ABSTRACT
The three sources in this chapter all come from a National Archives Metropolitan Police Folder titled ‘Disturbances: Demonstration by Unemployed and the Social Democratic Federation’. The first source appears to be a signed statement taken before the Treasury by a journalist, Edwin Barling of the Daily Telegraph, who witnessed the events of 8 February 1886. The final source in the chapter is a resolution from a ‘mass meeting’ of unemployed men, who gathered six days after the Trafalgar Square incident, to H.C.E. Childers, the home secretary. There was movement in the Crowd round the Statue – and Mr. Williams again came forward and said “Kindly go home – for the simple reason that there are a number of roughs who take delight in smashing windows – and don’t do it because they want work – don’t attempt a rebellion when the people are not organized for it”.
