Historian launches radical walking tours of Manchester
Article published: Wednesday, May 4th 2011
Local historian Michael Herbert has begun a programme of walking tours of Manchester. Red Flag Walks will explore the city’s radical and working class history.
The first Red Flag Walk took place on Friday 29 April as an alternative to the Royal Wedding. It was attended by nearly 100 people and raised £550 for Oldham Unity, an organisation which provides support for asylum seekers in Oldham. The walk took in sites in the city centre associated with Robert Owen, Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, the English Civil War, the Shudehill Riot of 1757 and many others.
“Manchester was the world’s first great industrial centre – the ‘shock city’ of the early 19th Century – created by the Industrial Revolution,” explains Michael, “and has also been the home of important radical and working class movements, including anti-slavery, trade unionism, Chartism, Votes for Women, the International Brigade and many others. That radical tradition has been continued in the recent student protests and anti-cuts marches. In my walks I will be sharing my knowledge with those who would like to know more about the city they live or work in or are visiting.”
Michael came to Manchester in 1973 to study history at the University of Manchester and has an MA in the history of Manchester. He is a Trustee of the Working Class Movement Library with which he has been associated for 30 years after meeting its founders the late Ruth and Edmund Frow.
“Ruth and Eddie were a huge influence on my life and I learnt so much from them about working class history and the importance of not forgetting the past and what working people have done to gain political rights and social justice,” says Michael.
Michael is a past editor of the North West Labour History Journal and has written numerous articles about Manchester’s history, including the Manchester’s Radical History website. He has written two books: Never Counted Out!, a biography of Manchester black boxer Len Johnson who became an active member of the Communist party in the 1940s; and The Wearing of the Green, a political history of the Irish in Manchester. He is a shop steward for the UNITE trade union and has been a member of the union since 1983.
Those wishing to know more about Red Flag Walks or would like to join one of the regular walks should email Michael at redflagwalks[at]gmail.com
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Comments
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I hope the ticket price includes a few jars at the pub where Karl and Freidrich used to get leathered!
Comment by MP on May 5, 2011 at 9:07 am -
For a while I’ve been suggesting that we re-badge the city region “The Engels Country”.
Comment by Bill Raymond on May 8, 2011 at 7:35 pm -
Are you doing a manchester underground walk this sunday 4 march. if so 4 people want to come on it. What price per person please.
Comment by paul tracey on February 28, 2012 at 8:41 pm
Thank you.
Sandra
The comments are closed.
