Pentonville Five
Encyclopedia
The Pentonville Five were five shop stewards jailed in July 1972 by the National Industrial Relations Court for refusing to obey a court order to stop picketing of a container depot in East London.
They arrest and imprisonment lead to the Trade Unions Congress calling a general strike.
government of Edward Heath
and the trade union movement, involving the first national miners’ strike in Britain since 1926, with mass picketing, and clashes between police and workers.
Dockers at the Chobham Farm container depot, Temple Mills
, Newham were unofficially striking, and picketing the site.
The National Industrial Relations Court
(NIRC) had issued an injunction barring further picketing, following an application by Midland Cold Storage Company.
, and they were imprisoned on July 21 1972.
The Trades Union Congress
(TUC) then called for an official national strike on 31 July, demanding the release of the five shop stewards.
Thousands of striking workers marched through North London to Pentonville Prison
.
Norman Turner, on receipt of the papers, successfully applied to the Court of Appeal
.
The Official Solicitor is a court official who represents those were are unable to represent their own interests. For this case, he was assisted in the Court of Appeal by barrister John Vinelott
later a High Court judge.
The Official Solicitor was successful in his application to overturn the arrest warrants, on the grounds that the National Industrial Relations Court had insufficient grounds to deprive them of their liberty, and that the evidence of the private investigators was insufficient.
to Tilbury
. However he left the docks under the voluntary redundancy scheme and started working for Newham London Borough Council
. He was then elected as a Councillor and served for many years before being elected as Mayor.
During this period he was also presented with the Transport and General Union Gold Medal for his work for the union.
They arrest and imprisonment lead to the Trade Unions Congress calling a general strike.
Injuction
The events took place against the background of a clash between the ConservativeConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
government of Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
and the trade union movement, involving the first national miners’ strike in Britain since 1926, with mass picketing, and clashes between police and workers.
Dockers at the Chobham Farm container depot, Temple Mills
Temple Mills
Temple Mills is a northerly part of Stratford, south of Leyton, located within the London borough of Newham in east LondonToday, Temple Mills is surrounded at present by former railway tracks and works belonging to the Great Eastern Railway...
, Newham were unofficially striking, and picketing the site.
The National Industrial Relations Court
National Industrial Relations Court
The National Industrial Relations Court was established on 1 December 1971 under Section 99 of the Industrial Relations Act 1971. The NIRC was created by the Conservative government of Ted Heath as a way to limit the power of trades union in the United Kingdom...
(NIRC) had issued an injunction barring further picketing, following an application by Midland Cold Storage Company.
Arrest
Picketing continued despite the injunction. Five shop stewards were named by private investigators for the cold storage company – Conny Clancy, Tony Merrick, Bernie Steer, Vic Turner and Derek Watkins. Warrants were issued by the court for their arrest for contempt of courtContempt of court
Contempt of court is a court order which, in the context of a court trial or hearing, declares a person or organization to have disobeyed or been disrespectful of the court's authority...
, and they were imprisoned on July 21 1972.
Protests
Following their arrest, a rolling series of strikes began to cause work stoppages until there was virtually an unofficial national strike.The Trades Union Congress
Trades Union Congress
The Trades Union Congress is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions...
(TUC) then called for an official national strike on 31 July, demanding the release of the five shop stewards.
Thousands of striking workers marched through North London to Pentonville Prison
Pentonville (HM Prison)
HM Prison Pentonville is a Category B/C men's prison, operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service. Pentonville Prison is not actually within Pentonville itself, but is located further north, on the Caledonian Road in the Barnsbury area of the London Borough of Islington, in inner-North London,...
.
Release
The Five were released within a week of their arrest when Official SolicitorOfficial Solicitor
The Office of the Official Solicitor is a part of the Ministry of Justice of the Government of the United Kingdom. The Official Solicitor acts for people who, because they lack mental capacity and cannot properly manage their own affairs, are unable to represent themselves and no other suitable...
Norman Turner, on receipt of the papers, successfully applied to the Court of Appeal
Court of Appeal of England and Wales
The Court of Appeal of England and Wales is the second most senior court in the English legal system, with only the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom above it...
.
The Official Solicitor is a court official who represents those were are unable to represent their own interests. For this case, he was assisted in the Court of Appeal by barrister John Vinelott
John Vinelott
Sir John Evelyn Vincent Vinelott was a leading barrister at the Chancery bar and an English High Court judge in the Chancery Division from 1978 to 1994....
later a High Court judge.
The Official Solicitor was successful in his application to overturn the arrest warrants, on the grounds that the National Industrial Relations Court had insufficient grounds to deprive them of their liberty, and that the evidence of the private investigators was insufficient.
Legacy
Subsequently Vic Turner continued to work in the docks, transferring from the Royal DocksRoyal Docks
The Royal Docks comprise three docks in east London - the Royal Albert Dock, the Royal Victoria Dock and the King George V Dock. They are more correctly called the Royal Group of Docks to distinguish them from the Royal Dockyards, Royal being due to their naming after royal personages rather than...
to Tilbury
Port of Tilbury
The Port of Tilbury is located on the River Thames at Tilbury in Essex, England. It is the principal port for London; as well as being the main United Kingdom port for handling the importation of paper. There are extensive facilities for containers, grain, and other bulk cargoes. There are also...
. However he left the docks under the voluntary redundancy scheme and started working for Newham London Borough Council
Newham London Borough Council
Newham London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Newham in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. The council is unusual in that its executive function is controlled by a directly elected mayor of...
. He was then elected as a Councillor and served for many years before being elected as Mayor.
During this period he was also presented with the Transport and General Union Gold Medal for his work for the union.
Film
The radical film group Cinema Action made a documentary called Arise Ye Workers during the struggle, which was released in 1973. The film won the Silver Dove at the Leipzig Film Festival and was screened by the jailed dockers on the anniversary of their release from jail.External links
- 1972: A great year for the workers by Tony Cliff, published 6 January 1973
- The Road to Pentonville
- http://www.grahamstevenson.me.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=981:fenn-micky&catid=6:f&Itemid=21