On 5 October 1936 a group of 200 men from the small town of Jarrow in Northeast England undertook a remarkable journey to Marble Arch to petition for their right to work. Known as the Jarrow Crusade, they walked over 280 miles to Marble Arch in a peaceful protest against the chronic unemployment and poverty that had gripped their town.
On 31 October 1936, after 26 days of walking, they reached their destination, Marble Arch, a landmark with a rich history as a symbolic site for protests and public expression.
The march was led by David Riley, chair of Jarrow council and the march Marshall. Ellen Wilkinson, MP for Jarrow and one of only four women MPs in the government at the time, joined the marchers for part of their journey to help draw attention to their cause and presented their petition to Parliament on 4 November 1936.
The marchers represented a community devastated by economic hardship. Jarrow had been a thriving industrial town, centered around shipbuilding. However, the Great Depression of the 1930s brought mass unemployment to many industrial towns in the UK. For Jarrow, the closure of Palmer’s Shipyard in 1934, the main source of employment in the town, was particularly devastating, leaving over 70% of the working population without jobs and driving many families into poverty.
During the last 15 years Jarrow has passed through a period of industrial depression without parallel in the town’s history. Its shipyard is closed. Its steelworks have been denied the right to reopen. Where formerly 8,000 people, many of them skilled workers, were employed, only 100 men are now employed on a temporary scheme. The town cannot be left derelict.
Speech by Ellen Wilkinson, MP for Jarrow, in the House of Commons on malnutrition, 1936.
The march was a way for the people of Jarrow to demand government attention and action. Their aim was to ask Parliament for a new steelworks after the closure of Palmer’s Shipyard. The men marched peacefully in uniforms of blue overcoats, carrying a petition signed by over 11,000 people, asking for action on unemployment in Jarrow.
The marchers travelled through numerous towns and cities, including Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester, Northampton and St Albans, one of the final stops before reaching London. Many communities along the route supported the marchers with food, shelter and encouragement. Many marched army style, walking for 50 minutes and resting for 10 minutes.
After 26 days on the road, the Jarrow Marchers reached London, concluding their journey at Marble Arch. They were met by supporters, as well as a crowd curious about their journey. The sight of the marchers at Marble Arch captured national attention, with media outlets covering their arrival and emphasising the dignified way they conducted their protest.
The Jarrow Crusade did not immediately lead to government action or substantial policy changes. When Ellen Wilkinson presented their petition to Parliament on 4 November 1936, it was met with sympathy but little direct action. The government of the time argued that addressing individual towns’ economic struggles could set a challenging precedent and maintained its broader approach to tackling the economic downturn.
However, the march has inspired countless activists and is frequently held up as a model of disciplined, peaceful protest.
The Jarrow March | History – Exploring the Past: Protest, BBC Teach, 28 April 2016
