On Robert Tressell

Our next meeting will be a discussion of Robert Tressell who wrote his famous book
The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists here in Hastings in 1905.
The meeting will be on the 10th Sept at 7.30pm at the White Rock Hotel

Introduced by Dr Trevor Hopper

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists became known as ‘the Socialist Bible’ and is even credited with winning the 1945 general election for the Labour party.  It is most famous for its simple explanation of Capitalism described as ‘The Great Money Trick’ and an impassioned description of how Socialism should work.  To see an amateur production of a play of the book go to

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRKVmzaHzIk

and especially watch from 22mins to 29 mins

This has become suddenly topical with the popular interest in Jeremy Corbyn as a potential leader of the Labour Party and his promise to return labour to its roots.

The discussion will be introduced by Dr Trevor Hopper who is an expert in social history specialising in this region’s labour movement and has recently set up the Robert Tressell Festival in Hastings.

We can expect a lively discussion on the ongoing relevance of this local contribution to our national history.

(Please invite along a few new friends and use any opportunity to promote the event …Thanks)

Stephen Milton