Osborne said she will "keep our Jarrow rebel spirit and story alive" and, in memory of Ellen Wilkinson, do all she can to keep Jarrow at the heart of the fight for social justice.
