Keelie 16.

      Once again the wee pocket rocket of radical criticism and info, the Glasgow Keelie is out, its new March edition, issue No.16. now available. Info on the 1911 Singer strike, plight of migrants and asylum seekers, the world's biggest workers strike, and much, much more. Always a valuable and enjoyable read, spread the word, The Glasgow Keelie, make it your paper, send in you stories, grips and criticisms of this system of corruption and inequality that we live under. 

Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk   

Jimmy Josse.

 

      For years I have been haunted by a name, Jimmy Josse. I came across his name frequently when doing a wee bit of research at the Mitchell and was crawling through the Guy Aldred papers. Jimmy's name kept cropping up at meetings of Glasgow anarchists, he would propose this and second that. So I got to wondering who was this guy, Jimmy Josse, but drew a blank in any research that I pursued.

 A young Guy Aldred.

     Some years ago I mentioned it to my mate Joe, who died recently, and to my surprise, he said he knew him. Joe said that he was a self employed painter and decorator, and Joe was his helper for a few years. He said he was an anarchist was involved around the time of Guy Aldred, had a wee van, and was always getting stopped by the police. Joe said that he was quite gallous with the police, when they stopped him, he would throw his arms in the air and come out with some remark or other, such as, "OK you've got me this time, I thought I was getting away with the crown jewels, but you got me." Of course they never found anything except paint brushes, paint, white sheets, rags and ladders. Joe also mentioned that he loved to go for lunch at cafes around Glasgow University so that he could get into arguments with students.

     The only other info I have is that he was married to a woman called Jean, she died and it seems Jimmy was really depressed for quite a while, but later entered another relationship and the lived in West Graham Street. Apparently it didn't work out and he left and went to stay in a flat at St. Georges Cross, and lived there until he died. I believe he had a daughter and one of his mates was a guy called Willie Kenny.

     Why am I writing this. well I believe since he was an anarchist and activist, there is a story in his life and it is one I would love to record with some detail and put it on record in strugglepedia. So if any of you out there, have any snippet of info on this guy, I would be extremely grateful if you could pass it on to me. I have made this appeal before to no avail, but who knows, maybe this time I'll strike it luck and Jimmy's story can be entered into the history of Glasgow Anarchists, where I'm sure it belongs. 

Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk

A Dream.

      Just Imagine a little corner in Glasgow city centre where traditionally all shades of the left gather with stalls on a weekly basis, leaflets, pamphlets, badges T-shirts, etc and lots of banter. There is one simple rule, only left stalls allowed, a dream of some over fertile imagination. Well perhaps in Glasgow it is a dream, however some cities can do this, where did we go wrong Glasgow?

    I'm sure where I lifted this video from won't complain, it's from,

https://www.facebook.com/puestostirsodemolina/ 

Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk

Regeneración.

        May 30th, last day of the month, so I suppose we just made it. Spirit of Revolt's "Read of the Month" for May is a copy of the paper, Regeneración. Started in 1900, in Mexico and continued in 1937 in Glasgow. Our Read of the Month is of the Glasgow version, from our MV Collection. Enjoy.

     The anarchist paper Regeneración first produced in Mexico 1n 1900, Wikipedia-(Regeneración (Spanish: [rexeneɾaˈsjon]) was a Mexicananarchist newspaper that functioned as the official organ of the Mexican Liberal Party. Founded by the Flores Magón brothers in 1900, it was forced to move to the United States in 1905.[1]Jesús Flores Magón published the paper (along with Anselmo Figueroa, a leading member of the party), while his brothers Ricardo and Enrique contributed articles.[2] The Spanish edition of Regeneración was edited by Ricardo, and the English version by W. C. Owen and Alfred G. Santleben.[3] )
      Guy Aldred, Glasgow anarchist, started an English version in 1937 as the Organ of the United Socialist Movement. At Spirit of Revolt we have Volume, 1 No. 3 dated 7th March 1937, of this relaunch in our MV Collection.

Courtesy of Warwick Library, Read on line:

Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk 

Welcome Signs.

     For our pandemic permitted evening exercise today, Stasia and I went for a wee walk in a part of our quieter, cleaner air city. It was very unusual, instead of being wary of cars, it was watch out for the bikes. I reckon at the present time that there are more bikes on our city's roads than cars, to me a lover of cycling, a welcome sight. While ambling along it was also good to see that some of our friends had been about as well and left a few signs to say that they had been there before us. Nice to have met you friends.

Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk

Cruel Vindictive Act.

      To be evicted from you home, is an inhuman act, but in Scotland in the winter, it is of vindictive act of cruelty. There is no way that a civilised society can stand by and see a fellow human being thrown on to the street, usually in the name of money and profit, and do nothing about it. It is encouraging to see that there is still some of that Red Clydeside running through the veins of the citizens of Glasgow.

      Monday 13th. December say a protest  in support of a fellow citizen who was being faced with eviction onto the cold miserable wet streets of Glasgow. Thanks to that support the eviction has been postponed. Again, solidarity is the weapon that wins struggles.

This report from Living Rent:

Living Rent Glasgow

 

 

Turn up, turn out, turn your landlord inside out!

        Great show of solidarity on Monday, 13th. December, for our member Philip, who is being threatened with eviction during this dreich Glesga winter. Thankfully it has been postponed to a formal Tribunal hearing on February 24th!
       Philip's case represents ANOTHER example of why a winter eviction break is needed in Scotland. A victim of an inadequate and faulty benefit system which has denied him the dignity he deserves, Philip's situation has been made even worse by his landlord, Southside Lettings, who has refused to fix the mould and damp in his flat.
       Phillip is facing a winter eviction in a city whose council recently and unanimously backed a motion endorsing Living Rent's campaign for a winter break on evictions. Clearly some of the city's landlords and letting agents are not taking the hint that this cruel practice should end now.
       However, with the backing of his tenants' union in collaboration with legal representatives, Phillip knows that he isn't facing his landlord alone.

Sign our petition for a Winter Break on evictions here: https://www.livingrent.org/winter_break

       Read more about Glasgow City Council's endorsement of a Winter Break here: https://glasgowguardian.co.uk/…/urgent-call-for-government…/

Visit ann arky's home at https:/radicalglasgow,me,uk

Magic In The Frost.

 

       The frost has taken a grip of Glasgow the last couple of days, but with frost can come magic. So I thought I would share a few magic photos taken in our front garden this afternoon by Stasia. Enjoy.

      Despite the magic of the frost, I still long for those warm sunny days that send you out on your bike, however, there is magic everywhere.

Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk

History And Today.

      Back from my daughters wee weekend birthday bash in Auchterarer and had a wonderful time, I did manage to find the farm I was evacuated to during ww2. It brought back some wonderful memories. The place has changed, a lot of the outhouses have been demolished, but some of the outer walls are still standing. The actual farm house where my sisters and I lived is still there, looking all smart and well kept. Couldn't locate the small school that we walked to every morning, it may have been expanded or demolished. The town of Auchterared has massively expanded, and was very busy, it was rather difficult to cross the road. So very different from my time being there during the war, we only stayed in the town for a couple of months, and then back to Glasgow.

  

     During my short absence for my beloved city, there were two march/protests. Friday was the climate change protest held in George Square, from reports from my friends, it was not as well attended as one would have hoped, but a reasonable crowd. Never the less people are becoming more aware of the oncoming disaster unless we sort out our economic system away from capitalism towards a green and sustainable system that sees to the needs of all our people.

Thanks Keith for the photo:

       The other event I missed, was on Saturday, a Glasgow annual march and rally, where the citizens of Glasgow and further afield come together to make it quite clear, Glasgow is not a racists city. The last Saturday of ever November, the people of Glasgow gather with friends/acquaintances/comrades from surrounding areas to march from Glasgow Green to a rallying point where they hold a large meeting. The whole idea behind this event is to raise the fact that the people of Glasgow will not tolerate racism in any shape or form. 

      As always, a great turnout and a multitude of banners and flags proclaiming who they were and what they stand for. Again, well done Glasgow and friends.

Again thanks Keith for photos: 

A pop-up IWW stall at anti-racism march.

Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk

Read Of The Month.

       For Spirit of Revolt's November Read Of The Month, we have trawled through our Bratach Dubh Collection and come up with a rather rare little paper. We always try to get a wide variety of papers, pamphlets, booklets for our Read Of The Month, and cover a wide range of subjects. Why not take a wee while to peruse the wealth of material in our Collections, I'm sure you will learn something and come back for more. Enjoy.

Treason, Read On Line:

Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk

Peopele Of Glasgow Stand With Migrants.

 

       In city after city, in country after country that vulnerable group of human beings that are stripped of their rights, scapegoated and pushed to the margins, is an indictment against this callous capitalist system we live under. I am of course talking about migrants, an ever growing army of people fleeing everything from war, to persecution, from death, to deprivation, but in the eyes of any state, the crime they committed was they crossed those imaginary lines called borders. That somehow gives the state the right to herd them, ignore them, deprive them of all rights and persecute them. We cannot let this continue, they, like us, are human beings struggling to make a decent life for themselves and their families in a quagmire profit seeking big business, they need assistance, not persecution and exploitation. 

     I'm proud to see that the people of Glasgow are standing up and saying enough is enough, we will no longer tolerate this ideology of abusing those who through extremely difficult situations have had to flee their homeland, leaving their friends and neighbourhood, and cross those imaginary dividing lines, the state calls borders.

      Yesterday, August 20th, the people of Glasgow took their anger to the city chambers and loud and clear, let the powers that be know, that this callous and brutal treatment of migrants must stop and stop now.

Thanks Bob for the film.

Letter to the City Council:

       🔒🔒Today Living Rent "locked-in" Glasgow City Council with HUGE turnout of over 150 members and supporters from various groups across Glasgow!🔒🔒

      We've had enough. Serco is intent on making our friends and neighbours destitute in the search for profit and won't stop until all 300 locks are changed. It is time for Glasgow City Council to stop offering the people of Glasgow empty promises and feckless task forces. It is time for real action. We demand that the council:

        1. Set up an arrangement to provide emergency accommodation to all affected individuals, including those that have received a right to remain status. 2. For the council to make clear the timescale for providing an individual assessment of each person facing eviction.

      Their claim that they cannot legally provide accommodation is false. According to guidelines by COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities), Glasgow City Council have "a duty to safeguard the most vulnerable people in these situations, in many cases this includes providing financial support to meet essential living costs and other help from social workers to avoid destitution."

       Everyone has the right to a decent and affordable home, irregardless of their supposed "status" and when those in search of profit go after those made most vulnerable, we are all in danger. As such, we are no longer going to stand for Glasgow City Council's inaction. We and thousands of Glaswegians are standing by ready to resist by any means necessary.

#NoEvictions #StopSercoEvictions #Lockoutserco

Read more here: https://www.livingrent.org/lock_in_council

Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk 

History Remembered, A Future Glanced At.

                 Spirit of Revolt's event, on Saturday 10th of August, Spirit of Revolt-Showcase, in conjunction with Govanhill International Festival was a great success, a fair number of folks turned up and those who did were enthusiastic about our project and the material on display, also good to meet old friends. On display was lots of photos, posters, papers and rare pamflets, books CD's, plenty of material relating to the South side of Glasgow and further a field. Material from The Pollok Free State motorway battle, Castlemilk claimants union, poll-tax, Guy Aldred's The Word, and much much more, a grand slice of Glasgow's radical history. All the material is available for viewing at our Archive in The Mitchell Library, also we have put a considerable amount of the archive on line for easy access for the general public, just visit our website https://spiritofrevolt.info and browse your own history, not that of the kings of industry, monarchs, and military darlings of the the system.
                So a big thank you to all those who made it happen and a double thank you to all those who turned up, and a bigger thank you for your enthusiasm, you help us to realise we are doing the right thing in recording this part of history that is all too often lost and forgotten. For those who didn't manage to the event, you can still see lots of Glasgow's radical history by visiting our website, https://spiritofrevolt.info 

           

        Some photos from the event.

 

Great when old friends turn up.

 Two old codgers that just live for this stuff.

Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk