Chapter I: Front Matter

BEGINNINGS OF COMBINED AGITATION—THE COMPULSORY SUNDAY LABOUR
QUESTION—FIRST PUBLIC PROTEST AT EXETER HALL 23

CHAPTER III

ECONOMICAL REFORM, AND A LOWERING OF STATUS—AN ESTIMATE OF
ROWLAND HILL—EFFORTS OF THE _CIVIL SERVICE GAZETTE_—THE
CONDITIONS OF THE SERVICE, 1854-60 30

CHAPTER IV

GROWING DISCONTENT AMONG LETTER-CARRIERS—PROHIBITION OF PUBLIC
MEETING—THE FRANCHISE AMONG POSTAL SERVANTS AND ITS HISTORY 46

CHAPTER V

FORMATION OF AN ORGANISATION—BOOTH, THE LETTER-CARRIER—CONDITION
OF THE LETTER-CARRIERS—PROPOSED PETITION TO PARLIAMENT 58

CHAPTER VI

BOOTH THE LEADER OF THE AGITATION—A MASS MEETING IN THE GENERAL
POST-OFFICE—A PETITION TO PARLIAMENT 65

CHAPTER VII

ASSERTING THE RIGHT OF PUBLIC MEETING—PUBLIC AND PARLIAMENTARY
FRIENDS—CONFERENCE OF M.P.’S—THE ORGANS OF THE MOVEMENT—MEETING
AT EXETER HALL—A MONSTER PETITION TO PARLIAMENT—ELUDING THE LAW
OF CONSPIRACY 72

CHAPTER VIII

A TEST OF “THE LABOUR MARKET”—THE UGLY DUCKLING OF TRADES
UNIONISM—MR. GEO. HOWELL’S ASSISTANCE—FURTHER DEMONSTRATIONS—THE
DEPARTURE OF BOOTH 89

CHAPTER IX

FORCED LABOUR—A GENERAL POST-OFFICE RIOT—A POSTAL POET—THE
WANING OF THE MOVEMENT—THE PUBLICATION OF A MEMORIAL—WHOLESALE
DISMISSALS 100

CHAPTER X

INTRODUCTION OF BOY LABOUR—CONDITIONS OF SERVICE—DEATH OF
COMBINATION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES—POSTAL HELOTISM 116

CHAPTER XI

A PERIOD OF STAGNATION—THE BLIND POSTMASTER-GENERAL AND A GLEAM
OF LIGHT—A MEMORABLE VISIT—THE FAWCETT SCHEME 124

CHAPTER XII

BEGINNINGS OF THE TELEGRAPHISTS’ MOVEMENT—AN EARLY ATTEMPT AT A
STRIKE—A _COUP D’ÉTAT_—“SCUDAMORE’S FOLLY” 135

CHAPTER XIII

DISSATISFACTION AMONG TELEGRAPHISTS—STARTING A NEW
ORGANISATION—CONFERENCE AT LIVERPOOL—THREATENED TELEGRAPH
STRIKE—THE FAWCETT SCHEME AND THE TELEGRAPHISTS 157

CHAPTER XIV

SEVEN YEARS OF STAGNATION—THE POST-OFFICE AND GUTTER
JOURNALISM—REVIVAL OF POSTAL JOURNALISM—A CHRISTMAS STRIKE
AVERTED—FIRST GLIMPSE OF A NOTABLE AGITATOR—THE PETITION THAT
“HELD THE FIELD” 170

CHAPTER XV

WORK OF THE FAWCETT SCHEME COMMITTEE—A NOTABLE PAMPHLET—MR.
RAIKES AND THE “AGITATOR”—A NEW POSTAL ORGAN—THE FAWCETT SCHEME
AND THE “LUMINOUS COMMITTEE” 183

CHAPTER XVI

A REAWAKENING OF THE LETTER-CARRIERS—PETITIONS—DEGRADATION AND
DISMISSAL OF THE LEADER—FORMATION OF THE POSTMEN’S UNION—MR.
JOHN BURNS—A PLASTER-OF-PARIS CÆSAR—THE INTERVENTION OF W. E.
CLERY—THE POSTMEN’S STRIKE 204

CHAPTER XVII

CONTINUANCE OF TELEGRAPHISTS’ AGITATION—NATURE OF
GRIEVANCES—“TELEGRAPHISTS’ CRAMP”—AN OUTCOME OF THE
SUNDAY QUESTION—THE CARDIFF EXILES—CONDEMNATION OF
POSTMASTER-GENERAL—THE “NO OVERTIME” PROTEST 222

CHAPTER XVIII

THE PROVINCIAL SORTING CLERKS—THEIR POSITION—THE RIDLEY
COMMISSION, AND EVIDENCE PREPARED—THE FORMATION OF AN
ORGANISATION—THE RIGHT OF PUBLIC MEETING 236

CHAPTER XIX

THE AFTER EFFECTS OF THE POSTMEN’S STRIKE—THE RAIKES
SCHEME—FRESH DISSATISFACTION—AN ESTIMATE OF MR. RAIKES 248

CHAPTER XX

BENEFITS OF THE RAIKES SCHEME—A MARTINET POSTMASTER-GENERAL—A
NEW PARLIAMENTARY POLICY—A PARTING OF THE WAYS—POLITICAL RIGHTS
OF POSTAL SERVANTS—A BLOW AT COMBINATION 256

CHAPTER XXI

REORGANISATION OF THE POSTMEN—THE PROVINCIAL POSTAL
CLERKS—GENERAL CONDEMNATION OF THE DISMISSALS—THE NEWCASTLE
INTERVIEW—AN M.P. AND THE POSTAL AGITATOR—THE RIGHT OF
COMBINATION—CORRESPONDENCE WITH MR. GLADSTONE ON RIGHT OF FREE
MEETING—ANOTHER BLOW AT COMBINATION—RIGHT OF FREE MEETING
CONCEDED BY MR. GLADSTONE—THE GRANTING OF AN INQUIRY 267

CHAPTER XXII

PROGRESS OF THE TELEGRAPH MOVEMENT—CONSTITUTION OF THE
COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY—ITS TERMS OF REFERENCE—FIRST SITTINGS—THE
AWARD OF THE TWEEDMOUTH COMMITTEE—DISAPPOINTMENT AND
CONDEMNATION 285

CHAPTER XXIII

CONTINUANCE OF AGITATION—ANOTHER THREATENED STRIKE OF
TELEGRAPHISTS—THE NORFOLK-HANBURY CONFERENCE—THE “HARDY ANNUAL”
OF THE POST-OFFICE—POSTAL FEDERATION—THE JUBILEE OF POSTAL
AGITATION—CONCLUSION 297

A HISTORY OF POSTAL AGITATION