The existence of this photograph really bothers me. Let me explain why… Someone somewhere believes it will appeal to voters. Photos like this are not created by mistake. Therefore, there is a constituency out there (out here, among us) who want to see Government Ministers laughing in internment camps, and who cheer for such policies

It’s becoming increasingly relevant to have the conversation about what we -as individuals- should do when we feel a law or policy is wrong.

Let’s think about the time, not so long ago, when people were protesting in support of the radical idea that women are human …

1/ That movement rumbled on for decades before meaningful change was achieved, and during that time those fighting for justice were considered troublesome attention-seeking law breakers, worthy of no respect.

The establishment worked hard to suppress and belittle their cause.

2/

On this day in 1908 the Women’s Freedom League took direct action to break down barriers to women’s participation in UK politics.

Those barriers were not metaphorical, they were cold hard iron bars.

Here’s the story of a very effective act of civil disobedience …

1/9 The Women’s Freedom League was formed as an alternative to the more famous WSPU.

They specialized in non-violent action and continued their pacifist stance throughout WW1.

But just because they were peaceful didn’t mean they didn’t know how to make a splash

2/9

On this day 108 years ago - before both world wars, before universal suffrage, before insulin and penicillin - The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists was published. The author, Robert Tressell, had recently died. This is the story of how it happened 1/13 Robert Tressell was really called Robert Noonan, and he was the first working class writer to write a novel about the experiences of working people. He died in poverty, but he didn’t start out that way 2/13

One of the most heartbreaking, and often overlooked, story arcs within The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists is one of grooming and sexual abuse. Ruth is struggling with a young baby (we christened him The Potato, you can see why)... 1/4 A little kindness from her lodger, the odious Slyme, teaches her to trust him despite her first instincts. In the book Tressell was making the point that she was put at risk by poverty, and was taken advantage of by someone with greater economic power. 2/4

Because you lot are so generous and creative and enthusiastic about sharing The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists with new people, we’ve created something new: welcome to the #RaggedEducation project!
rickardsisters.com/ragged-educati…
(1/6) Yesterday we showed you a copy of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists graphic novel with an inky mark, and asked for suggestions of who to give it to - and it made us realise something cool...
#RaggedEducation (2/6)

We’d like to introduce you to Frank Owen, the frustrated hero of our graphic novel, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. He’s a talented artist working by the hour as a house-painter (1/7)🧵 He lives in a tiny top-floor flat with his wife and child, in a fictional British town called Mugsborough. The year is 1910, and like most working families, the Owens struggle and stretch to make ends meet (2/7)