Southern African Collections : The 1913 strike

Southern African Collections

<p style='text-align: justify;'>This file consists of research notes, bibliographies and copies or extracts from the following pamphlets or speeches:'The strike and its lessons: being a speech delivered by the Right Hon. John X. Merriman, at Stellenbosch, 5th Aug. 1913''Labour upheaval on the Rand', 'Weekly times & farmers' record', 12 July 1913'The attempt to crush labour. A reply to Smuts. [F.H.P] Creswell's Speech on Indemnity Bill, Feb. 1914''The Syndicalist conspiracy in South Africa. A scathing indictment: being General J.C. Smuts' speech in the Union Parliament on the recent deportations'.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>This file forms part of a series of files, being material collected by Alexander Hepple while researching the history of the trade union movement, workers' organisations and industrial relations in South Africa. For material relating to the 1922 strike see <a href='/view/MS-RCMS-00199-00002-00001-00002'>RCMS 199/2/1/2</a> and for photographs and postcards of the 1913 and 1922 strike, see <a href='/view/MS-RCMS-00199-00002-00001-00003'>RCMS 199/2/1/3</a>.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Alexander Hepple (1904-1983) was born in Johannesburg on 28 August 1904. He was the leader of the South African Labour Party, 1953-1958, and founder and chairman of the Treasons Trials Defence Fund, 1956-1961, and of the South African Defence and Aid Fund, 1960-1964. With his wife Girlie he established the International Defence and Aid Fund's Information Service in London in 1967, which they managed together until their retirement at the end of 1972. Hepple was the author of 'Verwoerd' (Pelican, 1967) and 'South Africa: a political and economic history' (Pall Mall, 1966), as well as numerous pamphlets and articles on political and trade union affairs in South Africa. He died in Canterbury, England, on 16 November 1983.</p>