National Labour Press

National Labour Press (NLP) was a British political printing organisation founded in 1909 to provide printing services for the Independent Labour Party (ILP). Based in Manchester and originally operating from 30 Blackfriars Street, it formed part of the ILP's communications infrastructure at a time when party newspapers, pamphlets, leaflets and other printed material were central to political organisation. Its best-known regular publication was the Labour Leader, the ILP newspaper, although the press also produced other ILP material. The organisation became particularly significant during the First World War, when the ILP and related groups opposed aspects of the government's war policy and compulsory military service. In July 1915 Herbert Nield, the Conservative member of Parliament for Ealing, criticised the activities of the Union of Democratic Control and the ILP in the House of Commons, drawing attention to the scale of their public meetings and political literature distribution. Police action followed against associated organisations and premises. Censorship was imposed on the Labour Leader, while police activity in Manchester included attempts to seize material connected with the Union of Democratic Control. In at least one instance, Salford magistrates concluded that the material brought before them was not illegal. From March 1916, National Labour Press printed The Tribunal, a weekly newspaper produced for the No Conscription Fellowship, the organisation campaigning against military conscription. The press was raided by police and its machinery was dismantled. The Tribunal nevertheless continued to appear because a concealed press, which the police had not located, remained available for production. This episode illustrates both the political importance of NLP's facilities and the efforts made by anti-conscription activists to maintain publication despite wartime restrictions. A related business, Blackfriars Press Limited, was established in Manchester as a subsidiary in 1914 to undertake commercial printing work. It moved to Leicester in 1922 and developed beyond the original political-printing role. Its management committee included Annie Maxton, sister of Labour politician James Maxton, and Emrys Hughes at different times. The business also printed commercial packaging: it is recorded as having been the first company in the United Kingdom to print Nescafé labels. The contract was reportedly secured after managing director W. M. Stafford met a member of the Nestlé family during a mountaineering holiday in Switzerland in the 1940s. Blackfriars Press was registered as a friendly society. In the early 1980s, the ILP transferred the business to its employees, who operated it as a cooperative. Financial difficulties, including inadequate finance and bad debts, eventually led to closure in 1984. The surviving record therefore connects National Labour Press with two phases of British labour history: early twentieth-century socialist and anti-conscription publishing, and a later worker-oriented commercial printing enterprise. Correspondence, minutes, papers and accounts are held by Glasgow City Archives in the Mitchell Library, while additional material is preserved in the Independent Labour Party archive at the London School of Economics.

National Labour Press was founded in 1909 as the printing organisation of the Independent Labour Party. Its initial role was to produce the Labour Leader and other ILP publications from premises at 30 Blackfriars Street in Manchester. At a time when political parties relied heavily on newspapers, pamphlets and leaflets to reach supporters, the press provided the physical infrastructure for the ILP's public communication and political campaigning. The press's work attracted official attention during the First World War. In July 1915, Herbert Nield, the Conservative MP for Ealing, raised concerns in Parliament about the activities of the Union of Democratic Control and the Independent Labour Party, including their extensive programme of meetings and literature distribution. Police raids and censorship followed. The Labour Leader was censored, while police in Manchester investigated and seized samples of material associated with the Union of Democratic Control. The material was not ultimately considered illegal by Salford magistrates. National Labour Press subsequently became involved in the anti-conscription movement. Beginning in March 1916, it printed The Tribunal, a weekly paper for the No Conscription Fellowship. Police raided the premises and dismantled the printing press, but the newspaper survived because activists had access to a concealed press that the authorities failed to discover. The episode is an important example of wartime restrictions on political publishing and of the organisational resilience of the British anti-conscription movement. Blackfriars Press Limited was formed in Manchester in 1914 as a subsidiary intended to carry out printing work. It moved to Leicester in 1922 and developed a broader commercial operation. Annie Maxton and Emrys Hughes, both connected with the wider labour movement, served at different times on its management committee. The company expanded into commercial packaging and is credited with being the first printer in the United Kingdom to produce Nescafé labels. The contract was associated with a chance meeting between managing director W. M. Stafford and a member of the Nestlé family during a mountaineering trip in Switzerland in the 1940s. The business was registered as a friendly society. During the early 1980s, the Independent Labour Party transferred it to its employees, who continued it as a cooperative. The enterprise eventually closed in 1984 after financial pressure, including insufficient working capital and bad debts. Records relating to the organisation and its associated press survive in Glasgow City Archives at the Mitchell Library, with further material held in the ILP archive at the London School of Economics.

• 1984

  Blackfriars Press closes

  [1]National Labour Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The employee-operated cooperative ceased trading after financial difficulties and bad debts.

• 1922

  Blackfriars Press moves to Leicester

  [1]National Labour Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The subsidiary relocated its operations from Manchester to Leicester.

• 1916

  The Tribunal printing operation raided

  [1]National Labour Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The press printed The Tribunal for the No Conscription Fellowship before police dismantled its machinery; publication continued through a hidden press.

• 1915

  Wartime scrutiny and censorship

  [1]National Labour Pressen.wikipedia.org

  Parliamentary criticism and police activity focused on ILP and Union of Democratic Control publishing and organising.

• 1914

  Blackfriars Press established

  [1]National Labour Pressen.wikipedia.org

  Blackfriars Press Limited was formed in Manchester as a subsidiary to undertake printing work.

• 1909

  National Labour Press founded

  [1]National Labour Pressen.wikipedia.org

  The press was established to print for the Independent Labour Party, including the Labour Leader and other party material.

A labour-movement printing organisation combining political publishing for the Independent Labour Party with associated commercial printing activity.

• Political newspaper

  Labour Leader

  The Labour Leader was the principal ILP newspaper printed by National Labour Press. It served as a vehicle for Independent Labour Party politics, commentary and movement literature. During the First World War, the publication became subject to censorship amid official concern about anti-war and oppositional political activity.

• Anti-conscription newspaper · 1916

  The Tribunal

  The Tribunal was a weekly newspaper produced for the No Conscription Fellowship. National Labour Press printed it from March 1916 until police action dismantled the press. The paper continued to be produced through a concealed printing operation that authorities had not located.

• Commercial packaging

  Nescafé labels

  Blackfriars Press expanded into commercial printing and is recorded as the first printer in the United Kingdom to produce Nescafé labels. The contract was linked to a meeting between managing director W. M. Stafford and a member of the Nestlé family in Switzerland during the 1940s.

• 1916Anti-conscription publishing

  United Kingdom

  National Labour Press supported the No Conscription Fellowship by printing The Tribunal, a weekly newspaper opposing military conscription during the First World War.

  Outcome. Police dismantled the press's machinery, but publication continued through a hidden press.

  Source

• 1980

  Transfer of Blackfriars Press to employeesStrategy

  Background

  The Independent Labour Party transferred the related Blackfriars Press business to its employees during the early 1980s.

  Action taken

  Employees operated the business as a cooperative.

  Aftermath

  The cooperative later closed in 1984 after financial difficulties and bad debts.

  Source

1. 1National Labour Pressen.wikipedia.org