A TRADE unionist who died last year will be remembered with an annual lecture in his honour, with the first taking place next weekend.
Barnsley Trades Union Council has announced the details of the first annual Dave Gibson labour history lecture.
Dave died last year having been a long-time champion for trade union causes and social campaigns. His trade union colleagues decided to honour his memory by setting up an annual lecture focused on the history of working class struggles.
This year’s lecture will focus on George Orwell.
Graham Mustin, who worked at Barnsley College with Dave, said: “Orwell visited Barnsley while researching The Road to Wigan Pier and his collected works contain shocking details about the state of housing in Barnsley at the time of his visit.
“Dave Gibson had a long-standing interest in George Orwell and particularly in his time in Barnsley. This combined his interests in literature and in the working class history of Barnsley. It was no surprise therefore that he chose to use Orwell’s research on housing in Barnsley as the basis for his contribution to the Workers Education Association course on Barnsley labour history.
“I am proud to present Dave’s work to a wider audience in the first annual labour history lecture to be held in his name.”
The main talk, entitled Orwell and the Workers, will be given by John Newsinger, professor of history at Bath Spa University and an acknowledged expert on Orwell.
George Arthur, BTUC secretary, said: “We are very lucky to get such a distinguished speaker as John Newsinger to come for this lecture. And the Trades Council are especially grateful to Barnsley Civic for hosting this event.”
It takes place on Saturday June 16. Doors open at 12.30 with a chance to browse campaigning stalls ahead of the lecture which starts at 1.30.
