In the Foreword to this publication we are asked to reflect on how Left-leaning culture has helped to inspire us. What was the journey we made? What is our story? What were the formative influences in raising our political consciousness? How did we become the people we are today who enjoy and benefit from reading Culture Matters? ‘What wonderful ideas have been embedded into our daily lives from a left-wing perspective that we just don’t question?’ is what we are asked to consider.

A few of us may have been fortunate enough to be raised in socialist households and gained progressive values at the knees of our enlightened parents. Is there a term for this experience, for example 'cradle socialists'? Michael Rosen, whose parents were members of the Communist Party, in his detailed memoir, So They Called You Pisher!, describes having to change secondary school aged 14 after the Tory de-regulation of rents meant that his family couldn’t afford to remain where they were living.

At the new school he describes trying to find other pupils who were ‘blues enthusiasts, Aldermaston marchers, surrealists, jazz types, walkers, campers, ex-Communists, anti-apartheid protestors’. He does eventually find one or two. Indeed, in the 52 stories or accounts presented here there are only a very small number, perhaps 3 or 4 who were inculcated with socialist, progressive political views from an early age. The overwhelming majority of the stories here are from folk who have had to find their own road to progressive socialism in the face of hostility or indifference, and therefore identifying the cultural signposts they discovered on their way, the cultural ‘gems’ as described in Left Cultures, is invaluable.

What is fascinating to discover from Left Cultures is that for the overwhelming majority of the storytellers, the turning points in their journey come about through what are seemingly trivial or mundane objects and experiences, culture in the broad, everyday sense. Left Cultures asks: set against the ‘dullard right-wing mainstream media’ what has the Left to offer culturally to counter the hegemony? A main aim of Left Cultures appears to be identifying, sharing and recording these experiences in order to ‘bring back gems of Left Culture that have been marginalised back into public view’.

Agreed that is useful to know or remind ourselves how far infant steps can lead. After reading each story, it’s informative to check in the brief biographical sketches at the end of the book to find the present situation of the contributors. Most, if not all, seem highly successful or effective in their chosen cultural or academic field.

Roughly categorising the 52 various stories shows that an initial interest in music was the key for around 11; 8 found inspiration from visual art of some description, 6 by a particular film: 7 by literature and political writers; 3 by alternative newspapers or zines; 2 by participating at a young age in demos; others refer to community education, football, seeing the London Riots, or Clarion House. The picture is perhaps not as clear as this simple categorisation might suggest, but most do refer to a single starting point on their journey.

For example, to provide more detail, the music category includes: the lyrics to Everything Counts by Depeche Mode; punk music, especially the Jesus and Mary Gang; illegal homemade cassette swopping, ‘a culture of sharing’; Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Brenda Fassie, Hugh Masekela; Manic Street Preachers; Rage Against the Machine, Stiff Little Fingers, Crass Records; and The Jam.

Visual art: comics (one person found their way to John Heartfield from their enjoyment of Marvel comics); banners, murals, stickers, badges; Gerard Richter; and George Gabriel, a Cypriot painter.

Films: Ken Loach, Godard, Patrick Keillers, and the film ‘Z’ are pinpointed as revelatory.

Literature: Raymond Carver, Caradoc Evans, Jane Eyre (the power of solidarity shown by Helen Burns): the writings of Marcus Garvey, the study Family and Kinship in East London.

Of course it’s necessary to read the trail in each individual case to make sense of how the above random set of artifacts and experiences raised or reinforced their political and cultural consciousness.

It is not entirely clear on what basis this second round of story tellers, (or indeed the first cohort) was selected and invited to contribute. It is claimed in the Foreword to this second edition that ‘the themes discussed in the stories (in Left Culture 1) were ‘inspiring, influential, thrilling, educational and passionate in many cases off the wall’, and basically they wanted to add to this lexicon, to increase the breadth and depth of examples.

One of the stories in this edition is literally ‘off the wall’ as it describes chipped woodchip wallpaper stimulating artistic imagination, later ruined as a potential for others after the Tory Right to Buy council housing took root, and alternative interior decoration schemes were then allowed. Rachael Miles certainly tells an unusual story!

The lively and imaginative artworks enrich the themes of this book and are probably going to makes a strong immediate impact with most readers. The artists responsible for accompanying each story have responded imaginatively and their illustrations are far more than just an addition, they are a vital part of the offer. 

The main purpose of this enterprise would seem to be to stimulate debate and further questions. How far will Left Cultures pursue this task of collecting and recording individuals narrating the background to the values and beliefs they presently hold? To what extent is this ‘lexicon of what the Left has to offer us culturally both past and present’ of value, rather than an interesting, nostalgic indulgence? Can it help us understand effective ways of bringing the present younger generation to want a progressive, socialist society? This publication should be a good basis for trying to answer this question, but wouldn’t detailed surveys involving hundreds or thousands of respondents? To which the reply could be that this format, with its lavish illustrations and highly individual stories, some quite lengthy, is likely to have a much greater impact than a survey report. More fun, more enjoyable!

To sum up, Left Cultures 2 is a lively read where you can feel you are meeting interesting people, hear their back-story and gain a sense of solidarity in these beleaguered times. You will likely read it all the way through quite quickly, then pick up individual stories again, and follow up or check out the cultural creators a story mentions.

It is surprising to find out exactly what has triggered, or fired up individuals to begin to identify a progressive way forward. And it is striking that there are no mentions of any religion, which surely can be a positive force, promoting an interest and desire for social justice and (for example) action to address the climate crisis.

Their stories also tell us what happens next, how they have been enabled to continue to grow and develop, finding other like-minded individuals or groups for support. It does encourage us to think more carefully about how we engage with other people, perhaps what we have to offer groups and individuals with whom we are involved. Do we appreciate what aspect of left culture inspired us, and could stimulate or support young people today?

Finally clocking off for the day, leaving the dark satanic cotton mills of Manchester and Lancashire behind for a few precious hours, what were the options available for workers in Victorian times and the early years of the twentieth century to lighten the gloom and grimness of the daily grind?

Quite rightly, we usually focus our attention on the appalling conditions of the working life for mill workers and the alienation they experienced. The premise of this exhibition at the John Rylands Library (Deansgate, Manchester) is that it is worth our while spending time considering and recognising the determination and ingenuity of working people to seize opportunities to engage in communal and cultural activities, to shed some light and hope for a brighter future.

The exhibition itself may be confined to a rather small, cramped and very darkly lit room, but it does enable us to be beamed straight back into the nineteenth century thanks to its wonderful display of historical documents. Once transported to the 19^th and early 20^th centuries in this tiny time machine, you can delve into the many fine examples provided of the extent of the playground. There is evidence of literary groups meeting in pubs, workers’ newspapers, poetry, drama performances, sporting clubs, music making, correspondence courses, trips to the seaside and so much more. The workers were organising themselves, socialising, networking, all in the pursuit of a more fulfilling life, which of course also included political engagement.

Fellowship is life

As anyone reading this review knows: culture matters! The good life for socialists is not just limited to achieving better working conditions, but needs to go hand-in-hand with greater leisure opportunities for education, artistic expression and fun. William Morris believed that 'fellowship is life' and a precursor of what a socialist society would be like, and it is sometimes said that Marx beavering away all hours in the British Library would have been happier spending more time reading his beloved Balzac.

This exhibition summarises the changes, after a great deal of campaigning by trade unions, religious groups and enlightened employers, which provided more scope for leisure, especially more time for women and men to devote to running their own affairs. For example, the Factory Act of 1833 and the Education Act of 1870.

At the heart of the exhibition then are the various historical documents. This is a small-scale exhibition covering a large subject across a wide timeframe. The selected items though do represent key areas of cultural and communal activity in the Cottonopolis region. They capture the range and variety of cultural interests that were evolving. The choice is stimulating, encouraging us to look more closely into a particular aspect, perhaps at home in our leisure and with all the aid of 21st century technology. The exhibits are all from the Rylands collection and it would be interesting to find out what other, similar treasures they hold.

You can read the front page of The Clarion, that entertaining socialist newspaper begun here in Manchester which built up a huge circulation, 80,000 at its peak. Or check out The Cotton Factory Times aimed initially at Ashton-under-Lyne mill workers. Back in the day, you might have been one of 40 or 50,000 also browsing it.

There’s The Labour Church Hymn Book and searching for further information afterwards, you find that it was founded by John Trevor, a Christian Socialist. The church provided a shelter for the homeless on Deansgate. 

There are photos of sports clubs, trips to the seaside. Humour is to be had in the dialect poets and the spoof rules of The Moss Side Debating Society.  Filling yourself with ale to deaden the misery of your work and surroundings was understandable, but was it fulfilling? The influence of the temperance movement is highlighted with a map of Manchester showing the proliferation of pubs. So many of these different items raise issues which merit their own in-depth study and display.

The Co-operative Movement

Here’s a challenging statement in the section on the Co-op: ‘The Co-operative Movement is the great working-class success story of the 19^th century.’ As significant as Chartism, or more? This claim is backed up by the display material and background facts, for example, by 1890 it had 721,310 members, and one person one vote was not restricted to male membership. Its reach was extensive, providing safe and affordable food, but also educational and cultural opportunities.

The ‘Workers’ Playtime’ exhibition certainly is ambitious, whetting the appetite for more. At reception staff spoke about the plans for the Library to have improved exhibition facilities and it must be said that this is a small taster type of exhibition. Anyone visiting Manchester from afar could also visit The People’s History Museum, a short walk away, which would perfectly complement what’s on offer here.

I benefitted and thoroughly enjoyed the experience of accompanying one of the three curators of the exhibition, along with many others, on a free tour. The tour was led by Michael Sanders, Professor of 19^th Century Literature and Culture at the University of Manchester, and a contributor to our Culture Matters website. ‘He really brought it all to life’ was one comment I heard afterwards. The next tour he will be conducting will be on May 4^th at 2pm.