13:30
London School of Economics
October 24
St Mary's Church, Rotherhithe, London SE16 4HZ
Friday 24 October 2025 1pm - 4pmJoin Laura Schwartz for a unique walking tour exploring the history of class struggle by the riverbankIn celebration of our exhibition, Combining Efforts: 200 Years of Trade Unions, join the LSE Library on the banks of Bermondsey to learn more about the class struggle on the riverbank.About the tourIn the blistering heat of August 1911, women working in jam, biscuit and sweet factories went on wild cat strike in protest against poverty wages and appalling conditions. This history walk follows in the footsteps of the Bermondsey Uprising women and takes in other sites of class struggle on the riverbank.Find out about the strike by miners who dug Brunel’s Rotherhithe foot tunnel; a barmaids’ trade union; the socialist feminist Mayor of Bermondsey Ada Salter; and the multicultural working-class who lived and worked in these riverside neighbourhoods.The walk takes about 2.5 to 3 hours and will finish at Hartley’s Jam Factory, Green Walk SE1.The walk does not cover a great distance but we will be on our feet most of the time. Children are welcome to attend but the walk is aimed at an adult audience and contains adult content. There will be a toilet break. Come prepared, as the walk will go ahead whatever the weather.About our guideLaura Schwartz is Professor of Modern British History at the University of Warwick. She is the author of three books and many articles on feminist and working-class history, including Feminism and the Servant Problem: Class and Domestic Labour in the Women’s Suffrage Movement (Cambridge University Press, 2019). She is currently working on a history of the ‘untraditional’ working-class, with a focus on women workers, migrant workers and queer and cosmopolitan working-class cultures.Cover image courtesy of TUC Library.Further informationAbout us The British Library of Political and Economic Science, known as LSELibrary, was founded in 1896, a year after the London School of Economics and Political Science. It has been based in the Lionel Robbins Building since 1978 and houses many world class collections, including The Women's Library and the Hall-Carpenter Archives.Accessibility If you are planning to attend this event and would like details on how to get here and what time to arrive, as well as on accessibility and special requirements, please refer to LSE Events FAQ.LSE aims to ensure that people have equal access to these public events, but please contact the events organiser as far as possible in advance if you have any access requirements so that arrangements, where possible, can be made.Access Guides to all our venues can be viewed online.Social media Follow LSE public events on X for the latest updates on events and ticket releases.Videos of past LSE Library events and more are on our YouTube channel.Event updates and other information about what’s happening at LSE can be found on the LSE Facebook page. For photos from events around campus, follow LSE on Instagram.Attending our events in-person or online? Join the conversation using #LSEEvents.WiFi access LSE has now introduced wireless for guests and visitors in association with 'The Cloud', also in use at many other locations across the UK. If you are on campus visiting for the day or attending a conference or event, you can connect your device to wireless. See more information and create an account at Join the Cloud.Visitors from other participating institutions are encouraged to use eduroam. If you are having trouble connecting to eduroam, please contact your home institution for assistance.The Cloud is only intended for guest and visitor access to wifi. Existing LSE staff and students are encouraged to use eduroam instead.From time to time there are changes to event details so we strongly recommend that if you plan to attend this event you check back on this listing on the day of the event.Whilst we are hosting this listing, LSE Events does not take responsibility for the running and administration of this event. While we take responsible measures to ensure that accurate information is given here this event is ultimately the responsibility of the organisation presenting the event.LSE holds a wide range of events, covering many of the most controversial issues of the day, and speakers at our events may express views that cause offence. The views expressed by speakers at LSE events do not reflect the position or views of the London School of Economics and Political Science.