Rise of Fascism in Britain: From the Suffrage Movement to Oswald Mosley

This powerful and unsettling book tells the story of how fascism came dangerously close to taking root in Britain. The story begins with the White Feather Brigade; women from the Suffrage movement who, abandoned by Emmeline Pankhurst at the outbreak of the First World War, turned their energies toward pressuring men to enlist. When peace came and these women were still (largely) denied the vote, many found themselves drawn to a new ideology that promised recognition and purpose: British fascism. From the early stirrings of the British Fascisti through the turmoil of the General Strike, The Rise of Fascism in Britain also traces the path that led Oswald Mosley to prominence, examines his close ties to both Hitler and members of the British Royal Family, and his ultimate downfall with the outbreak of the Second World War. Rigorous yet accessible, this book reveals how fear of socialism, national trauma, and misplaced patriotism combined to create fertile ground for authoritarian ideas, and how, ultimately, fascism in Britain failed to take hold. AUTHOR: Born and brought up in Bedfordshire, Anthony worked on some of the first computers used in the United Kingdom. Largely self-taught, there being few who knew too much about computers, he worked on mainly technical applications. Living and working in the Geneva area he and his wife Isabel returned to England in 1978 to set up his own consultancy. Working on mainly military projects, he was recruited to work on projects that involved high explosives and was asked by the Chinese military to help them with the international distribution of their own commercial explosives. This occupied the remainder of his working life, resulting in Chinese high explosives being accepted all over the world. Retiring to the north Norfolk coast, Anthony now forms part of the Sheringham R.N.L.I. lifeboat station, taking a financial role. He is also able to indulge his interest in history and politics by researching both world wars. Prior to this work he has previously published a book on Joan Clarke's contribution to work at Bletchley Park and then at GCHQ. He is married with two children and two granddaughters. 21 b/w illustrations