Empire Day in Britain, 1904–1958

Abstract

The celebration of Empire Day in Britain was of greater significance than previous research has suggested. This article disproves the misconception that the festival was restricted in the main to a constituency of schoolchildren. The celebrations had a far wider effect on diverse communities; in many cases the ritual celebration of the British Empire traversed class boundaries and helped to sustain traditional social hierarchies. In the immediate aftermath of the First World War, when unrestrained jingoism became inappropriate, Empire Day retained its hegemonic potency by amalgamating the emerging traditions of sombre commemoration into the repertoire of imperial festivity. Empire Day, although remaining popular during the interwar period, became an arena of passionate contestation. The Conservative party and other groups adopted Empire Day as a vehicle for anti-socialist propaganda, whilst the communist party exploited it as an opportunity to attack British imperialism. Other protests came from local Labour groups and pacifist dissenters. The overt politicization of Empire Day severely disrupted its hegemonic function and the political battles fought over the form and purpose of the celebrations made it difficult to uphold the notion that the festival was merely a benign tribute to a legitimate and natural state of affairs.

Print, Politics and the Provincial Press in Modern Britain

“…The Empire Day celebrations grew out of this event, adapting an event that had been largely only celebrated by scouting organisations and schools in the Midlands hitherto. 116 The first mention of Empire Day in Straight Forward was in the June 1924 edition. However, unlike the pre-war celebrations which dated back to Lord Meath's establishment of Queen Victoria's birthday (24 May) as a day of celebration of Britain's 'glorious Empire', in Birmingham, as elsewhere, the post-war emphasis was on the contribution of the Empire in the Great War.…”

“…However, unlike the pre-war celebrations which dated back to Lord Meath's establishment of Queen Victoria's birthday (24 May) as a day of celebration of Britain's 'glorious Empire', in Birmingham, as elsewhere, the post-war emphasis was on the contribution of the Empire in the Great War. 117 The increased scale of the event was stimulated by the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley which had opened in April and by a preceding 'Empire Shopping Week' in which the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce attempted to 'reproduce the Wembley atmosphere.' 118 The timing of holding such an overtly patriotic event with a Labour government in office was clearly influential in stimulating the Unionists to such heights of activity.…”

The City and Imperial Propaganda

“…By adopting this comparative approach, we shall challenge the assumption that a hegemonic imperial ideology was streamed uncontested and unaltered to the urban population at large. 2 Indeed, we shall argue that because of the significant differences in urban development in Britain and colonial towns, the imperial message was either, in the British context, directed to cure perceived local crises or, alternatively within a colonial setting, came secondary to national priorities. First, we shall contrast the urban and civic development of differing English and Antipodean communities, before investigating how this environment shaped the dissemination and reception of the imperial message in the city.…”

“…According to English, Empire Day was able to "traverse class lines and establish an imperial consciousness in the minds of working-class children" that performed a "socialising role that upheld a belief in racial superiority and righteousness of the British Empire." 11 These are strong claims for the importance of Empire Day that are largely based on autobiographical material scattered over Britain. Indeed, these findings contrast sharply with Bernard Porter's recent research that, like English's, utilizes working-class autobiographies but concludes that Empire Day was largely unsuccessful in inculcating an imperial sentiment.…”

Restaging Mafeking in Muswell Hill: performing patriotism and charitability in London's Boer War carnivals*

“…31 Imperialism infused teaching practices, while schoolchildren were also the primary target of Empire Day, instituted in Britain in 1904. 32 Other popular public events in late Victorian and Edwardian England, such as pageants, celebrated a more introspective, retrospective idea of nationhood, focused on educating local denizens as to the place of their hometown within the history of pre-union England. 33 Under Benjamin Disraeli, and through the Primrose League established in his memory, imperialism conflated with local concerns became vital to the Conservatives' populist appeal.…”