Showing posts with label libertarian socialists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label libertarian socialists. Show all posts

Tuesday 2 May 2023

Insurrection.

 

         For May “Read of the Month” our choice is Insurrection, No’s 1 to 3, so once again Spirit of Revolt brings you three anarchist magazines to give you a wee insight to what we at Spirit of Revolt carry in our archive.The selection is from our Bratach Dubh Collection SOR 5-6-40. If you like what you read here, and live local to Glasgow, why not volunteer an hour or two a week to help with the scanning, listing etc. you would helping to digitise the largest anarchist libertarian socialist archive in Scotland, making the material free and easily available to the public We will cover your bus fares.  Visit Spirit of Revolt Contact page.



 Visit ann arky's home at https://spiritofrevolt.info

Monday 9 May 2022

Ref & Black.

            Glasgow's Red and Black Bookfair on Saturday May 7th. was a great success. A good variety of interesting and colourful stalls and was well attended with lots of young folk, which is also very encouraging. So a bit of a pat on the back for those who organised and took party. Let's hope it can become a welcome annual affair in the city. So if you attended, or missed it, and would like to see it a repeat annual get together, get in touch with any of the groups involved and make your voice heard. It's up to you. 

Some photos from the event.













Visit ann arky's home at http://strugglepedia.com  

Tuesday 26 April 2022

Bookfair.

   


              Another reminder, May 7th.  get your red marker and mark your diary, Red and Black Clydeside Bookfair at the CCA, 350, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. This is the first Red and Black Bookfair  in Glasgow for some considerable time. It is loaded with stalls, speakers, discussion groups, film, come and be part of it, participate, or just mingle and chat, with old friends, make new friends. With the onslaught of the standard of living crisis hitting us all, there never has been a more urgent time to come together and discuss these things and perhaps find solutions. Or just come along pick up some leaflets, enjoy the event and the company.

The Venue.


  The Bookfair.


 
Visit ann arky's home at https://spiritofrevolt.info   

Tuesday 24 November 2020

Sparrows.

         It is always sad when a comrade dies, an action fades, a gap appears and memories flood in, but soon the action resurges, the gap is filled and the memories are cherished, that's the nature of anarchism. This from The Sparrows Nest, an archive, like Spirit of Revolt collects store and digitises the history of anarchists, anarchism and libertarian socialists history and literature, and makes it easily and freely available on the internet. I have no doubt the Sparrows nest  will miss Chris, but will continue from strength to strength doing what they do with a passion. 

 Sparrows Nest <sparrowsnestlibrary@gmail.com>


To sparrownews 

Hello,

      With great sadness do we report on the death of our dear friend and comrade Chris Richardson, committed Socialist, proud fighter for LGBTQ+ liberation, accomplished historian and author of A City of Light. Chris was also a very generous and active supporter of the Sparrows’ Nest, and e.g. helped to compile our collections of local LGBTQ+ papers.

He is greatly missed.

       Please find his obituary on the website of People’s Histreh, and attached to this email.

       Chris’ life and legacy will not be forgotten anytime soon. Not only do so many people cherish vivid memories of him, he also left a rich trove of published and unpublished records. He is exactly the kind of person future students of history will stumble upon long after we have all gone too, just as he rediscovered so many amazing people and captured echoes of their lives and struggles. We will work to make those future historians’ work easier, and hope you can help them too.

        If you want to share any documents, photographs, audio andl/or visual records and not least your personal stories of Chris, please contact: info@thesparrowsnest.org.uk

       In light of the Covid-19 crisis, Chris’ partner Richard McCance and several close friends have decided to hold an event celebrating Chris’ life at a time when people can get together again without undue risk.

      If you wish to take part in the preparations or to be kept up to date with those plans, please contact: info@thesparrowsnest.org.uk

Thank you and stay safe

A Sparrow


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

Wednesday 22 April 2020

Off Topic.

      Covid19, coronavirus, pandemic, lockdown, self isolating, social distancing, quarantine, government ineptitude, etc.. Well to get a wee break from that, something completely different.
The Birth of Spirit of Revolt.
       An idea floated around in one persons head, in 2011 he spoke to some comrades, they decided to meet in a cafe and discuss the idea. That was the day that Spirit of Revolt was born. It was the cafe in the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow, five like minded people started to plan and shape the idea, after much discussion they agreed on the name, Spirit of Revolt, today we are very proud of that creation. Of course it is no longer five individuals, it is quite a wide group of people some come and some go, but we always have a core group of dedicated volunteers that work away in the background, building, expanding and publicising what we believe is a unique archive in Scotland. Apart from gathering, recording, digitising and making easily accessible, anarchist and libertarian socialist history, we arrange outreach programs, in an attempt to bring the history of people’s struggles to a wider public.
       In this present situation of a lockdown, we can’t at the moment work in our room at the Mitchell Library, so we do the best we can working from home and arranging virtual meetings via Zoom, to make sure the archive continues to be a source of interest and information. We have thousands of documents, leaflets, pamphlets, serials, books and booklets, letters, personal documents, posters, comics, banners and other memorabilia. Thousands of these documents/articles are already digitised and can be accessed on our website, so please have a we look and let us know what you think, or if you wish to participate as a volunteer, or you may have material that you wish to donate as long as it fits our criteria.
      We consider what we have achieved to be of great value in recording the history of the ordinary people’s struggles, a history that is all too often overlooked and lost, but is part of what we are and what we want from our society. We are also proud to state that we have done this without any funding, support or association from political parties of trade unions, we owe our success to the dedication of our group of gallant volunteers.
       Four of the original five at the Cafe in the Royal Concert Hall in 2011, the fifth member, Stasia, took the photo, as usual she works away diligently in the background.
Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk

Thursday 5 December 2019

Writers For Miners.

      It is that time of year again, when we at Spirit of Revolt stand with cap in hand asking for your donations.
     Spirit of Revolt was formed in 2011, by a small group of volunteers, with one thing in mind, the history of the ordinary people matters and is very important in defining who we are. Since that day when we got our first collection we have built up a fabulous array of material from people who struggle for all of us. The number of collections now numbers 40, with more being processed. The number of documents goes into the thousands from leaflets, serials, letters, posters, booklets, pamphlets, photos and lots of other memorabilia. All this material is open to the public via the Mitchell Library, but we also have put an incredible amount on line for you to peruse at home, on your phone, laptop or whatever, and will continue with this process.
     Our collections are too numerous to list here, but they include, "The Faslane Peace Camp", "James Kelman Collection", "Bratach Dubh Collection", "Counter Information", all valuable records of the history of the ordinary people. 
    We are in no way attached to trade unions or political parties, nor do we receive any funding from these organisations. We collect material of the struggles of the ordinary people, mainly from the Glasgow Clydeside area but some of material comes from further afield.
    I think it was George Orwell who said, ( I paraphrase here) "The best way to destroy a people is to destroy their history"
    Without our history we are a people without a culture, without a past. In the case of the ordinary people that is far from the truth, we have a long history of struggle of which we can be very proud. What Spirit of Revolt collects and stores is a history that is not usually preserved, we owe it to those people of past struggles that we should remember them and learn from them.
    Why not take a look at what we do, browse the labyrinth of collections, be proud of your history and learn more about that history.
     If you like what we are doing and think we are doing a decent job, why not make a small donation, a one of, or a direct debit, and help us to continue doing what we do, preserving your history.
    To tempt you, for a limited period, we are offering a free CD to anyone who arranges a direct debit of £5 or more. This is a unique CD with an array of names you will not see on any other one CD. Think of it as giving us the price of a couple of coffees once a month.

Free CD and booklet.

     Spirit of Revolt is anarchist/libertarian-socialist archive dedicated to preserving and making easily accessible to the public at large, Glasgow/Clydeside grass-roots history of struggle. We are not connected to any political party or trade union nor do we receive any funding from any of these organisation. We are a volunteer group who give our time freely, however in a capitalist society funds are a necessary evil to survive and grow. We rely on our various outreach programs to raise funds, and the much appreciated supporters who have signed a direct debit to help sustain this project, to them, a great big thank you.
In an endeavour to increase our funds and help secure the project, we are, for a limited period offering a CD and booklet, Writers for Miners, to anyone who signs up a direct debit for £5 or more, to Spirit of Revolt. It will be free delivery in the UK, further afield we would have to look at the cost. Have a look at our website https://spiritofrevolt.info, if you like what we are doing and think we are doing a good job, then the price of a couple of coffees a month would be much appreciated.
Details of the CD and booklet:



 The Writers for Miners Events, 1984
        In 1984-85 events known as “Writers for Miners” took place on consecutive Saturdays in Glasgow’s 3rd Eye Centre to raise funds for striking coal miners at local pits in one of the most significant industrial disputes in world history. With 140,000 out on strike the Thatcher Government planned to break the power of the NUM union, the most well organised group of workers in the country. With 11,291 arrests and lasting 1 year it unleashed massive state repression, brutality and violence. The other unions largely did not show solidarity and the strike failed, opening the door to the destruction of working class communities, job insecurity and privatisation.
       Performers, poets, visual artists and others decided to support the striking miners in Scotland and formed artists-in-Solidarity which organised fundraising for the miners’ families by holding events. This CD is a recording of those events. James Kelman explains, “Radical history is marginalised by the State and events of this nature should be recorded otherwise they are forgotten. The STUC offered to part-fund the project but on this occasion failed to come up with the money. We still went ahead. It was hoped that a selection of songs, poetry and prose-readings might be produced eventually in the form of a couple of albums (all proceeds to the miners’ strike fund). It didn’t happen, for one reason or another…The original project was launched in support of the miners and their families. Those days may have gone but solidarity and comradeship haven’t. All proceeds from the sale of the Writers for Miners album will go toward the Spirit of Revolt (S.O.R.) Archive, in appreciation of the crucial work carried out by the S.O.R. volunteers in the preservation of radical history”.
In 1984, those involved were,
Norman McCaig,
Freddy Anderson,
Hamish Henderson,
Duncan Maclean,
Kathleen Jamie and Robert Alan Jamieson,
Donald Saunders,
Peter Nardini,
Rab Noakes,
Nancy Nicolson,
Alasdair Gray,
Jeff Torrington,
Agnes Owens,
Carl MacDougall,
James Kelman,
Archie Hind,
Donald Saunders,
Tom Leonard,
Edwin Morgan,
Edward Boyd,
Danny Kyle,
Tom McGrath,
Jeff Torrington,
Agnes Owens,
Archie Hind.
Where will you get such a fabulous collection of performers on one CD?

You can make you donation from our donate page:

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

Tuesday 14 August 2018

Living History.

      We at Spirit of Revolt work hard at recording and keeping alive the history of the ordinary people of Glasgow and Clydeside area, but our collections cover a much wider field. Our dedicated scanners work away in the background scanning thousands of documents, they are then put up on our website for easy access for the public at large. Have a wee look at some of our latest digitised material, it makes interesting reading, and do keep coming back to Spirit of Revolt catalogue, as there is always new material being digitised and posted on line.
Some of our latest additions:

T SOR-4-1-9, Spectacular Times.
T SOR-4-1-11, State Research, vol.2 No's 13-15.
T SOR-4-1-11, State Research, No. 30.
T SOR-4-1-12, Radical America.
T SOR-4-1-101, Delta.
T SOR-41-1-102, Yugoslavery.
T SOR-4-1-103. Inquietacao.
T SOR-4-1-104, Encyclopaedia of Nuisances.
T SOR-4-1-106, Women & Struggle in Iran.
T SOR-4-1-145, Aufheben.
Visit ann arky's home at radicalglasgow.me.uk

Sunday 3 June 2018

The Natives Are Revolting.

 
        We are a wee bit late with this one, it seems to have got delayed in the merry-go-round of our activities. It was Spirit of Revolt's first "Show and Tell" in conjunction with The Mitchell Library, and was based on material from the John Cooper Collection, we were very grateful for John being present to gives us some live memories from his activities as a life long radical activist. The title of the event was "The Natives Are Revolting". It is now up on our "audio-video" section.



Visit ann arky's home at radicalglasgow.me.uk

Wednesday 17 January 2018

The Natives Are Revolting.

        Spirit of Revolt in its continuing process of making the history of the ordinary people's struggles accessible to the public at large, is working in conjunction with The Mitchell Library, on putting on a free event. This event should be of interest to everyone who lives, or has lived in Glasgow or has connections with the city. So mark your diary, phone for a place, or pop in to Granville Street and book you spot.
Spirit of Revolt – Archives of Dissent
 
Show and Tell
Monday 12th February 2018, 12–2pm
Blythsewood Room, The Mitchell Library, Glasgow
Free event
Limited places, please book on 0141 287 2999 or at Granville Street
reception desk.

The Natives Are Revolting – over 40 years of organising & direct action in Castlemilk and beyond.

       A display of material from the Spirit of Revolt's John Cooper Collection.
John Cooper and Paula Larkin (Project Archivist) will be on hand to answer any
questions and inform the session.

http://spiritofrevolt.info/john-cooper-finding-collection/

Admission Free

All Welcome.
Visit ann arky's home at raicalglasgow.me.uk

Thursday 14 December 2017

Glasgow's Revolt In Songs.

         The music night to remember is less than a week away, Spirit of Revolt's fund raiser musical evening is next Wednesday, 20th. December. The list of performers is varied as it is talented. We have Calum Baird, Jim Ferguson, Julie Anne McCambridge, Rab Fullerton, Chris Fear, Paul Tasker, John Player, Enradgay, Brendan McLaughlin, Glasgow Glam Rock Dialogues, there will be floor spots and the package will be compeered by Brendan McLaughlin. I doubt you will ever get another opportunity to hear all these artists on one evening in one place. So clear your diary and mark in Wednesday, 20th December, The Old Hairdressers, 20-28 Renfield Lane, Glasgow G2 6PH. Meet old friends, make new friends, have a night to remember. Doors open 6:45, start just after 7pm.
       Hope to see you there having a wonderful night of songs, poems, music, chat and memories.