[As a trade union leader, Ben Turner was involved with events leading up to the General Strike of 1926]

During that memorable week before the strike was declared they called into consultation the Executives of the chief trades unions in the kingdom, The strike was not lightly entered into. […] The conferences were held in the Memorial Hall on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and circulars, leaflets and manifestoes were drawn up ready for any speedy eventuality.

[…]

During those three days and nights the special sub-committee of the Trades Union Congress was at it night and day to find a formula that would get the Miners’ Federation, the Government and the mine-owners into contact with each other. During those interviews there were interludes when the assembled delegates had nothing to do but wait and wait. Some of us on the General Council were sent up at varying waiting times to speak to the delegates and to enliven the “waits”; community singing, and reciting, filled in many a gap.