Dumfries author Ian Gasse has written a second book in his quest to reclaim the history of the town’s “organised” working class in the 19th century.
Mobbings, Struggles and Strikes will be launched during Scottish Book Week at a two-day event in Dumfries’ Robert Burns Centre Film Theatre on Friday and Saturday, November 18 and 19.
In articles ranging from food riots through to the increased industrial disputes on the threshold of the First World War, the book traces various working class attempts to secure the vote, establish trade unions and win better pay and working conditions – all through different kinds of collective action.
The book follows his history of the 19th century co-operative movement in Dumfries, Something to Build On, which was released last year.
Both have been produced in association with the Scottish Labour History Society.
During the pandemic in 2020, Ian also produced a free booklet, Uncovering Working Lives, which provides a history trail around Dumfries and Maxwelltown, highlighting significant locations connected with the working-class history of the then two towns.
Ian, who has spent the past nine years painstakingly researching the books, said: “Like its companion volume, Something to Build On, my new book seeks to rescue some of the forgotten history of the organised working class of Dumfries and Maxwelltown.
“For both books the major source material has been the old newspapers of Dumfries and Galloway: Dumfries Weekly Journal (1777-1831), Dumfries and Galloway Courier (1809-84), Dumfries Times (1833-43), Dumfries and Galloway Herald and Advertiser/Register (1835-83), Dumfries and Galloway Standard and Advertiser (1843 onwards), Dumfries and Galloway Courier and Herald(1884 onwards), Galloway Advertiser and Wigtownshire Free Press (1843 onwards) and the Kirkcudbrightshire Advertiser (1858 onwards).
“Overall, the new book provides an overview of some of the ways in which the local Dumfries and Maxwelltown working class successfully used collective self help to improve their lives and livelihoods during the 19th century.
“I hope it will begin to rescue
their stories and lives from what might be called the enormous neglect of posterity.
“The first book charts the growth of Dumfries and Maxwelltown from the late 1800s and lifts the lid on the pioneering co-operatives in the town including the Chartists-driven Dumfries and Maxwelltown Co-operative Provision Society 1847-92 whose first base was in Bank Street selling basic foodstuffs to challenge cartels operated by local meal merchants and bakers.
“Even after these two books, this history remains substantially incomplete but at least I can feel a start has been made.”
Drawing inspiration from the work of historians Eric Hobsbawm, Edward Thompson and Raymond Williams, Ian makes the case for what was a significant working-class movement.
It took many forms – from confronting troops in Friars’ Vennel in 1771, to promoting Chartism in the 1830s; challenging farmers at the hiring markets of the 1860s to organising reform demonstrations in Dock Park – attended by thousands of local people, in both 1867 and in 1884.
The book also looks at strike action from the 1880s to the 1910s.
Ian’s fascination with the town’s working class history has come from wanting to learn more about his great-grandfather, George Gass, whom he never met.
George was born into a working class household in Troqueer in 1868 and Ian has revealed that it was part of the reason he came to live in Dumfries and Galloway in 2012.
Ian’s own working life has involved teaching, journalism, local government and arts administration.
Mobbings, Struggles and Strikes is due to be launched at the Culture in Society event at the RBCFT which will also include films by the cultural historian, Raymond Williams. See online at: www.rbcft.co.uk for more details.
■ Both books are in hardback editions and are illustrated with images of old Dumfries.
Locally, they are available from Waterstones in Dumfries High Street, from Dumfries Museum, and from the Moffat Bookshop in Well Street, Moffat.
