Kmflett's Blog

London Socialist Historians Group

14th March

contact Dr Keith Flett 07803 167266

The London Socialist Historians Group, which organises the socialist history seminar at the Institute of Historical Research, University of London has said that its final seminar of the Spring term, due on Monday 16th March, has been cancelled as a precaution in the light of the spread of the coronavirus.

The historians say that encouraging people to travel to central London when they may not otherwise have had a reason to be there, and meeting in the relatively confined space of a seminar room, was not felt to be a sensible thing to do.

It is hoped that the seminar will now take place later in 2020 and this has been discussed with the speaker.(the paper was delivered via Zoom with the speaker in Australia in October 2020)

Rhys Williams was due to speak on research that he has been doing on Tom Mann in Australia.

A brief summary of what he is covering is below. Questions and comments on this are welcome and will be passed on to him

Tom Mann in Australia – 1902-1909

My paper is a study of Tom Mann, the great British socialist and trade unionist, and his involvement in the Australian labour movement between 1902 and 1909.

My paper explores Mann’s experience in Australia, his role in the building of the Australian Left, and the impact of Australia on his politics.

My paper particularly engages with Mann’s involvement in the Australian Labor Party (ALP), the Victorian Socialist Party (VSP), and his role in the great Broken Hill Strike of 1908-1909.