Today is Labour Day across the world, a day in which the efforts of workers are celebrated and their rights recognised. It is also known as May Day and is traditionally marked in the UK with morris dancing, dancing around the maypole and the crowning of a May Queen.
The Day’s origins are open to debate but the most likely is a mark of the first general strike in the US that occurred from May 1st 1896.
On 4 May, the police acted to disperse a public assembly in support of the strike when an unidentified person threw a bomb. The police responded by firing on the workers. The event led to the deaths of seven police officers and at least four civilians; sixty police officers were injured, as were one hundred and fifteen civilians.
Hundreds of labour leaders and sympathizers were later rounded-up and four were executed by hanging This became known as the Chicago Haymarket Affair and Labour Day has been marked ever since
We would like to take the opportunity to thank all of our hardworking shop workers and volunteers, some of whom who will be working today
A big thank you to Bev, Tracey, Rose, Marty, Sonia, Riya, Julie & Barb in Croydon.
John, Dee, Violet, Scott, Rob, Tabitha, Ayesha, Renae & Annie in Crystal Palace.
Abbie, Jane, Ann J, Dianne, Alex, Gemma, Margaret, Janet, Yvonne, Sue, Maria, Dawn, MaryJane, Jill, Marion, Tammy, Helen, Santi, Ann, Paige, Noel, Husyan. Kirsty & Paula in Caterham.
If you would like to volunteer for us please see our volunteer page on this website. If you can donate items to our shops please see our shops page or if you can donate a few pounds please hit the donate button.
RSPCA South London - For Every Kind Of Creature 