POPLARISM - Poplar Rates Rebellion 1921 Background​ 'Poplarism’ means the pauperisation of the people by the lavish misapplication of other people’s money.'  Sir Gerald Hurst, Politician and Judge In the 1920s, Poplar, a metropolitan borough, alongside Stepney and Bethnal Green, formed what is now the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.  From being a relatively prosperous area historically, Poplar had become one of the poorest areas of London, with high levels of unemployment, poverty and deprivation. Working-class men had only recently gained the right to vote and women were still fighting for full suffrage. In 1919, Poplar elected an innovative council elected on a socialist mandate to bring about much-needed change to the borough. For the first time, Councillors included ordinary working people. The Poor Law was still in existence at this time and the borough was responsible for funding aid and support to those most in need. This new ‘people’s council’ introduced many social reforms. There were significant improvements including poor relief, the introduction of equal pay for men and women and a minimum wage for council workers. However, these reforms could only be funded by an increase in the rates (a tax levied on the properties in which people lived), which adversely affected local people, potentially causing more suffering.  Additionally, Poplar ratepayers were required to pay ‘precepts’ to help fund the London County Council, the Metropolitan Police, the Metropolitan Asylums Board, and the Metropolitan Water Board. The borough’s resources and requirements weren’t taken into account when assessing contributions; resulting in contributory inequality between boroughs. Poplar and other similar boroughs subsidised other metropolitan boroughs, a growing and increasingly heavy financial burden for them especially following World War One, the flu epidemic and the Great Depression. ​Legal Action “From the first moment I determined to fight for one policy, and that was decent treatment for the poor outside the workhouse and hang the rates!” George Lansbury​ In 1921, increased financial contributions were demanded of Poplar.  At a Council meeting headed by George Lansbury, Poplar’s Mayor, in March, the Council decided it could not pass on these increases to their, already stretched, residents. They voted not to collect the required precepts but to only collect the rates to fund local services. Knowing this was illegal, the councillors believed that defying an unfair funding system was their only option as the alternative was cutting basic services or increasing rates to unaffordable levels. However, the LCC and Metropolitan Asylums were enraged by this. They took LB Poplar to the High Court, demanding they be ordered to pay the precepts, that their refusal to enforce this levy be declared illegal, and that councillors be jailed for being in contempt of Court if Poplar did not pay the precepts. On 29th July 1921, 30 councillors, including 6 women councillors, accompanied by thousands of supporters, marched from Bow to the High Court. They carried a banner reading: ‘Poplar Borough Council marching to the High Court and possibly to prison’. Despite this massive support, and the borough’s particular circumstances, the High Court ordered the council to apply the precepts. Poplar councillors felt they had no option but to stick to their guns; to levy the rates required would have caused such immense suffering within the local population. In early September 1921, George Lansbury and 29 fellow councillors were found to be in Contempt of Court and were ordered to be imprisoned indefinitely in Brixton (men) and Holloway Prison (women). The men and women were arrested separately. On the day of their arrest, the five women councillors – Julia Scurr, 5-months pregnant Nellie Cressall, Minnie Lansbury (George Lansbury’s daughter), Jenny Mackay and Susan Lawrence – gathered outside Poplar Town Hall on Newby Place. An huge crowd of supporters was there to prevent their imprisonment. Susan Lawrence spoke to the crowd saying, “We are here representing a principle which we have the right to defend as well as the men. If you prevent us from going, you do us the worst turn you can.” Surrounded by up to 10,000 followers and given flowers, the women then marched along East India Dock Road where they surrendered to the Sheriffs. They were taken to Holloway Prison. ​Incarceration and victory “To everybody, young and old, rich and poor, comrades in the movement and outside friends-including all those resident in every part of the country who kindly took care of our children – here’s our thanks.” Sam Marsh, Mayor of Poplar Imprisoned, the councillors demanded to be treated as political prisoners.  They continued to conduct council business; the women councillors were taken from Holloway for 34 meetings with their male counterparts incarcerated in Brixton Prison. Conditions in these prisons were brutal. In later years, many of the councillors suffered from their incarceration and Minnie Lansbury died the year after her release. She is commemorated by an imposing clock on Bow Road. Supporters held daily demonstrations, and Stepney and Bethnal Green councils voted to refuse to pay the precepts too. ‘Poplarism’, as it came to be known, was spreading. The rebellion received nationwide recognition and massive public support. Cabinet papers from the time show that a settlement was considered ‘extremely desirable’ and that ‘drastic action’ was required. In mid-October, after six weeks imprisonment, the High Court and the government responded to public opinion, conceded, and ordered the Councillors’ release. Poplar’s defiant council had won! Parliament quickly passed a law (the Local Authorities (Financial Provisions) Act 1921) reforming London’s local government funding, essentially equalising tax burdens between rich and poor boroughs, making rich boroughs contribute more, and sharing the cost of maintaining the poor. Poplar Council gained £250,000 per year; Poplar Councillors’ actions resulted in many other boroughs benefiting too. However, it wasn’t until 1929 that Poor Law Unions were completely abolished, and the poor relief burden lifted from local councils. The imprisoned councillors were: David Adams, Albert Baker, Joe Banks, George Cressall, Nellie Cressall, Albert Farr, Benjamin Fleming, Thomas Goodway, Walter Green, James Heales, Robert Hopwood, James Jones, Thomas Kelly, Edgar Lansbury, Minnie Lansbury, George Lansbury, Susan Lawrence, Jennie Mackay, Sam March, John Oakes, Joe O’Callaghan, Alfred Partridge, Charles Petherick, James Rugless, Josiah Russell, John Scurr, Julia Scurr, Henry Sloman, Charlie Sumner, Chris Williams