The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists

Drama

Drama

Edwardian England: Frank wonders if his fellow workers will ever realise their toil is profit for others? The carpenter eats bread an' meat, the bricklayer bread an' cheese, but pity the poor painter, when the leaves fall off the trees. With Sean Barrett as Robert Tressell, Brian Glover as Bob Crass and Mark Straker as Frank Owen. Written by Robert Tressell. Written under the pen name Robert Tressell, Robert Noonan's semi-autobiographical novel was published posthumously in 1914. Born in Dublin in 1870 and settling in Hastings, England in 1901, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists is Noonan's sardonic critique of the way society is organised, with the 'philanthropists' being poorly paid workers who continue to help make profits for the owners of businesses. A house painter and sign writer by trade (the inspiration for his pen name), Noonan died in Liverpool from tuberculosis in 1911. He was buried in a pauper's grave.