Workers Memorial Day Monday 28 April - 1pm Clasping Hands Statute,Three Mills Green E15

 

This year's event will take place at 1pm next Monday 28 April 2025. All welcome. Remember the dead and fight for the living. 

Worker's Memorial Day 2024: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends".

 

Today we remembered workers who died in the course of their duties and also those who died trying valiantly to save them. Workers Memorial Day is on Sunday (28 April) this year but we decided to hold our annual event today. 

The venue was beside the "Clasping Hands" statue in Three Mills Park in Stratford, East London. Over a 100 years ago, 4 workers died at this site in a notorious health and safety incident. 3 of them died trying to pull out of danger, a worker who had collapsed due to poisonous fumes at a bottom of a ventilation shaft next to a local Gin factory. 

Even by the standards of the time, basic health and safety rules had been ignored, which resulted in these deaths. 

We had speeches and wreaths laid by representatives of UNISON, Clarion Housing Group and L&Q Group. Many thanks to the professional safety advisors from Clarion and L&Q for attending. 

As well as trade union and Labour movement activists from UNISON and GMB, there was also local Labour Councillors, including Cllr James Beckles, who is standing in the Greater London Assembly Elections and  Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, the Deputy Mayor of Hackney Council (both UNISON members). 

Reminder: Workers Memorial Day event - 1pm Friday 26 April 24 at Three Mills Green, Stratford, E3 3DU - Theme is Climate Change impact on safety

This year since Workers Memorial Day is on a Sunday, my branch will be organising our annual wreath laying event on the Friday before (Friday 26 April at 1pm) outside the "Clasping Hands" Statue in Three Mills Green, Stratford, E3 3DU.

This is the site of a historic "accident" where a number of workers sacrificed their lives while attempting to rescue their colleagues.

Members and Staff Safety officers from local Housing Associations are expected but all welcome to pay their respects. Guest speakers invited.

(In local park next to historic mills and canel. Near Bromley by Bow tube, buses, can park for free near by at Tesco for limited time if you buy something)

"With last year the hottest year on record, the theme for 2024's Workers' Memorial Day is the impacts of climate change on occupational health and safety. Death at work and employment disruption as a result of global warming, not to mention occupational illnesses caused by polluting fossil fuels, are rising everywhere, and are only expected to increase.

Stand with us this year to remember the early victims of climate change-caused heat stress, UV radiation, air pollution, industrial accidents, extreme weather events, vector-borne diseases, and chemical exposure. And commit to fight for a world that's more, not less, safe to live and work in.
Check out TUC site for further details" (TUC)

https://www.megaphone.org.uk/events/stratford-international-workers-memorial-day

International Workers’ Memorial Day 2024 - Remember the Dead & Fight for the Living

A very powerful video from UNISON. This year since WMD is on a Sunday my branch will be organising our annual wreath laying event on the Friday before (Friday 26 April at 1pm) outside the "Clasping Hands" Statute in Three Mill Green, Stratford, E3

This is the site of a historic "accident" where a number of workers sacrificed their lives while attempting to rescue their colleagues.

Members and Staff Safety officers from a number of Housing Associations are expected but all welcome to pay their respects. Guest speakers invited. 

Further details to follow. 

Workers Memorial Day: This Friday 28 April - UNISON wreath laying at 1pm at "Clasping hands" statute, Bow, E3

 

This year UNISON Housing Association Branch will be remembering those who have died at work due to accidents at work or from work related ill health & diseases. It is also a campaigning day to fight for the living at work and their health and safety.

We will holding a wreath laying event at the "Clasping Hands" statute in Three Mills Green, Stratford, London E3 3DU at 1pm on Friday 28 April 2023. We have held this event now for many years but hope to get a good turn out post Covid. 

This beautiful statue is near the site of a ventilation shaft where 4 workers died in 1900. 3 of them perished while heroically trying to rescue a fellow worker.

Local MP, Lyn Brown is attending and all trade unionists will be welcome as well as safety advisors and anyone else, genuinely interested in health and safety at work. 

Please bring your trade union and Labour movement banners.

UNISON members from the nearby L&Q Housing headquarters will be walking to the site beforehand. The wreath laying and talk about what happened here and why it is important should last no more than 30 minutes or so.

If you are unable to attend this event then check out the TUC website for events local to you or arrange with your employer to carry out a general walkabout safety inspection of your workplace looking for obvious hazards. It is also Stress Awareness month so check on stress risk assessment arrangements and occupational health support for workers.

Workers Memorial Day: Friday 28 April 2023

 

This year UNISON Housing Association Branch will be remembering those who have died at work due to accidents at work or from work related ill health & diseases. It is also a campaigning day to fight for the living at work and their health and safety.

We will holding a wreath laying event at the "Clasping Hands" statute in Three Mills Green, Stratford, London E3 3DU at 1pm on Friday 28 April 2023. We have held this event now for many years but hope to get a good turn out post Covid. 

This beautiful statue is near the site of a ventilation shaft where 4 workers died in 1900. 3 of them perished while heroically trying to rescue a fellow worker.

The local MP, Lyn Brown has been invited and all trade unionists will be welcome as well as Safety advisors and anyone else, genuinely interested in health and safety at work. 

Please bring your trade union and Labour movement banners.

UNISON members from the nearby L&Q Housing headquarters will be walking to the site beforehand. The wreath laying and talk about what happened here and why it is important should last no more than 30 minutes or so.

If you are unable to attend this event then check out the TUC website for events local to you or arrange with your employer to carry out a general walkabout safety inspection of your workplace looking for obvious hazards. It is also Stress Awareness month so check on stress risk assessment arrangements and occupational health support for workers.

Picture from 2022 with UNISON National officer Andrew Dobbie giving a wonderful historical tlak on what happened in 1901. 

Workers Memorial Day – Thursday 28 April 2022

 

Every year on the 28 April in 19 countries across the world, workers remember all those who have died in an accident at work or from occupational illnesses and diseases such as exposure to asbestos. Sadly, more people are killed at work each year than die in wars. Many more suffer from work related disability or chronic ill health.

The theme for this year’s event following the many unnecessary deaths workers suffered from Covid is making sure that health and safety at work is a "fundamental employment right".

Greater London UNISON Housing Associations, has held an annual memorial in Stratford, East London for many years, organised by local members, other trade unions and some employer safety officers.

The annual memorial in Stratford takes place at Three Mills Green, E3 3DU behind the historic buildings nearby and next to the River Lea. It is about 10 minutes’ walk from Bromley-By-Bow underground station. 

There is a “clasping hands” statute at this site remembering the deaths of 4 workers who were suffocated in an underground vent. 3 Of them had sacrificed their lives while trying to rescue others by trying to pull them out of the vent but were overcome by fumes.  

Local MP Lyn Brown will be laying a wreath on behalf of UNISON at 11am on the day. All welcome. Please bring banners and assemble by 10.45. 

If you work outside London, check out this TUC website for an event near you https://www.tuc.org.uk/iwmd-events

Not only is this a day to remember the dead it is also a day to campaign and remind everyone of the risks they face at work and what can be done to reduce them.

In previous years in our branch line managers and UNISON members on 28 April were encouraged to go on joint “walkabouts” around their offices looking for simple slip and trip hazards while other workers had special “tool box” talks on relevant safety issues. With many employees still working from home for at least part of the week, 28 April could be the day to make sure you have an up-to-date home or office desktop risk assessment and you have any aids that are needed.

International Workers' Memorial Day in West Ham (& also remembering Uncle Harry)

Today is International Workers Memorial Day and this afternoon we remembered all those who have been killed at work or died of work related diseases at the beautiful "Clasping Hands" sculpture and memorial in Three Mills Green, Newham, East London.

The memorial remembers "Godfrey Maule Nicholson, Manager Of A Stratford Distillery, George Elliott And Robert Underhill, Workmen, Successively Went Down A Well To Rescue Comrades And Were Poisoned By Gas. July 12 1901". How sad and how fitting to remember this on this particular day.

Our Local Member of Parliament, Lyn Brown, a long standing UNISON member, laid a wreath on behalf of my trade union branch, Greater London UNISON Housing Associations, who have organised memorial events here for many years.

Due to Covid we were restricted this year on who could attend but many thanks to Lyn, Andrew (National UNISON officer for Community), Sonya and Eunice (UNISON activists) for attending.

Hopefully next year we will be able to organise properly and have a bigger and more inclusive event.

Lyn gave a lovely little speech about about how important this occasion was to her as a the local MP to honour workers, such as Robert Underhill, who must have gone down the well on that day, knowing what had happened to those who had tried beforehand to rescue others, but he still risked his life to save others and paid the ultimate price for doing so.

Lyn also mentioned "Uncle Harry". By coincidence this morning I received an email from the niece of Henry (Harry) Turner. She had seen notice of this event on the TUC website. Some 200 yards away from this sculpture, her uncle Harry, had been killed in 1965 during an explosion, in the Sun Flour Mill. He had been working at the site while employed by the London Electricity Board (so possibly a member of UNISON's predecessor trade unions?) . Four people were killed by the explosion. 

There are already the names of other workers killed nearby as well as those from 1901 on the memorial plinth. So maybe we should consider whether other names such as Uncle Harry should be added.

Workers Memorial Day: Wednesday 28 April 2021

 

Workers Memorial Day Wednesday 28 April 2021. Remembering all those killed while at work or who have died of work related diseases.  It is also a campaigning day to fight for the living. 

Check out this physical and FaceBook live commemoration by my trade union branch at the beautiful "clasping hands" sculpture in Three Mills Green, E3.

 

Workers Memorial Day 2020 - A one minutes silence of pictures

 Pictures from trades unions via TUC and from last year's Newham/ UNISON event

International Workers Memorial Day 2018 Newham: "Remember the Dead, Fight for the Living"

Today is International Workers Memorial Day which remembers workers who have been killed at work or died of industrial injuries or diseases. It is also a health & safety campaigning day to protect the living.

This morning Labour Party members & trade union activists in Newham paid homage to local heroes who sacrificed their lives to try and save their fellow workers. At this site (now called Three Mills Green Park) in 1901, managers at a nearby brewery ordered a disused ventilation mine shaft to be reopened.

A worker was sent down to the shaft to inspect it. He was quickly overwhelmed by noxious fumes at the bottom of the shaft. In turn 3 other workers bravely also went down and tried to rescue their comrades but all were killed in doing so.

At the inquest management were rightly condemned for failing to follow even the basic health and safety measures of the time. A lighted candle should have been lowered down first to check for fumes. If they had used trained and specialist staff this tragedy would never have happened.

UNISON Housing Association Branch (HAB),  West Ham Labour Party TULO & local trade unions have organised a wreath laying memorial event at this site for a number of years

This year West Ham MP Lyn Brown and Newham Councillor, Rokhsana Fiaz (who is also the Newham Labour Mayoral Candidate) spoke at this event and laid separate wreaths on behalf of UNISON HAB and West Ham Labour at the striking and beautiful "Clasping Hands" memorial in the park. It was a moving occasion. I will post the speech by Lyn Brown later.

We are planning to return to this memorial in the near future since it needs a bit of a clean (after getting the full agreement with the Lea Valley Park). Many thanks to Tim, the Park Ranger for attending and his helpfulness in arranging this event. 

Workers Memorial Day at 3 Mills Green E3 - 11am Saturday 28 April 2018

"The purpose behind Workers' Memorial Day has always been to "remember the dead: fight for the living" and unions are asked to focus on both areas, by considering events or memorial to remember all those killed through work but at the same time ensuring that such tragedies are not repeated.

That can best be done by building trade union organisation, and campaigning for stricter enforcement with higher penalties for breaches of health & safety laws.

Workers Memorial Day is commemorated throughout the world and is officially recognised by the UK Government.

In 2018 the theme for the day is Unionised workplaces are safer workplaces and will focus the huge difference that unions make in preventing deaths in the workplace. We will also be celebrating 40 years of union health and safety representatives" See TUC website.

West Ham Labour Party Trade Union affiliates & members are organising a wreath laying event at 11am on Saturday 28 April 2018 at the "Clasping Hands" statue in Three Mills Green, E3 3DU (see photo college of previous event above).

The statue is in the park next to the film studios and is to remember the deaths of 3 workers who died near this location while trying to rescue a colleague in 1901.

The park is a 10 minutes’ walk from local stations. Please contact John Gray (J.Gray2@unison.co.uk) if you wish to attend.  

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" Worker Memorial Day 2017

Today is Workers Memorial Day, and across the world trade unionists remember the 20,000 British and the 2.3 million deaths of workers worldwide who die prematurely every year in work related accidents or from occupational disease.

In Three Mills Green, Stratford, East London there is a memorial to 4 workers who lost their lives while at work. On this site there used to be an underground well next to a Gin distillery. On July 12 1901 a worker was sent down the shaft to carry out work but was overcome by toxic fumes. Three of his fellow workers went down the shaft, in turn, to try and rescue him and were all in turn poisoned and died while trying to pull their comrades to safety.

The "Clasping hands" statue was later erected to honour this sacrifice.

West Ham Labour Party, UNISON Housing Association branch and Newham Teachers Association (NUT) have for the past several years laid a wreath on Workers Memorial Day at this site to remember all those who have died at work or from work related ill health.

Next year, 2018 Workers Memorial Day, is on a Saturday (it's always on 28 April) so we hope to hold a bigger event, inviting local schools, Woodcraft folk, all parts of the Labour Movement and progressive employers to attend and participate.

This part of East London is steeped in working class history. Behind this picture you can see the London Match Girls Strike Building and also the 2014 London Olympics Stadium.

My UNISON Branch Chair, Tony Power, addressed the gathering and pointed out that due to good health and safety agreements and practices with trade unions, no workers was killed building the London Olympic Stadium. While in a country such as Qater, which does not recognise trade unions, it is thought that 7000 workers will die by the time the World Football Cup kicks off in 2022.

International Workers' Memorial Day - wreath laying event: "Clasping hands" statute

“Everyone is welcome to attend this event on Thursday. UNISON estimates that up to 1,000 British workers die every week from work related ill health and incidents.

This will be a simple wreath laying ceremony and if you cannot make 1pm then please be free to come another time and show your respects. The "Clasping Hands" statute is simply beautiful and in my view, one of the most important examples of working class art in London. The heroism and self-sacrifice of those 3 workers who died trying to save a comrade should never be forgotten.

You can walk to the site from Stratford or Bromley by Bow station (15 minutes) or park in nearby Tesco’s Supermarket (free but buy something from the store) and walk across the Temple Mills Bridge (2 minutes).

Workers Memorial Day at 3 Mills Green - Thursday 28 April 2016

UNISON Housing Associations Website: "Workers Memorial Day is an international event which takes place on 28 April every year. It is a day to firstly remember all those who have been killed at work or died from industrial injuries and illnesses. Secondly, it is also a campaigning day on safety issues. More people today are killed at work than in wars.

The theme for this year is “Strong Laws – Strong enforcement – Strong unions”

It is recognised in the UK by the Health and Safety Executive and the TUC.

Last year there was a wreath laying event at Three Mills Green Park, Stratford, E15  (see photo) with Lyn Brown MP and members of Housing Association Branch. There is a memorial called "clasping hands" in the park to remember the deaths of 3 workers who died trying to rescue a colleague in 1901.

The park is a 10 minutes’ walk from local stations (map to follow). Members from East Thames HA last year left their headquarters in Stratford together to walk to the site.

All branch members are invited to attend this years event – we will update this page when we have further details. We are trying to confirm speakers but believe it will be lunch time on Thursday 28 April. You may wish to contact your employer to see if they will give time off for members to attend and for them to support.

There is also a UNISON Labour Link Parliamentary reception for our members in NE London in the evening.

Contact the branch office for more details".

Check out the UNISON poster and leaflet for WMD here. 

Workers' Memorial Day 2015 at the historic Three Mills Green, Stratford

On Tuesday, 28 April, it was Workers' Memorial Day. An international day to remember those who have been killed at work or died from work related ill health. UNISON estimates this kills up to 50,000 workers every year in the UK. It is also a campaigning day to keep workers safe.

UNISON Greater London Region and Housing Associations branch agreed to each place a wreath of remembrance at the Workers' Memorial in Three Mills Park, Stratford, London. This site overlooks the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The 2001 clasping hands sculpture  by Alec Peever is a memorial to a fatal incident which took place nearby in 1901 when a worker collapsed and died due to "foul air" at a bottom of a distillery well. Three of his workmates died successively trying to pull him out. It also remembers other workers who were killed at this site. This area was the birth place of the industrial revolution in London and also modern day industrial trade unions.

The Labour Parliamentary Candidate for West Ham, Lyn Brown, (and long standing UNISON member) was invited to place the wreath on behalf of Greater London Region & the Housing Associations branch Chair, Tony Power, placed the other wreath. UNISON members and the Health & Safety manager from nearby East Thames Housing Association also attended.

I think that this Sculpture and memorial site is one of the most important working class historical and artistic sites in East London but hardly anyone knows about it. Next year I hope to help arrange a bigger and better organised event.

Workers Memorial at Three Mills Green Park,, Stratford, London

I went this evening to check out the memorial and the site for the remembrance ceremony next week.

On Tuesday 28 April it is Worker Memorial Day (also known as the International Day for Workers Safety). Which is a United Nations sponsored event supported in the UK by the HSE, TUC and CBI.

It is a day to remember those who were killed at work or have died from industrial injuries and diseases. It is also a campaigning day for the living.

My UNISON branch is organising a wreath laying ceremony in Three Mills Green, Stratford, East London. Further details to follow.

Check out this post about Workers Memorial Day and the tragedy at this site which the statute honours.

I think that this is a very special and important place for working class art and history which hardly anyone knows about. 

Workers' Memorial Day 28 April 2015

A powerful video on the history and importance of workers health and safety. Warning: it does contain some disturbing scences. Hat tip unison health and safety.

This year I am organising an event to mark Workers' Memorial Day at the statute in Three Mills Green in Stratford, London, E15.

"Situated on Three Mills Green, entry from Bisson Road. The inscription says: Of your charity pray for the souls of Thomas Pickett, Godfrey Maule Nicholson, Frederick Eliott and Robert Underhill, who lost their lives in a well beneath this spot on 12 July 1901. The first named while in the execution of his duty was overcome by foul air. The three latter successively descending in heroic efforts to save their comrades shared the same death… This monument was erected in 2001 to replace the original which was 150 metres to the south. The statue shows one arm grasping another in a rescue attempt."

Newham Planning and Historic Environment Tour

I've been meaning to post on this for a while. Last month I went on a bus tour of Newham Conservation areas and listed buildings with other Councillors.

Newham has 9 conservation areas and 114 listed buildings or groups of buildings. The oldest dating from the 12th Century.

Pictured in the collage include East Ham and Stratford Town Hall, a memorial to victims of the Titanic, the entrance to City of London Cemetery, historic railways stations, the Red House (no known socialist connection except it was once the home of a Mr Tuthill, the manufacturer of early trade union banners!) and the workers memorial statute in Three Mills Green (which isn't currently listed because it is less than 30 years old but I am looking into applying for this status because of the memorial flagstones around it which are)

Highlight of the tour was the Norman St Mary Magdalene Church in East Ham where we had a tour by its vicar (and local Councillor!) and Temple Mills.  Near to Temple Mills was the scene of the famous strike in 1972 (Chobham Farm warehouse) which led to the Pentonville Five trade unionists being imprisoned (including Vic Turner who later became Mayor of Newham).

Many thanks to the officers and local volunteers for organising a superb tour. The serious purpose of which was to make us aware of the rather complex and detailed planning regulations regarding historic buildings and conservation areas.

London Marathon 2012 Wk 16: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends"

My run of the week was on Saturday. I went from Forest Gate and through West Ham then on the Greenway towards Temple Mills. Picture to the right is of the beautiful memorial in Three Mills Green remembering the death of 3 workers at this site who died trying to save a work colleague.

"Of your charity pray for the souls of Thomas Pickett, Godfrey Maule Nicholson, Frederick Eliott and Robert Underhill, who lost their lives in a well beneath this spot on 12 July 1901. The first named while in the execution of his duty was overcome by foul air. The three latter successively descending in heroic efforts to save their comrades shared the same death…".

I then ran past Bow Locks and along the Limehouse Cut into Limehouse Basin while listening on headphones to James Corden who was the guest on Desert Island Discs.  He seems a decent bloke. The Cut was largely frozen. I was surprised to see on the way a site full of tanks and armoured vehicles which I assume belonged to some film company. At Limehouse basin I followed the Thames Walk to Canary Wharf then ran past Billingsgate Market and Tower Hamlets Town Hall (Mulberry Place). Across Canning Town flyover and then up into West Ham again then back home. I stopped off at the station to check on a ward problem. The run took about 2 hours 15 minutes and the last 30 minutes were very slow and very sore.

I am running the London marathon in April 2012 while sort of using the official advanced training programme and will be raising funds for Homeless charity for Young People "Alone in London". Click here to sponsor me.