[4] His father had an interest in a local coal mine, and therefore we would assume that they were financially "comfortable".
Armstrong & Company’s[5] engineering factory, working there for the rest of his life, a period of over 30 years.
[citation needed] The great nine hours strike took place in 1871, and Matthew Dryden joined it, like almost all of his colleagues.
He immediately started working for the cause, and organised concerts, the proceeds going to the strike funds.
[citation needed] He died at his home in Herbert Street in March 1890,[6] age 46 after a lingering illness, leaving a widow and six children.