The “New and striking banner” of the Dorset NUAW was unveiled during luncheon, by Harold Collinson General Secretary of the NUAW at the Dorsett conference of the NUAW held in Poole on Saturday 29th October 1955
The banner cost over £100, the sum being donated by members in
Dorset NUAW banner was designed by Mr E. Brooks and was considered to be revolutionary in design“ and a “departure from traditional trade union banner” (according to the Dorset County Chronicle)
The design has two figurers depicting a farm labourer of the period of the Tolpuddle martyrs in shackles and a hand sickle and a modern farm worker spanner in hand stepping forward with his modern tractor in the background
The figurers were to intended in portraying both the social and technical progress of the farming industry
Its determination to continue the struggle for better conditions is conveyed by a quotation from the letter of one of the Tolpuddle martyrs…..”We will be free…”
Mr Harold Collinson said the banner was “a symbol of the union determination to march forwards”
Mr Brooks who designed the banner was unable to attend due to illness
120 delegates
4,200 members (460 new member in 1955)
104 branches
The conference went onto to pass a resolution calling for Land nationalisation, £7 a week minimum wage and a 44hr week
Mr E Brooks could not attend due to illness
