Sound recordings and transcriptions of interviews by Joan Smith of Harry McShane, Marxist activist... 1.10 "1915 rent strike" (side 1); 1.26 (side 2), [c1972]
Subjects of 1.10 include (transcript page numbers given in brackets): opposition of Catholic clergy to provision of local authority housing in Glasgow (Y1-Y2); bad housing conditions (Y2-Y3); rise in rents and consequent evictions following outbreak of First World War (Y3-Y5); increasing disillusion with the war (Y6-Y7); protest in November 1915 against an eviction case and the sacking of John Maclean from his job as a schoolmaster (Y7-Y8); delay in hearing the eviction case until the passing of the Rent Restriction Act (Y8-Y9); continued application of the Act (Y9); McShane’s anti-war activity (Y12); involvement of British Socialist Party in rent strikes and other protests (Y13-Y14); defeat of pro-war element in Glasgow BSP (Y14); organisation of demonstrations by the unemployed in Glasgow from 1920 and implementation of measures to relieve hardship (Y16-Y17).
1.26 mainly relates to campaigning for the unemployed in Glasgow in the early 1920s, including seeking higher benefits from parish councils for individual claimants.
Brand: not legible C60.