Kelso Chronicle – Stobs Camp joiners strike over pay

9 April 1915

On Tuesday some 50 or so joiners who are engaged in the construction of huts at Stobs Camp, to Government order, came out on strike, their desire being to have an increase of 1d per hour from 10d to 11d. On Wednesday, these men had a rude surprise for shortly after midday a squad of Royal Engineers, to the number of about a 100, arrived at Stobs from Edinburgh to carry out the work which had been interrupted. A delegate on behalf of the stokers visited Stobs in the morning but was advised that the men were no longer needed. In the town and district, the operative joiners are receiving 9d per hour and no sympathy has been shown locally for the strikers who were receiving good wages.