Emotional church service to mark end of Chainmakers Strike (From Halesowen News)

Emotional church service to mark end of Chainmakers Strike

1:55pm Monday 4th October 2010 in News

AN emotional service is being held at Overend Methodist Mission on Sunday, October 17 to mark the centenary of the conclusion of the Chainmakers Strike.

Descendents of the heroic women who striked for better conditions and won in 1910 will join local politicians of all parties along with residents for a night of celebration beginning at 6pm.

Margaret Bradley, who has helped organised the event, said: “It seemed highly appropriate to commemorate the centenary of this event locally.

“The MP for Rowley Regis and Halesowen James Morris will be present as will past MPs Sylvia Heal and Lynda Waltho, as well as a number of councillors from Cradley Heath. She added: “The organist will be Albert Head, whose father was Secretary of the male Chain Makers’ and Strikers’ Association. “There will also be a display of chain making tools, projected pictures, a re-enactment of the conditions of the women by staff from the Black Country Museum, a reading by the novelist James Galsworthy who came to take part in the demonstration on 3 October and a prayer written in 1910 for women who toil.”

Conservative Halesowen and Rowley Regis MP James Morris is attending several centenary events recognises the importance of the strike in relation to worker’s rights in Great Britain.

“Mary MacArthur and the hundreds of women Chainmakers are rightly being remembered 100 years on. “These women had no voting rights whatsoever and this strike represented a democratic way of expressing their opposition to difficult working conditions and long hours. “I am pleased to be attending to show my support.”

The night of celebration will be held Overend Church, Banner’s Lane, Cradley on Sunday October 17 at 6.00 pm. There is also an afternoon of celebrations on Saturday, October 23 in Cradley Heath to mark the centenary.