Calton weavers' strike facts for kids

The Calton weavers' strike of 1787 was one of the first big worker protests in Scottish history. During this time, soldiers fired on people demonstrating, and six people died. The Calton weavers became known as Scotland's first working-class heroes, meaning they stood up for workers' rights and paid a high price. This strike helped start a bigger movement for workers' rights that changed how workers and their employers interacted. Today, the Calton Weavers event is remembered in a special artwork by Scottish artist Ken Currie at the People's Palace in Glasgow.

The Calton Weavers' Strike of 1787

What Was Calton Like?

Calton was a community of handweavers located just outside Glasgow in Scotland. This was back in 1787. At one point, weavers in Calton earned good money, sometimes nearly £100 a year. They were respected members of society.

However, things changed. New machines were invented, and more people became weavers. This meant there was too much competition, and wages (the money they earned) dropped a lot.

Why Did the Weavers Protest?

In the summer of 1787, the weavers faced a big problem: their wages were going to be cut by 25 percent. This was a huge amount of money for them to lose. Many weavers were also "locked out," meaning their employers wouldn't let them work.

To protest this unfair treatment, the weavers marched through the streets of Glasgow. They wanted their voices to be heard.

What Happened During the Strike?

The protest became very serious. Some striking weavers cut the fabric from the looms of other weavers who continued to work. They even made bonfires in the street using items from warehouses.

On September 3, city officials and police tried to stop the protests in Calton, but the crowd pushed them back. Then, soldiers from the 39th Regiment arrived. A fight broke out in Duke Street. The soldiers fired their muskets, and three weavers were killed right away. Three more weavers were badly hurt and later died.

The soldiers quickly stopped any more trouble that day. The next day, more looms were damaged, but the protests soon ended.

What Happened to the Strike Leader?

In 1788, a man named James Granger was put on trial in Edinburgh. He was 38 years old, married, and had six children. He was seen as the main leader of the strike.

James Granger was found guilty of "forming illegal combinations." This meant he was accused of organizing groups of workers against the law. His punishment was severe: he had to be publicly whipped through the streets. After that, he was forced to leave Scotland for seven years.

However, James Granger did return to Scotland later. He even took part in another strike in 1811-1812. He lived to be 75 years old.