ABSTRACT
Graham Wallas once called Place’s story of the strike of some two hundred and fifty leather breeches makers, in London, from March to May 1793, “the earliest existing account of a strike written from the inside”, and it is certainly a most revealing document from many aspects. A year or so later he joined the Breeches Makers’ Benefit Society which offered, indeed and funeral benefits but was under that specious exterior, gathering funds to try and force better conditions in that badly-paid trade. The Club was thereupon dissolved and its funds shared out, now an earnest member of the London Corresponding Society, was well enough known among Westminster’s Trade Clubs able to make a living by redrafting Club Rules, acting as Club Secretary to several different Clubs, and distributing their Club notices. It was, of course, all very well desiring more certain and regular financial assistance from outside than had hitherto been obtainable by making appeals to other Societies.
