1936 Cable Street Riots

Writer: David Rosenberg

4 October 1936 |  Working Class Jews |  Political Radicals  |  Jewish Class war |  How fascism came to Britain |  Mosley's movement |  Media stereotypes |  Police protection? |  Trouble brewing |  Fighting anti-Semitism |  The Battle of Cable Street |  After Cable Street |  Resources

Political Radicals

The Jews brought over trappings of religiosity, tradition and even superstition from their countries of origin. But many immigrants had already shed any spiritual beliefs and looked to militant trade unions and class struggle for salvation on this earth.

The East End Jewish ghetto was a hotbed of political agitation. Before the First World War a vibrant anarchist movement organised workers into unions and led strikes for shorter hours and better pay in the sweatshops. In the 1920s and '30s the newly formed Communist Party won support, particularly, from the British-born East End Jews. Its local branches were dominated by Jewish workers. The Labour Party and Labour League of Youth also recruited vigorously.

Jewish Communist, Charlie Goodman is arrested after a mounted baton-charge at the Battle of Cable Street in 1936. (AP/EMPICS)

Jews also formed their own institutions such as the Workers Circle – supporting welfare, culture and adult education and running its own secular burial society. Although Britain's Jews today are seen as high achievers in education and very successful in business and finance the East End Jews then, were largely out of school and apprenticed as workers by the age of 14.

The immigrant generation felt aware of their 'Otherness', but their children felt more British. The daily life experiences of this home-grown ethnic minority were similar to working class gentiles though they still felt different from them. They also felt different from another group of Jews.

Jewish Class war >