The boot-makers were responsible for making army boots and wanted to complain about poor rates of pay. The men marched to London and during a debate on women's suffrage one man, 'General' Gribble, interrupted the speaker to announce the presence of the Raunds marchers wanting to speak. He stood up and shouted, "Mr Speaker, is this gentleman trying to talk out time? For I've come here with 115 men from Northampton to try to see Mr Arnold Foster" (Foster was Minister for War).

Gribble was expelled from the House of Commons, but his plea was listened to and as a result a standard rate of pay was accepted and enforced by the War Office.

Want to know more? Try the Local Heritage Initiative website:
www.lhi.org.uk/projects_directory/projects_by_region/east_midlands/index.html