The London May Day demonstration 3rd May 1891. Demanding the 8 hour day
The first ever London May Day demonstration was in 1890 after the idea had been agreed by the Second International in 1889. Obviously May Day, more broadly, had been a day of celebration for much longer.
In 1890 there were two London May Day demonstrations, one on the day itself and the other on the Sunday. By 1891 a more united effort took place, which is not to say of course that it was entirely united.
Engels wrote about his participation in the 1891 May Day which was in Hyde Park focused on the demand for a legal 8 hour day. Behind that lay much discussion, planning and organisation.
Between 1890 and 1891 the TUC had agreed to officially support the 8 hour day demand and the demonstration was jointly organised by the London Trades Council whose secretary George Shipton was chief steward and socialist organisations headed up by Edward Aveling.
Shipton was an opponent of the new unionism according to Engels put numerous bureaucratic obstacles in the way of organising a successful demonstration
On the day, well before amplification, there were a range of speakers platforms and Engels had a ticket for one. This however did not guarantee total unity. The Social Democratic Federation which had been involved in organising the event had withdrawn and set up its own platform, or at least according to Engels, stood on chairs at the edge of the main gathering.
Engels noted that the SDF had withdrawn due to a requirement of each branch of participating organisations to pay 25p towards the cost. In his view this would have meant the SDF contributing money for branches which existed in name only. They decided not to and split.
The headline of course was a significant demonstration for the 8 hour day a demand long since won but actually still hugely relevant in 2025 in practice. The small print reveals the same need for patient and painstaking organisation to achieve such demonstrations and of course the existence of those who for one reason or another don’t participate.
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