James Edwards was a substantial figure for the unemployed and their movement, leading those who had been hurt through this troubling time.
James (Jim) Edwards was an important figure throughout the Great Depression protests/riots and the UWM. A Salvation Army group brought Edwards from England to New Zealand. During the 1913 waterfront strikes Edwards had signed up to be a part of a non-union labour. The New Zealand Labour Party became confused with their policies therefore transferring Edwards’s allegiance to the Communist party. In 1931 Edwards helped create the Unemployed Workers Movement becoming an unofficial leader of those who were unemployed. He began to do a speaking tour of the North Island. Edwards himself was a father of 8 and had a first hand perspective on how the depression affected families. Edwards participated in the Auckland riots consequently forcing him to be imprisoned for two years with hard labour. This imprisonment did not deter his voice as he continued his political ideologies through the UWM. During 1935 Edwards stood unsuccessfully as a Communist applicant in the Auckland electorate.
A link to the trailer of Life's A Riot. A depiction of James Edwards life through his son James Edwards. It serves as an interesting secondary source on how James Edwards life has been depicted and how important his role was in the UWM and the Auckland riots.
http://av.vimeo.com/76751/027/61130508.mp4?token=1377308073_a80bc5ab8a2ae7e2937698d7baee3b7b
http://av.vimeo.com/76751/027/61130508.mp4?token=1377308073_a80bc5ab8a2ae7e2937698d7baee3b7b