Carnegie lecture will focus on notorious steelworkers’ strike

The anniversary of one of the most notorious strikes in American history will be marked in Fife.

It is 125 years since the Homestead dispute took place in Andrew Carnegie’s steelworks in Pittsburgh.

Now it will be the subject of a Carnegie lecture in the philanthropist’s home town, at 7.30pm today in the Fire Station Creative.

The event will be chaired by former first minister Henry McLeish and will feature Dunfermline’s Ewen Cameron, a professor of Scottish history at Edinburgh University, and his colleague Dr Fabian Hilfrich, senior lecturer in American history

Together the academics will explore aspects of the strike and the factors that led up to it.

Professor Cameron will look at the working-class Chartist movement, which was prominent in agitating for political reform in the Dunfermline of Carnegie’s youth.

It is not widely known that Carnegie came from a very radical background and his uncle, Tom Morrison, played a significant role in this organisation, being arrested and charged for sedition in 1842.

Dr Hilfrich will cover the strike itself, which was eventually broken by a force of 300 Pinkerton detectives, leaving 10 dead.

Mr McLeish, a visiting professor in several US universities, said: “I am very much looking forward to chairing the lecture on the subject of the Homestead Strike in the home town of Andrew Carnegie.

“The subject of labour relations is as important today as it was 125 years ago when Andrew Carnegie was working his way up to becoming the richest man in the world.”