The event is an annual celebration of the strike held at the Black Country Living Museum, near Dudley. While there are a number of trade union festivals (Durham, Burston, Tolpuddle etc.), the organiser's of the Women Chainmakers' Festival claim that it "is unique in telling the story of the 1910 dispute through the medium of live theatre." Many of the museum staff participate in the march dressed period costume bearing contemporary banners and placards. This even includes people dressed as policemen and the rally was addressed by strike leader Mary Macarthur herself (played by Lynn Morris).

This year is the centenary of the strike giving the event particular resonance. There event was well attended and the march was impressive, larger than some 'genuine' demonstrations I've been on. There were banners from a range of unions including NASUWT, NUT, Unison, Unite, GMB, Usdaw and UCU.

The event was in some respects just like any union rally with speakers including Billy Hayes (CWU General Secretary) and Mary Turner (GMB President) who seemed to be arguing that public service cuts could be defeated through judicial reviews. The headline speaker was lefty old timer Tony Benn.

There was also an extensive programme of music with acts including Nottingham's Clarion Choir, but the rains came not long after the march had ended and Benn finished. I suspect there were few people around by the time the Unthanks, the headline act, came on at 6.30.

Chainmakers' Strike website
 http://chainmakersstrike.co.uk/

Midlands TUC
 http://www.tuc.org.uk/tuc/regions_info_midlands.cfm

Black Country Living Museum
 http://www.bclm.co.uk/