British Socialist Fiction, 1884–1914

Editor: Deborah Mutch


5 Volume Set: 2000pp: September 2013
978 1 84893 357 6: 234x156mm: £450.00/$795.00

Socialism in late Victorian and Edwardian Britain was a highly literate movement. Every socialist group produced some form of written text – a periodical, pamphlet or books – through which their particular brand of socialism could be promoted. Though the political history of this period has been the subject of much scholarly attention, the fiction produced and inspired by the same movement has been neglected.

This critical edition collects serialized fiction and short stories that have not been published since their original appearance. Texts are presented chronologically to show the development of ideas and to allow comparison with other literature of the period. Editorial apparatus is extensive and includes a general introduction, volume introductions, headnotes, endnotes, textual variants and a consolidated index.

Volume 1 looks at the early years of the socialist revival, with stories from the Social Democratic Federation’s Justice, and the development of the New Unions after the London dock strike of 1889. Volume 2 covers the period when the socialist movement became involved in parliamentary politics, with Keir Hardie becoming the first Labour MP in 1892. Volume 3 explores the fiction from the years when the Labour Party established itself as a coherent political party, whilst Volume 4 covers the Party’s parliamentary success and the concurrent divisions amongst other socialist groups. Finally, Volume 5 looks at the years leading up to the First World War, when industrial unrest led to the recognition of trade unions. The fiction from this era shows the continuing divisions amongst various socialist groups as well as the more obvious left-right divide over the war.

Contents

General Introduction

Volume 1: 1884–1891: From Justice to New Unions

Introduction: The Founding of British Socialism

Bolton Trotter:
Teddy Ashton [Charles Allen Clarke], ‘Heaw Bill Spriggs Leet New Yer In’, 16 January 1891
Charles Allen Clarke, ‘What a Christmas Carol Wrought’, 25 December 1891

Clarion:
Nunquam [Robert Blatchford], ‘The Ramchunders’, 1891–2 [serial]

Commonweal:
H S S [Henry S Salt], ‘A Dream of Queer Fishes: A Prose Idyll’, 19 November 1887
D, ‘Scaring the Capitalists’, 17 March 1888
Thomas Barclay, ‘Master and Man in Heaven’, 23 May 1891
Jean Maubourg, ‘A Mournful Fate’, 3 October 1891

Justice:
Utile Dulci, ‘Fables for the Times: The Monkey and the Nuts’, 11 October 1884
Anon., ‘Fables for the Times: The Political Economist and the Flowers’, 18 October 1884
William Morris, ‘An Old Fable Retold’, 1884
Anon., ‘Archie Cameron’s Success’, 14 November 1885
D F Hannigan, ‘Aristos and Demos’, 30 April 1887
H J Bramsbury, ‘A Working Class Tragedy’, 1888–9 [serial]

Labour Elector:
Anon., ‘A New ‘Labour’ Party’, 22 February 1890

To-Day:
Ivan Tourgeneff, ‘Only a Dog’, September 1883
James Leigh Joynes, ‘Was Thun? A Nihilist’s Novel’, January 1884
Bauer Und Dichter, ‘Eros or Erin: A Tale of an Irish Conspiracy’, 1886–7 [serial]
Fabian Bland, ‘Blood’, October 1886
R G B, ‘Birds of a Feather’, July 1886
John Broadhouse, ‘How He Lost His ‘Strad’’, November 1886
John Law (Margaret Harkness), ‘The Gospel of Getting On’, March 1888
H Bellingham, ‘Chips’, September 1888

Volume 2: 1892–1900: Socialists in Parliament

Introduction: Socialists in Parliament

Clarion:
Quinbus Flestrin, ‘A Tale of a Turnip’, 26 December 1891
Edward Carpenter, ‘Saved by a Nose,’ Christmas Number, 1892
M’Ginnis [Robert Blatchford], ‘What They Thought: A Vision’, 9 December 1893
Citizen [James Sexton], ‘Little Maggie’s Boots’, 6 January 1894
J Bruce Glasier, ‘Telby Torbald: Or a Socialist Transformed’, 18 May 1895
Margaret MacMillan, ‘Mary’s Lover’, 15 February 1896
Louis Becke, ‘A Touch of the Tar-Brush’, 10 April 1897
Harry Lowerison, ‘Auld Randy’, 16 December 1899

Justice:
Devilshoof, ‘New Year’s Eve’, 30 December 1893
Devilshoof, ‘On The River’, 6 January 1894
Dan Baxter, ‘The New Shilling’, 23 March 1895
C H V, ‘One Among Many’, 12 January 1895
J Chatterton, ‘The British Workman’, 1 February 1896
Dan Baxter, ‘A Monkey Story’, 31 October 1896
C S J, ‘A Fairytale for Tired Socialists’, 20 August 1898

Labour Elector:
John Law (Margaret Harkness), ‘Connie’, 1893–4 [serial]

Labour Leader:
A Chee, ‘The Bank Manager’s Girl’, 26 May 1894
Isabella Fyvie Mayo, ‘A Bit of a Tragedy’, 21 December 1895
Caroline E Derecourt Martyn, ‘A Mystery’, 7 March 1896
Lillian Claxton, ‘Nigel Grey’, 1896–7 [serial]
Ella Jeffries, ‘A Shop Girl’, 31 December 1898
Colonel Bradbury, ‘Guilty – But Drunk’, 24 June 1899

The Labour Prophet:
Elihu (Samuel Washington), ‘Nobody’s Business’, September 1892

The Social Democrat:
Anon., ‘The Rent of Ability’, August 1898
Anon., ‘A Life for a Life’, April 1900

Teddy Ashton’s Journal:
Teddy Ashton [Allen Clarke], ‘Bill Spriggs in t’Weivin’ Shed’, 6 October 1893
Ben Adhem [Allen Clarke], ‘Blood on the Cheap Trip’, 29 May 1895
James Haslem, ‘Murdered by Money’, 17 April 1897
Teddy Ashton [Charles Allen Clarke], ‘Greensauce Sketches: Georgie’s First Day in t’Factory’, 11 December 1897
Teddy Ashton, [Charles Allen Clarke] ‘Th’ Kock-Krow Club an’ th’ War’, 25 November 1899
Fred Plant, ‘The Absent-Minded Beggar’, 11 August 1900

The Workman’s Times:
Anon., ‘Sunshine and Shadow’, 22 October 1892
Katherine St. John Conway, ‘A Mere Political Trick’, 14 January 1893
Citizen [James Sexton], ‘The Blackleg’, 1893 [serial]
Martin Fair, ‘Nan: A New Years’ Story’, 30 December 1893
Dan Baxter, ‘A Terrible Crime’, 30 December 1893

Volume 3: 1901–1906: Founding the Labour Party

Introduction: The Foundations of the Labour Party in Parliament

Clarion:
Alex M Thompson, ‘The Labyrinth’, 26 December 1902
R B Suthers, ‘The Adventure of a Drop of Water’, 11 December 1903
A Neil Lyons, ‘Little Pictures of the Night’, 1903–4 [serial]
Harry Beswick, ‘Brother Eli on Tramps’, 6 May 1904
Robert Blatchford, ‘Dismal Dan’s Story’, 21 July 1905
A Neil Lyons, ‘The Distressed Gentlewoman: A True History’, 7 September 1906

Justice:
Joseph Grose, ‘The Golden Egg’, 13 July 1901
R B Cunninghame Graham, ‘A Fisherman’, 3 May 1902
J W B, ‘Men and Things’, 5 November 1904
Anon., ‘The Smart Set’, 10 June 1905

Labour Leader:
Hugo, ‘The Blackleg, An Agitator’s Yarn’, 2 March 1901
Anon., ‘The Marchioness’, 29 March 1902
Frank Starr, ‘The Doll Shop’, 15 August 1903
Isabella O Ford, ‘Aunt Caroline’s Christmas Eve’, 23 December 1904
Fred Plant, ‘Our Story: The Far Land’, 20 January 1905
John Bruce Glasier, ‘Andrew Carnegie’s Ghost. A Red Letter Night at Skibo Castle. A Christmas Story’, 21 December, 1906

Social Democrat:
Maxim Görki, [trans. Emily Jakowlett and Dora B Montefiore], ‘On The Steppes: Told By a Tramp’, Social Democrat, July 1901
Anatole France, trans. Jacques Bonhomme, ‘Crainquebille’, Social Democrat, October 1902
M Winchersky, ‘He, She and It’, April 1906

The Socialist Monthly:
Texas Siftings, ‘Civilization in Africa’, The Socialist Monthly, 1902

Teddy Ashton’s Journal:
Allen Clarke, ‘The Cotton Panic’, 1900–1 [serial]
Teddy Ashton, ‘Bill Spriggs an’ Bet: Their Matrimony and Marlocks. Bet Turns Bill Eaut’, 16 February 1901
Fred Starr, ‘An Unpremeditated Crime’, 18 October 1902
E Whittaker, ‘When Death Crossed the Threshold’, 28 February 1903
Alfred H. Pearce, ‘An Angel of Humanity, 23 July 1904
Teddy Ashton, ‘The Female Fister’, 4 February 1905
Harford Willson, ‘The Scarlet Shoes’, 3 March 1906

Volume 4: 1907–1910: Successes and Divisions

Introduction: Success and Schism

Clarion:
Robert Blatchford, ‘The Sorcery Shop: An Impossible Romance’, 1906–7 [serial]
M’Ginnis [Robert Blatchford], ‘An Idyll of the Dover Road: A True Story’, 5 April 1907
Glanville Maidstone, ‘His Sister: A Litte Spangle of Real Life’, 19 April 1907
Grace Potter, ‘He Was a Valuable Dog’, 4 October 1907
F H Rose, ‘The Parable of the Hairpin: (Almost) A True Story’, 10 January 1908
R B Suthers, ‘The Peasant and the Parasites, A Fable’, 24 January 1908
A Neil Lyons, ‘Little Reggie Writes Home: A Childish Document, Edited’, 22 May 1908
Victor Grayson, ‘The Myopian’s Muddle: A Parable’, 12 March 1909
Victor Grayson, ‘A Dead Man’s Story’, 26 March 1909
A Neil Lyons, ‘My Lady’s Chariot’, 8 July 1910
Glanville Maidstone, ‘Nightmare Bridge’, 15 July 1910

Justice:
Anon., ‘Happy Valley: A Fairy Tale’, 20 July 1907
Allen Clarke, ‘The Red Flag’, 1908 [serial]
C LE Everard, ‘The Eternal Feminine’, 7 March 1908
E R Hartley, ‘The Man in the Street: High Rates Officialism and Socialism’, 20 November 1909
W Anderson, ‘The Fool and the Wise Man’, 13 August 1910

Labour Leader:
Margaret Holden, ‘A Scene in Eden Street’, 29 March 1907
Ernest Smith, ‘Socialist Red’, 22 May 1908
Arthur Laycock, ‘The “Retired” Sweeper’, 19 February 1909
Nellie Best, ‘At A Servant’s Registry’, 14 January 1910

Social Democrat:
Frank Rosamund, ‘For the Syndicate’, August 1907
Prosper Merimee, ‘The Capture of the Redoubt’, December 1908
M L Pitcairn, ‘Because They Understood Not’, September 1909
F J Maynard. ‘Unemployment. A Tragedy in Little’, February 1910

The Socialist Review:
A L Grey, ‘A Martian’s Visit to Earth: Being a Literal Translation into English of the Preface to an Account by a Martian of his Visit to England’, November 1909
Eric Dexter, ‘Faith the Healer’, December 1910

Teddy Ashton’s Journal:
William Siddle, ‘A Stormy Wooing: The Smart Young Man and the Smarter Woman, 2 March 1907
Teddy Ashton, ‘Bill Spriggs in the Pantomime’, 4 January 1908

Volume 5: 1911–1914: The Road to War

Introduction: A Period of Unity and Division

British Socialist:
May Westoby, ‘Truth and the Journey’, 15 November 1912
M M, ‘New Year Bells’, 15 January 1913

Clarion:
J Cartmel, ‘Jeshurun’s Great Kick’, 13 January 1911
Robert Blatchford, ‘The Perpendicular Recruit’, 2 February 1912
A Neil Lyons, ‘Unearned Increment’, 27 September 1912
R B Suthers, ‘A Coster’s Funeral’, 30 May 1913

Daily Citizen:
Keighley Snowden, ‘Contrast’, 12 October 1912
Frank Dilnot, The Public Spirit of Josiah Grub’, 24 February 1913
Frank Starr, ‘The Aerial Armada, what took place in AD 2000’, 10 April 1913
Hugh Derrick, ‘The Making of a Red’, 1913–4 [serial]
Pat, ‘Living Retired’, 20 January 1914
W O Pitt, ‘The Last Dinner’, 25 August 1914

Justice
Tom Quelch, ‘His Reward’, 30 December 1911
Victor Grayson, ‘The Lost Vision: A Spring Fantasy’, 4 May 1912
Edward Hartley, ‘The Prowser-Wowser’, 28 June 1913
Edward Meyer, ‘It Can’t Be Done: A History of Impossibilities’, 6 August 1914

Labour Leader:
Hardie, ‘’Nellie’, 27 January 1911
I O Ford, ‘In The ‘Good Old Times’, 11 August 1911
Herbert Morrison, ‘Lord Santa Clause, G.E.R., MP. A Drama in Ten Minutes’, 6 October 1911
Herbert Morrison, ‘The Weaker Vessel and the Strike’, 20 June 1912
J Zimmerman, ‘Stitch, Stitch, Stitch’, 11 September 1913
Casey, ‘Alice in Sunderland’, 18 June 1914

Social Democrat:
Optimus, ‘The May-Day Festival in the Year 1970’, April 1911

The Socialist Monthly:
Eugene Sue, ‘Stop Thief’, April 1911
Tom Anderson, ‘Mary Davis; or the Fate of a Proletarian Family’, January 1912
Biologist, ‘The Low’, May 1914

The Socialist Review:
D C Parker, ‘Elsie’s Day’, December 1911
R C G, ‘The Patriots’, January 1912
Eileen Hughes, ‘Barky: A Sketch’, July 1913

Related titles

Return to top

Pickering & Chatto