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The Leaders of the Leicester Unemployed Pilgrimage to London
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The Leaders of the Leicester Unemployed Pilgrimage to London
The Leaders of the Leicester Unemployed Pilgrimage to London (Mr George White, Rev F Lewis Donaldson and Mr Amos Sheriff). On 4th June 1905, 497 unemployed men from the city of Leicester marched to London to protest against the lack of employment opportunities; one of the most momentous events in the history of the citys working class. Two of the three men pictured on this card went on to be hugely successful. Amos Sherriff would become Mayor of Leicester in 1922 and the Rev Donaldson, vicar of St Marks Church, became a Canon of Westminster Abbey. The other march-leader was George Sticky White, secretary of the Unemployed Committee, called Sticky because he walked everywhere with a stick. Despite his disability, he walked all the way to London with the others but for reason unknown he only received little fanfare when he returned to Leicester. He sadly committed suicide in the 1920s. In relation to the march, The Times newspaper rather savagely reported: A walk to London, especially if food and shelter on the way are provided free, will always be attractive to the restless, the shiftless, or the simpletons among the unemployed and unemployable. This form of menace must be resisted. They must be assured their walk proves nothing. !! Date: 1905
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Media ID 14395936
© Mary Evans / Grenville Collins Postcard Collection
Amos Donaldson Employment Jun16 Leaders Leicester Lewis Marchers Marching Pilgrimage Reverend Rosettes Sheriff Sticky Unemployed
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This powerful photograph captures the determination and resolve of three key figures in one of Leicester's most significant historical events: The Unemployed Pilgrimage to London in 1905. The image features George Sticky White, Amos Sherriff, and Rev. F. Lewis Donaldson, who led 497 unemployed men from Leicester to the capital to protest against the lack of employment opportunities. Two of these men went on to achieve great success: Amos Sherriff became Mayor of Leicester in 1922, and the Rev. Donaldson became a Canon of Westminster Abbey. George Sticky White, the man in the middle, is often overlooked in the history books. He was the secretary of the Unemployed Committee and, despite his disability, which earned him the nickname 'Sticky' due to his constant use of a walking stick, he walked the entire way to London with the others. Tragically, White took his own life in the 1920s, and his contribution to the march has not received the recognition it deserves. The Times newspaper, in its report on the event, took a dismissive and derogatory tone, dismissing the march as an attractive proposition for the 'restless, shiftless, or simpletons among the unemployed and unemployable.' This attitude underscores the challenges faced by the working class during this period and the importance of the pilgrimage as a symbol of their collective struggle for better employment opportunities and social justice. This photograph is a poignant reminder of a pivotal moment in Leicester's history and the resilience and determination of its working-class community.
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