The Legacies and Narrative of the Preston Lock-out

Abstract

This article examines some of the complex legacies of the lock-out. It primarily explores the aftermath of the lock-out, as well as the academic and popular memory of the dispute, framed largely around the narrative of millowner Henry Ashworth. It considers the influence of notions of ‘political economy’, and how the dispute was utilised as a malleable tale to caution against the apparent follies of trade unionism. It utilises the idea of dominant narratives to also explore the subsequent reputations of George Cowell and Mortimer Grimshaw, the most famous strike leaders. In doing so, it highlights the reputational aftermath of the strike and how it shaped their postdispute careers. It also considers some of the less tangible results of the lock-out, such as the lessons learned and longer term and geographically disparate results of the dispute.