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The Socialist Van

The cyclists rode away amid showers of stones without sustaining much damage. One had his hand cut and another, who happened to look round, was struck on the forehead, but these were the only casualities.

On the following Tuesday evening, long before the appointed time, a large crowd assembled at the cross roads on the hill at Windley, evidently prepared to give the Socialists a warm reception. There was only one policeman in uniform but several plain-clothes were amongst the crowd.

Crass, Dick Wantley, the Semi-Drunk, Sawkins, Bill Bates and several other frequenters of the 'Cricketers' were there, and also a sprinkling of tradespeople including the Old Dear and Mr Smallman, the grocer, and a few ladies and gentlemen, well-to-do visitors; but the bulk of the gathering consisted of working-men, labourers, mechanics and boys.

As it was quite evident that the crowd meant mischief—many of them had their pockets filled with stones, and were armed with sticks—several of the local Socialists, including Owen, were in favour of going to meet the van to endeavour to persuade those in charge from coming further, and with that object they went down the road in the direction from which the van was expected. They had not gone very far, however, before the people, divining their intention, began to follow them, and while they were hesitating what course to pursue, the Socialist Van, escorted by five or six men on bicycles, appeared round the corner at the bottom of the hill.

As soon as the crowd saw the van they gave an exultant cheer, or rather, yell, and began running down the hill, and in a few minutes it was surrounded by a howling mob. The van was drawn by two horses; there was a door and a small platform at the back and over this was a sign with white letters on a red ground: 'Socialism, the only hope of the Workers.'

The driver pulled up, and another man on the platform at 309