![]() ![]() Īccounts differ on what initiated the violence on the day, but police testimony at the following trials records that the police baton charged the striking workers at 12:20. ![]() They were awaiting an answer to the telegram the Lord Provost of Glasgow had sent to the Prime Minister on behalf of a delegation of strikers on 29 January, asking the government to intervene. On 31 January, a large number of strikers (contemporary estimates range from 20,000 to 25,000 ) congregated in George Square. ![]() On the meeting's close, instructions were sent to Scottish Command informing of the situation and to be prepared to deploy government troops if requested. The decision to use the armed forces to provide the requested force, in the absence of a declaration of martial law, required those forces be acting on behalf of a civil authority. While it was government policy at the time to not involve itself in labour disputes, the agreed action was justified to ensure there was 'sufficient force' present within the immediate locale of Glasgow to secure the continuation of public order and operation of municipal services. Winston Churchill, Secretary of State for War and Robert Munro, Secretary of State for Scotland, who were not members of the War Cabinet were in attendance, among others.Īt the meeting concern was voiced that, given the concurrent European popular uprisings, the strike had the possibility to spread throughout the country. The telegram and the Sheriff's request prompted the War Cabinet to discuss the 'Strike Situation in Glasgow' on 30 January The meeting was chaired by Bonar Law in the absence of the prime minister, Lloyd George. After the meeting, the Sheriff of Lanarkshire contacted the government to ask if military aid would be available to him, if needed, should there be any disorder on the Friday. It was agreed that the strikers would return at noon on Friday 31 January to hear the response. On 29 January a delegation of strikers met the Lord Provost of Glasgow, and it was agreed that he would send a telegram to the Deputy Prime Minister, Bonar Law, asking the government to intervene. This was Scotland's most widespread strike since the Radical War of 1820, which had followed the end of the Napoleonic Wars. The rapid growth of the action was credited to flying pickets, most of whom were recently discharged servicemen. Sympathy strikes also started among local power station workers and miners from the nearby Lanarkshire and Stirlingshire pits. By 30 January, 40,000 workers from the Clyde's engineering and shipbuilding industries had joined. The resulting strike began on Monday 27 January, with a meeting of around 3,000 workers held at the St. The Scottish TUC and Clyde Workers' Committee (CWC) sought to increase the availability of jobs open to demobilised soldiers by reducing the working week from a newly-agreed 47 hours to 40 hours. This combined with the increasingly worsening domestic fiscal and monetary environment to create the prospect of mass unemployment. The end of the First World War saw the United Kingdom demobilise its military and industry from its war footing, reducing employment. Although it is often stated that there were no fatalities, one police constable died several months later from injuries received during the rioting. The strike leaders were arrested for inciting the riot. During the riot, the Sheriff of Lanarkshire called for military aid, and government troops, supported by six tanks, were moved to key points in the city. ![]() The "battle", also known as "Bloody Friday" or "Black Friday", took place on Friday 31 January 1919, shortly after the end of the First World War. The Battle of George Square was a violent confrontation in Glasgow, Scotland between City of Glasgow Police and striking workers, centred around George Square.
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