David Torrance presents his book on the 1926 General Strike in conversation with Professor Keith McLay, at the Derby Book Festival.
David Torrance is at QUAD on Sunday 15 November, talking about his book The Edge of Revolution: The General Strike that Shook Britain. He'll be in conversation with Professor Keith McLay, Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Derby and former Chair of Derby Book Festival.
The book looks at the General Strike of 1926, which is described as the only nationwide strike ever held in Britain. On Tuesday 4 May 1926, two million workers downed tools and the country braced itself for a moment akin to the Russian Revolution, which had shaken the world only a decade earlier. Industry was deprived of gas and electricity; buses, trains and trams stopped; newspapers ceased publication; and workers abandoned mines and iron, steel and chemical works. It lasted only nine days, but it left a legacy of bitterness that has had a profound impact on British politics. Torrance tells the story from the perspective of everyone involved, drawing on extensive archival research. The Financial Times called it 'compelling... vivid... fascinating'.
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The talk is part of the Derby Book Festival - Autumn 2026, which runs at QUAD from 12 to 15 November. It's a Sunday morning session, so it's a good one to fit in before the rest of your day gets going. Tickets are £10 standard and £10 concession, and it runs from 10:30am to 11:30am.
