The Nine Hours Strike was an 1871 labour dispute in the engineering trade, in Newcastle upon Tyne, Great Britain. Its name refers to the engineers' demand that a normal working day should consist of no more than nine hours. [1]
The strike began in August 1871 when the engineers in Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, and adjoining areas of Tyneside, formally requested that their "masters" (employers) place limits on working hours. This request was rejected, and a strike ensued.
It was particularly bitter, and made more so when the masters refused to talk to the employees, only to legal advisors and then brought in foreign workers from abroad including many from Belgium and Germany in an attempt to break the strike. Attempts were made by the strikers to persuade these foreign workers to return home; some (but very few) involved violence.
It was not long before the vast majority of the foreigners realised that they were being used, were reinforcing the system described by some as "industrial slavery" and would lose their jobs anyway once the strike was resolved. Many agreed to leave, provided that their return fare would be paid. The money was quickly raised for this purpose by donations from all parts of industry, including from many far of places within Great Britain.
Many attempts to mediate were made by many parties, but all failed when the masters refused to accept any compromise. Eventually the masters realised that if they did not negotiate, their only options would be to suspend or close their businesses, thus delaying contracts and facing at the best losing the orders and at the worst contractual penalties.
Possibly more by good luck than judgement, the strike happened at a time when engineering was booming, it was a time of prosperity, huge profits were being made by the masters, order book were over-full and as a consequence labour was extremely scarce even without a strike. Victory was therefore almost assured by the strikers right from the start.
The strike continued for fourteen weeks before the masters succumbed to the pressure, granting the strikers' request for a nine-hour day.
Matthew Dryden, the Tyneside songwriter wrote "Perseveer [2] " or "The Nine Oors Movement" (written in Geordie dialect and sung to the tune of "Nelly Ray") and sang this in many concerts held to provide funds for the strikers.
Geordie is a nickname for a person from the Tyneside area of North East England, and the dialect used by its inhabitants, also known in linguistics as Tyneside English or Newcastle English. There are different definitions of what constitutes a Geordie. The term is used and has been historically used to refer to the people of the North East. A Geordie can also specifically be a native of Tyneside and the surrounding areas. Not everyone from the North East of England identifies as a Geordie.
Tyneside is a built-up area across the banks of the River Tyne in northern England. Residents of the area are commonly referred to as Geordies. The whole area is surrounded by the North East Green Belt.
"Blaydon Races" is a Geordie folk song written in the 19th century by Geordie Ridley, in a style deriving from music hall. It is frequently sung by supporters of Newcastle United Football Club, Newcastle Falcons rugby club, and Durham County Cricket Club.
Edward "Ned" Corvan was a Tyneside concert hall songwriter and performer, and a contemporary of George "Geordie" Ridley. His songs were printed in a modified English orthography designed to represent the traditional dialect of Tyneside in the middle of the 19th century, and are examples of Dialect Literature.
George "Geordie" Ridley was a Tyneside concert hall songwriter and performer in the middle of the 19th century. His most famous song is "Blaydon Races". He was a contemporary of Edward Corvan. He has been described by a council source as a candidate for Tyneside's most famous songwriter.
Thomas Wilson was a Tyneside poet, from Low Fell in Gateshead. His most famous work, written in the Geordie dialect, is The Pitman's Pay, originally published between 1826 and 1830.
"Cushie Butterfield" is a famous Geordie folk song written in the 19th century by Geordie Ridley, in the style of the music hall popular in the day. It is regarded by many as the second unofficial anthem of Tyneside after Blaydon Races.
Joe Wilson was a Tyneside concert hall songwriter and performer in the mid-19th century. His most famous song is "Keep yor feet still Geordie hinny". He was a contemporary of George "Geordie" Ridley. He wrote and sang in the Geordie dialect of Newcastle upon Tyne, his native speech.
John Selkirk was a Tyneside songwriter of the 18th and 19th century. His best known works are those about Bob Cranky and the Swalwell Hopping.
Rowland "Rowley" Harrison (1841–1897) was a Tyneside poet and singer/songwriter, from Gateshead in County Durham. Possibly his best known work is "Geordy Black", an example of Geordie dialect.
Michael Benson was a 19th-century English printer and poet from He was working as a printer from 1838 until his death.
George Charleton Barron of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, was a Gateshead-born actor, mimic, elocutionist and general entertainer.
Matthew Dryden (1842–1890) was an English singer-songwriter, radical, and factory worker. His most famous song is possibly "Perseveer".
John Kelday Smith (c1834-1889) was a Scottish bellhanger and songwriter in the middle and late 19th century, many of the songs being in the local Geordie dialect. His most famous song is possibly "Since aw hev been away".
A Beuk o' Newcassell Sangs is a pictorial book giving details of local songs, including the lyrics and in many cases, the music, and all beautifully illustrated with the author's own woodcuts. It was published in 1888. It was reprinted in 1965 by Harold Hill, Newcastle upon Tyne.
William Stephenson (junior) was a Geordie printer, publisher, auctioneer, poet and songwriter born in Gateshead, the son of William Stephenson (senior).
Thomas Kerr was a Tyneside writer, journalist and songwriter of the middle and late 19th century.
R Usher was born in Felling. He was a Tyneside songwriter, who, according to the information given by Thomas Allan on page 572 of his Allan's Illustrated Edition of Tyneside Songs and Readings, published in 1891, has written a good many songs, which have been printed in slip form. He was a member of The Salvation Army and sang in their local church choir.
Richard Oliver Heslop (1842–1916) was a British businessman, author, historian, lexicologist, lexicographer, songwriter and poet. His most famous work is the two-volume "Northumberland Words".
J. W. Swanston was a Newcastle printer, and publisher of many Chapbooks. The premises were in St Andrews Street, off Gallowgate, and is now quite near St James' Park, the home of Newcastle United F.C., although this ground was not built until 1892, at the time of Swanston it was just a patch of sloping grazing land, near the Town Moor, and owned by the Freemen of the City.