Main Performers | Mr T Killon (Chairman), Mr George Bernard Shaw, Mr J Matson, Mr Robert Smillie, Miss Margaret Bondfield, Mr W H Watkins - speakers
Miss Mabel Manson, Mr Robert Radford - vocals, Mr H L Balfour - organ |
Set List | Concert: 'Pomp and Circumstance', Elgar (H L Balfour), 'The Lost Chord' (H L Balfour), 'The London Slums' (Audience), 'Variations on an American Air' (H L Balfour), 'Mothers of England' (Tune, 'Men of Harlech') (Audience), 'Fantasy on Old English Airs' (H L Balfour), 'England Arise', E Carpenter (Audience), 'Shipmates O' Mine' (Robert Radford), 'Il Bacio' (Mabel Manson), 'The Marseillaise' (Robert Radford), 'These Things Shall Be', Windle (Audience), 'The World That I Build For You' (Mabel Manson), 'In Springtime', (Mabel Manson Robert Radford), 'God Bless Our Native Land' (Audience)
Resolution (Bernard Shaw), Speech (Robert Smillie) |
Performance Notes | "A meeting of trade unionists organised by the Metropolitan District Association of the Cooperative Union, was held at the Albert Hall on Saturday. Mr T Killon presided and among those present were Mr G Bernard Shaw, Mr Smillie, Me and Mrs Sidney Webb, Mr Bowerman MP, Mr Arthur Henderson and Mr George Lansbury. Mr Bernard Shaw moved a resolution pledging the organisation of working-class opinion in favour of multiplying the membership capital and branches of the cooperative societies. Mr Smillie said that he was not out for 15,000 acres of land for the cooperative movement: he was out for the land of the country. A millionaire could not have a soul. The King and Queen were being taken to the slums, but they very seldom saw a slum at all. Kings and Queens ought to have sufficient intelligence to ask to see the slums. He was in favour of the harnessing of every invention and of electricity for the benefit of the whole of the workers. The resolution was carried with enthusiasm." (The Times, 5 May 1919)
"CONSOLIDATING LABOUR. CHRISTIANITY AND COMMERCE. 'Down with Conscription,' 'Nationalise the Mines,' 'Slums Must Go,' and 'Make Capital the Servant of Labour' were a few of the inscriptions adorning the walls of the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday evening, when a mass meeting of trade unionists organised by the Metropolitan District Association of the Co-operative Union was held." (The Daily Telegraph, 5 May 1919)
"CO-OPERATORS AT THE ALBERT HALL. MR BERNARD SHAW AND 'A RECENT WEDDING'. 'Down with conscription!' 'Nationalise the mines!' 'Slums must go!' and 'Make Capital the servant of Labour!' were a few of the inscripions adorning the walls of the Royal Albert Hall yesterday when a mass meeting of trade unionists, organised by the Metropolitan District Assoication of the Co-operative Union, was held. Mr T Killon presided, and amongst those present were Mr G Bernard Shaw... The Chairman said the meeting represented the death-knell of individualism as it existed prior to the war. Men and women in every walk of life had come to the conclusion that life as it existed before the war was indefensible, and they were determined to make it more pleasant." (The Observer, 4 May 1919) |