By Iain McIntyre.
In late 1930 a number of single unemployed men set up what were essentially communal households in Barkly Street. These households formed the backbone of many of the militant demonstrations and anti-eviction actions that took place in the area. As a result they were placed under regular police surveillance.
Most of the relief that was made available in Brunswick went to male headed families. Unmarried, divorced and widowed women with children received less help and single women were often forced to move back in with their families in order to receive sustenance at all. There was also little assistance available for single men. Concerned at the fact that many of these were beginning to take part in protest activities the state government set up a number of schemes to isolate them geographically and politically.
One of these was a camp set up in Broadmeadows in December 1930 on army land. The camp accommodated more than 350 men who were subject to military discipline. They received limited rations instead of wages and had little to do. Less than three months after it was set up a strike saw 60 police called in to evict 95 men for refusing to work for less than award wages. These troublemakers then marched to Coburg as a group in protest.
On June 30th 1931 another 170 men marched out of the camp after one of their number was evicted for insolence. They headed all the way down what is now the Hume Highway and into Sydney Road before arriving in Brunswick, a total distance of around 15km. Following a big protest meeting they were put up at the Lydia Street Hall. 84 of them then formed the Unemployed Single Men’s Group and moved into three double story houses located in Barkly Street. Their rent was initially paid for by the Workers International Relief Committee. Perhaps wary of provoking such a large group the council also provided them with electricity and free access to the Brunswick Baths two nights a week.
The group pooled their dole cards to get better deals from local shopkeepers and also shared all the cooking, laundry and cleaning work. Such a cooperative set up was very unusual at the time. The group also held study classes and in an interview with historian Cecile Trioli, local artist and activist Noel Counihan claimed “There was a remarkable feeling of self discipline, collective consciousness and self respect at a time when demoralization among workless men was widespread.” This sense of camaraderie also extended to the wider public as the men organised many of the protests that took place in the area.
The commune stuck together until 1933 after which a number of the men moved onto Fitzroy where they played a similar combative role in local politics.