a mugsburough rebel alf cobb and the struggle for justice in hastings by mike matthews

Christie Books The new 2011 edition of A Mugsborough Rebel: Alf Cobb by Mike Matthews is especially welcome, as this year is the centenary of the death of Robert Tressell, author of the famous book The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. Tressell’s semi-factual novel, set in the run-down seaside resort of Hastings in the early 1900s, had a major influence on many leaders of the British Labour movement throughout much of the 20 th century. While writing his story, Tressell was inspired by Cobb, a draper’s traveller from the East End of London who had moved to Hastings in 1900. This was about a year before Tressell also came to live in the town that he was to rename as Mugsborough. Cobb soon became the articulate figurehead of the radical socialist movement in Hastings, as secretary of the local Social Democratic Party. Tressell’s biographer, Fred Ball, said Cobb’s “uncompromising, sardonic and fearless style” helped fire Tressell’s outspoken prose in his powerful description of the miseries of everyday life in working class Britain. Mike’s book tells how Cobb shook the Hastings establishment out of its lethargy, transforming the borough‘s politics in the first decade and a half of the 20 th century. Cobb set out to unmask the injustice and corruption so prevalent in Mugsborough, a relentless task that gained him massive notoriety, and helped influence Tressell’s political perceptions and viewpoint on life in a watering place then undergoing alarming decline. Cobb’s muck-raking exposed widespread “muddle, mismanagement and monstrous scandals” in the town hall. His courageous prosecution of the mayor and Hastings Corporation in 1910 caused fear and loathing of him among the wealthy classes, and generated vindictiveness from councillors “caught with their fingers in the till”. Cobb’s passionate speeches, often recorded in word-for-word detail in the local newspapers, are quoted extensively by Mike. A Mugsborough Rebel: Alf Cobb paints a vivid portrait of a fascinating and influential man at a decisive moment in the history of both a typical provincial town and the British socialist movement of the 20 th century. Steve Peak www.hastingschronicle.net Available from Central Books Ltd. 99 Wallis Road, London E9 5LN [email protected] ChristieBooks A Mugsborough Rebel Alf Cobb and The Struggle for Justice in Hastings Title: A Mugsborough Rebel. Alf Cobb and The Struggle for Justice in Hastings Author: Mike Matthews ISBN-13: ISBN 9781873976-46-3 Pages 186 (6 pages of photographs) Size: 198 x 130mm Publisher: ChristieBooks Published: 1 February, 2011 Binding: Paperback Price: £9.95 — €12 (+ £1.50 p+p UK) Edition: Paperback Market: History/Biography Christiebooks, PO Box 35, Hastings, TN341ZS http://www.christiebooks.com/ChristieBooksWP/

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Biography of the socialist activist who inspired Robert Tressell's 'The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists'

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ChristieBooks

The new 2011 edition of A Mugsborough Rebel: Alf Cobb byMike Matthews is especially welcome, as this year is thecentenary of the death of Robert Tressell, author of thefamous book The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. Tressellssemi-factual novel, set in the run-down seaside resort ofHastings in the early 1900s, had a major influence on manyleaders of the British Labour movement throughout muchof the 20th century.

While writing his story, Tressell was inspired by Cobb, adrapers traveller from the East End of London who hadmoved to Hastings in 1900. This was about a year beforeTressell also came to live in the town that he was to renameas Mugsborough. Cobb soon became the articulatefigurehead of the radical socialist movement in Hastings, assecretary of the local Social Democratic Party. Tressells

biographer, Fred Ball, said Cobbs uncompromising, sardonic and fearless style helped fireTressells outspoken prose in his powerful description of the miseries of everyday life inworking class Britain.

Mikes book tells how Cobb shook the Hastings establishment out of its lethargy,transforming the boroughs politics in the first decade and a half of the 20th century. Cobbset out to unmask the injustice and corruption so prevalent in Mugsborough, a relentlesstask that gained him massive notoriety, and helped influence Tressells political perceptionsand viewpoint on life in a watering place then undergoing alarming decline.

Cobbs muck-raking exposed widespread muddle, mismanagement and monstrousscandals in the town hall. His courageous prosecution of the mayor and Hastings

Corporation in 1910 caused fear and loathing ofhim among the wealthy classes, and generatedvindictiveness from councillors caught with theirfingers in the till. Cobbs passionate speeches,often recorded in word-for-word detail in thelocal newspapers, are quoted extensively by Mike.

A Mugsborough Rebel: Alf Cobb paints a vividportrait of a fascinating and influential man at adecisive moment in the history of both a typicalprovincial town and the British socialistmovement of the 20th century.

Steve Peak www.hastingschronicle.net

Available from Central Books Ltd. 99 Wallis Road, London E9 [email protected]

ChristieBooksA Mugsborough Rebel

Alf Cobb and The Struggle for Justice in Hastings

Title: A Mugsborough Rebel.Alf Cobb and The Struggle forJustice in Hastings

Author: Mike MatthewsISBN-13: ISBN 9781873976-46-3Pages 186 (6 pages of photographs)Size: 198 x 130mmPublisher: ChristieBooksPublished: 1 February, 2011Binding: PaperbackPrice: 9.95 12 (+ 1.50 p+p UK)Edition: PaperbackMarket: History/Biography

Christiebooks, PO Box 35, Hastings, TN341ZS http://www.christiebooks.com/ChristieBooksWP/