Rewriting History?

It seems that two of our councillors have decided that it would be a good idea to re-write a bit of history, just a bit of massaging around the corners. Presumably to curry favour with some of the comrades in the GMB.

Motion number 10, yes 10 on the agenda for October 17th was to put up a plaque in memory of Will Thorne on Canning Town Library (the closed empty building, not the library that is being used).

This is a bit of a puzzle because according to every source, Will Thorne spoke and launched the gas workers’ union at Canning Town, Town Hall. That is the building currently leased to the charity, Community Links, not the library. This is a note from one entry:

“It was very much a cross-roads for the workers and Thorne led and organised a mass meeting at Canning Town Hall. This resulted in the creation of the National Union of Gas Workers and General Labourers on 31 March 1889.”

Just why would you put a plaque on one building when the events you are seeking to celebrate occurred at another? From the motion proposed by Booker and Paul it states that the meeting was on a Sunday and suggests that it was held in the open air, but all of the reports say the site was the Town Hall, (marked on the map as a ‘public hall’) that Thorne paid for out of his own pocket. 

We can only surmise, but it became known that the Gen. Sec. of the GMB was upset that the library was going to be used for commercial purposes, see ON article. He mistakenly believed that Thorne had launched the union, a pre-curser of the GMB, at the library. He didn’t, but why let facts ruin a good story.

The GMB, it seems will pay for the installation. It is evident that the movers of the motion, whom we guess are now both members of the GMB, are seeking to curry favour with the union leadership. Could this be because at least one of them will want the backing of the union in a forthcoming selection battle for a parliamentary seat in Stratford?

Readers will recall that campaigners wanted the old library turned into a community centre, just like the community centre next door! Quite how many community centres they wanted on that stretch of Barking Road is unknown. The fact that the building remains empty some five years later suggests that this was all a bit of political posturing, as is the proposal to put up a plaque.

Thorne was a giant of the early history of the labour movement. It is right that he should be honoured. But at least Newham could put up a plaque on the right building.

And our councillors, when they’ve finished with the meaningless virtue signalling, how about coming up with an idea that actually works to bring the old library back into use and is of benefit to the residents of Canning Town.