Don't Call Them Government Spies.

        In keeping with the idea of making the Spirit of Revolt Archive easy to access we continually scan and upload articles, documents, pamphlets, photos, letters, leaflets etc to our website. We also try to pick something from the archive that we feel would be of particular interest and post it on our "Read of the Month". This month we have picked a small book of poems and prose  from our John Cooper Collection, T-SOR 3-52-110, called, "Don't Call Them Government Spies", written by a number of writers on resistance to the Criminal Justice Act. The booklet contains works by such well known writers as Alisdair Gray, Edwin Morgan, Freddie Anderson, Tom Leonard, and many more. So why not take a wee look and enjoy, then have a browse through the archive. I'm sure you will find much more of interest. 

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

Once Upon A Time------

       Due to various pressures, Spirit of Revolt's   "Read of the Month" has missed a couple of months, but we have managed to get one in for March, just in time. It is from our John Cooper collection-T SOR 3-52-62. It is called Once Upon A Time There Was A Place Called Nothing Hill Gate----.

      It is a fascinating and informative history of the Notting Hill area and the Notting Hill Carnival. Well worth a read. Hopefully we will be back up to speed and get these little gems from our archive up on a regular monthly basis. We have thousands of documents and reports of actions and people already digitised so you can read them on line and we add to this wealth of information on a regular basis. So why not visit our archive regularly and dip into the wealth of documents and writings of historical events, people and their actions for that better world. Our main focus is the Glasgow/Clydeside area, though as you can see by our March "Read of the Month", we do travel much further afield. 

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

Spirit of Revolt At The Bookfair.

      The Spirit of Revolt Archive is now established as a very valuable resource of grassroots working class history and struggles in the Glasgow/Clydeside area. We are always eager to reach out to the public at large to encourage them to get to know their own history. To this end we hold exhibitions, and talks/discussions, we also hold a regular talk/discussion and display of material in the Mitchell Library, called "Show and Tell", as well as other events to attempt to bring our history alive.

     We are delighted to be taking part in coming event Glasgow Autonomous Space Bookfair on Saturday, March 2nd. with a stall displaying a wiff of what we hold in the archive. Please come along and visit us at the stall, ask questions, Talk to us about your views on Glasgow's proud radical history. 

      You can contact us via our contact form: https://spiritofrevolt.info/contact/    or at: info@spiritofrevolt.info 

Spirit of Revolt Archive stall at the GAS Book Fair
Saturday 2nd March 11am-5pm
Spirit of Revolt: Who we are?

Spirit of Revolt Archive, Glasgow based, run by volunteers, dedicated to collecting, preserving multi-media records from Glasgow/Clydeside’s anarchist, libertarian-socialist past and present. Formed August 2011 it has 38 collections and growing. It is now an important resource of working class history. A large amount of its material can be viewed online. Other material can be viewed in the Mitchell Archive reading room.
https://spiritofrevolt.info/
https://www.facebook.com/Spirit-of-Revolt-archive-18845251…/
Book Fair Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/315574305908436/

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

Spirit of Revolt's Conscientious Objectors Event and More.

        As always, Spirit of Revolt have been a bunch of busy beavers, in the coming month they have two events coming up. The first is their now popular and regular, Show and Tell, in conjunction with The Mitchell Library. This on is on conscientious objectors from WW1 and WW2. So far the interest has been exceptional, so if interested do come early. the details are:

The Mitchell Library, 5th. floor. in the Blythswood Room.

Monday 5th. November, 12:00-2:00pm. FREE EVENT.

       It will take the form of an open discussion which will be opened by SoR member Eric Chester.  On display will be some material on conscientious objectors, select from the SoR archive by Paula, our archivist. As the world still faces continuous wars and the threat of more flaring up in other parts of the world, the thoughts behind conscientious objectors is well worth bring to the forefront of our minds. This one is a must.

     Though we at SoR believe we do a valuable job in creating a wonderful resource of the history of the ordinary people of Glasgow/Clydeside area, and making it easily accessible to the general pubic, we are an independent volunteer group with no affiliation to political parties nor trade unions. That means we need to raise that filthy stuff, money, for all manner of day to day cost of what we do.

        So the other event is a fund raiser where our friends, Thi Wurd will have a slot.The event is built round an event that took place during the miners strike, put together by a group, Artists in Solidarity and was called Writers for Miners. It was held in The Third Eye Centre, now the CCA, in Sauchiehall Street. a group of well know writers, musicians and poets came together  to raise funds for the striking miners. The audio files of the event turned up and with the consent of those performers, we have produced a CD. The event will be the launch of this CD and some of those original performers will performing at this event, with an input from Thi Wurd.

      The CD, which has 21 tracks, comes with a booklet with a description of what Artists in Solidarity was all about, and other interesting information, written by James Kelman, who will also be at this event.

The details of this event are:

Mono, Kings Court, (off King Street, near Trongate.)

Wednesday, 28th November, from 6:00pm

     This will I'm sure, be a wonderful night of great entertainment, an opportunity to hear some great and well known performers do what they do best. More info on this event will be issued from time to time as we approach nearer the time.
       For more info on either of these events you can get in touch via our Contact Page, or  info@spiritofrevolt.info 

On top of these events, the group have managed to put up on their "Read on line" facility an other interesting list of pamphlets/serials/booklets. You can read you way through this interesting and informative list of works from the links below.  

The Charlie Baird Collection

T SOR-6-7-49 The Commune. Vol. II, no. 13. 1929.

T SOR-6-7-55 Poll Tax Handbook.1989.

T SOR-6-7-56  Trades Councils. Joe McDonald. 1930.

T SOR-6-7-57 The Rights of Labour according to John Ruskin. 

T SOR-6-7-58  A Public Nuisance: Tales of adventure & a spirit of revolt, Glasgow Anarchists 1974 to 1986. Jim McFarlane. 

T SOR-6-7-59 The Working Class Against Fascism. G. Dimitrov 1935.

T SOR-6-7-62  Two Pages from Roman History. Daniel De Leon. Socialist Labour Party

T SOR-6-7-66 As We Don’t See It. Solidarity London.  

T SOR-6-7-67  Rent Strike! The Clydebank Rent Struggles of the 1920s. Sean Damer 1982.

T SOR-6-7-77  Feminism As Anarchism. Lynne Farrow. Black Bear Pamphlet No. 2.  

The KM Collection.

T SOR-4-1-18 Echanges: Bulletin of the Network ‘Echanges et Mouvement’. Nos.48&52 1986/1996

Keep coming back, we add to the list regularly, so there will always be something new and interesting to browse.

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

Learning From The Past.

 

        At Spirit of Revolt, we are always trying to bring the history of the people's struggles to a wider audience, we select pamphlets and articles from our archive and put them up in our "Read Of The Month" for all to enjoy and perhaps learn from. This month we have chosen and small booklet, which is part of The John Cooper Collection, published by Cienfuegos Press and edited by that well know anarchist Albert Meltzer, The International Revolutionary Solidarity Movement, "A study of the Origins and Development of the Revolutionary Anarchist Movement in Europe, 1945 – 1973, with particular reference to the First of May Group."

Read on line:

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

Spirit of Revolt New Additions

 

         As usual, all at Spirit of Revolt have been busy, for our June "Read of the Month" we have selected a small booklet, Collectives in Spain, an anthology published by Black Dog Press, 1971, well worth a wee read. We have also added two new videos to our "Audio-Video" section. One is our recent Show and Tell on the Hetherington Occupation at Glasgow University. The other is of our Glasgow Radical History Walk, part of our May Day Week celebrations.

    Go on, have a wee look, I'm sure you will enjoy our new entries.

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

Glasgow's May Day Celebrations.

        Our fair city of Glasgow is steeped in history, a lot of it is spread out for the public to see, captains of industry, blood soaked defenders of imperialism, Dukes and Lords. None of which tells the story of  the people of Glasgow, their history is airbrushed from view, but every street, every corner as a tale to tell of the struggles of the ordinary people. The history the powers that be, would have you forget.

     So if you are a citizen of Glasgow or just a visitor who wants to know a bit more about the real Glasgow, the Glasgow of the people, then you can have that opportunity during our May Day week celebrations.

     A group of ordinary Glasgow dwellers have put together a week of events marking May Day. It starts on Tuesday May 1st with a gathering with performers and stalls at the Donald Dewar statue 12noon. Then that history thing, on Wednesday 2nd. May, a history walk through the city where you will learn a bit more of the real heart of our fair city of Glasgow.

 Photo courtesy of Daily Record.

Some of those charged after Bloody Friday, Battle of George Square, Glasgow.

Radical History Walk: Planned itinerary

Start and Stop 1: 6pm George Square Wednesday MAY 2nd
Eric on 1915 & 1919
Supplementary info on Demos/Interaction.

Stop 2 6.15: Montrose Street:
Keith - Info on Strickland Press and Aldred, The Word etc.

Stop 3: Old Sheriff Court – Eric on Rent Strike, John McLean etc
6.25

Stop 4: opposite – Brunswick Street
40s Anarchist Federation street meetings & activities – Keith
6.35

Longest stretch of walk via Tolbooth, Gallowgate & London Rd.

Stop 5: – Calton Burial Site – 1787 Weavers – Keith
6.55

Stop 6: – Glasgow Green, via Templetons, Peoples Palace to entrance

7.05: On Free Speech Fights, tradition in the Green & 90s Workers City etc.
Keith & Eric, Summary/ interaction at end

7.20: Head back to town, perhaps after refreshment, Scotia Bar

      After your dip into Glasgow's real history, the week culminates in our annual Picnic on the Green, Sunday, May 6th. 2pm. An event of fun, chat, song, music, dance, poetry, face-painting, food sharing, and stalls, bring what you expect to find, bring the family, bring your street.  

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

The Natives Are Revolting, Free Event.

           Just a few days to go, clear your diary, make a mark on the page, reserve your place to attend the Spirit of Revolt free event in The Mitchell Library, The Natives Are Revolting, the Blythswood Room is on the fifth floor of The Mitchell. Please spread the word, as this type of event could become a regular feature of Spirit of Revolt.

         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 0141 287 2999, 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.

Please share.

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

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

Two Bells With A Different Ring.

        Working class history is all too often lost, forgotten or deliberately hidden, but it is there, a rich history of struggle, a culture of community that stretches back as far as we wish to look. However the establishment has no desire to allow that history to take its rightful place, as the true history of the people. Much better for them, that we admire barons of industry, kings, queens and other forms of parasitical power. Our cities are festooned with statues of exploiting millionaires, military figures with the blood of ordinary people on their hands, and at the top of the tree of parasites, royals. I believe it was George Orwell that said, "The surest way to destroy a people, is to destroy their history", I paraphrase. In Glasgow we have Spirit of Revolt and Strugglepedia, two sites where we do our best to record, preserve and publicise that history, making it easily accessible to the general public, Have a wee look, perhaps you can get involved and add to that true picture of our history.

        Scotland has been fortunate in the fact it has had a long line of working class radical activists, stretching back as far as exploitation has used its venomous tentacles. Some have carried on their fight against the system in the full glare of publicity, others have battled away in seclusion and in the background, but never the less determined to change this world for the better for all. All must be remembered

      We have had, just to mention a few, Thomas Muir, Ethel MacDonald, Willie McDougal, Guy Aldred, John MacLean, Rita Milton, George (Ballard) Barrett, Tom Anderson, and in more recent times, Les Foster, Charlie and Molly Baird,  Bobby Lynn, I could go on. We have also had the strange occurrence of two Tom Bells. One, Tom Bell, red Clydesider, who mixed with the anti-parliamentarians, until a visit to Moscow seen him come back with the strange idea that the only way to get emancipation for the people was through the ballot box, and with some others formed the British Communist Party. 

       The other Tom Bell, Thomas Hastie Bell, was a different kettle of fish. A life long vociferous anarchist, always eager to get people involved, always busy with propaganda and action. He travelled the world, learnt to speak several languages, and eventually settled in America, still pushing his ideas and anarchist philosophy, he died in America in 1942.

        Here is a short biography of that Thomas Hastie Bell, this article first appeared in Organise! magazine #66. Also published by Libcom.

        A short biography of leading Scottish anarchist Tom Bell, a marine engineer and propagandist who travelled the world, finally settling in the US.
        Thomas Hastie Bell was born in Edinburgh in 1867. He should not be confused with another Tom Bell, fellow Scot , Red Clydesider and one of the founders of the Communist Party. He acquired fluency in French, Italian, Spanish and German thanks to his job as a ship’s engineer, visiting all the Mediterranean countries, South Africa, the United States and South America.
        As a young man he joined the Scottish Land and Labour League and in the 1880s became an anarchist through his association with the Socialist League. He was active in the Freedom group in London. In 1892 he returned to Edinburgh and carried on intense anarchist propaganda with J. Blair Smith and McCabe. He established a friendship there with Patrick Geddes, the biologist and town planner and persuaded him to bring over Elisée Reclus, the anarchist and geographer, to lecture at Edinburgh University. Emma Goldman mentions Bell “of whose propagandistic zeal and daring we had heard much in America”.
        Staying in Paris he had urged French anarchists to have open-air meetings, but they were reluctant. He went to the Place de la Republique, one of the most central and busiest squares, after having distributed handbills about meeting there the following Sunday afternoon. There was a big crowd there, also plenty of policemen. He climbed up a lamp-post padlocked to a crosspiece and started speaking. The police called for a file, but he continued speaking till his voice gave out and then nonchalantly produced the key. Police then threatened him with prosecution for “insults to the Army and the law” but all Paris laughed and the authorities decided not to prosecute. After 2 weeks in jail he was expelled as “too dangerous a man to be allowed loose in France”. He married the anarchist John Turner’s sister Lizzie.
         On the visit of Tsar Nicholas II to Britain, Bell went with McCabe to Leith where he was landing. Separated and although surrounded by Highlanders, territorials and infantry, Bell and McCabe got through to the Tsar’s carriage and shouted in his face “Down with the Russian tyrant! To hell with all the empires!”. Again the authorities were not inclined to prosecute, because a Scottish jury would probably throw out any charges.
        In 1898, Bell, who suffered from asthma all his life, went back to London and got a job as the (long-suffering) secretary to the man of letters Frank Harris, famous for his friendship with Oscar Wilde and his womanising, as revealed in his Life and Loves. Harris is suspected of stealing Bell’s experiences as a cowboy near the Mexican border for his own fake cowboy memories.
         Through Harris, Bell got to know Edward Carpenter, Havelock Ellis, George Bernard Shaw and others. Bell wrote a book about Wilde in his Oscar Wilde Without Whitewash in memory of those times, unfortunately never published. After 7 years in that position, he had a disagreement with Harris over the latter’s biography, which he thought was unjust to Wilde.
         He went to New York in 1905, and in 1911 finally settled in the United States for good, becoming a farmer in Phoenix, Arizona. He spent the last 20 years of his life in Los Angeles. Both Bell’s wife Lizzie Turner and his sister Jessie Bell Westwater emigrated with him to the USA and were involved in the movement. Throughout his life he remained active in the movement, maintaining lifelong friendships with Kropotkin, Emma Goldman, Alexander Berkman and Rudolf Rocker.
        Rocker said, “I saw him again in Los Angeles, when he was an old man. He was ill. His mop of red hair and his bushy beard were now white. His giant frame (he was well over six foot) was bent. But his mind was active; he was still working and speaking for the movement”.
        In a letter to the Yiddish anarchist paper Die Fraye Arbeter Shtime in 1940, Bell declared, “We become in our old age crabby, blind, deaf, lame or asthmatic. And our movement is now completely overwhelmed in a gigantic world-wide wave of reaction. But, ah, when I look back to the glorious days and the glorious comrades of our young movement, I am stirred to the depths by affection and pride”.
Tom Bell died in 1942 at the age of 75.

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

These Dangerous Women.

       Because of the male dominated political parties and the male dominated babbling brook of bullshit, the mainstream media, women have often been airbrushed out of history. However if you ever poke your nose into the history of working class struggle, you'll find that, not only were women there, but often they were major players at the forefront of that struggle. Women played a major role in the WWI peace movement and continue to be a force in the peace movement of today. In the struggle to improve working class conditions women have stood tall. We in Glasgow have a legion of women working class warriors that of which we can be very proud. Names such as Mary Barbour, Helen Crawfurd, Ethel MacDonald, Rita Milton, Jane Hamilton Patrick and too many to mention here. So any exhibition that highlights these women warriors and helps to redress the position, is worth supporting.  

Subject: Audacious Women festival:

Scottish WILPF Exhibition at Ocean Terminal

Dear All,
       If you haven't seen the Exhibition yet it will be at 'The Little Shop of Memories' Ocean Terminal 1st February to 3rd March.
      Please share the attached flyer with your friends and encourage people to go and see the exhibition.
       If you are not in Edinburgh and would like the Exhibition for a local venue please contact Scottish WILPF.

In peace
Anne Scott, Secretary Scottish WILPF

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

We Must Preserve OUR History.

          We, the volunteers at Spirit of Revolt, believe we do a very important job, one that is necessary. We are our history, our efforts and our actions are our heritage, our true culture. If we don’t record and preserve that history, we are a people without a history, a people without a culture, but nothing could be further from the truth. Our history is a rich one of struggle, sometime bitter, sometimes victorious, but a never ending struggle to claim what is rightfully ours. Our history is that ongoing story, we can learn from the failures and success of those who went before us. Without somewhere to access that story of struggle, we go blind into the future, we have to re-invent the wheel all over again. Without our history recorded there for all to see, people get a distorted view of history, a history that tells a false story, a history in which we played no part. However, because of the type of society we live under, (for the present), sadly, no matter how many volunteers we have, to survive, we still need that filthy stuff called “money”. There are boxes, envelopes and other storage materials, there is web-hosting, web maintenance, other sundry costs, and to catalogue the collections to international standards, for easy access across borders, we have an archivist, all costing that filthy stuff, “money”.
         So, all you anarchists, libertarian socialists and people of like mind, go have a look at our website, browse the catalogue, it's your history, consider if you think we are doing a worthwhile job. If so, click on to our “Donate” page and perhaps you may be feeling a wee bit generous at this time of year, and can see you way to help us continue to record our history, a history that we can’t expect any other section of this type of society to record. It doesn’t matter how small your donation is, it will be very much appreciated, a one-of, or a monthly donation, from £1 upwards, we will say thank you very much.

If we are ignorant of our history, we will repeat our mistakes.

Visit ann ary's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

 

A Brick Has Fallen From Our Wall.

        It is always sad when an old warrior for the people passes away. It is as if a strong brick has fallen out of our wall of resistance and we hope we can find one just as strong to fill the gap. Such a brick fell from our wall last Monday evening, 25th January, when Les Foster died in the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, aged 96. He lead a life of struggle for the ordinary people of Glasgow and further afield. Needless to say, he will be sadly missed. 

Received this from Les's friend James Kelman:

Maybe Euan mentioned it. Just letting you know that old Leslie Forster died Monday evening, at the age of 96.  He's an important figure although perhaps little known. He was a close friend of Hugh Savage and Harry McShane, personally acquainted with Guy Aldred, knew Helen Crawfurd, Matt McGinn and so many others during a lifetime’s commitment. He led the Merrylee Housing struggle in 1951 [Guy Aldred printed 30,000 leaflets for them and when the committee went skint Guy said Ach well it's a good cause, and wrote it off.]  and was involved in various other stuff, helped produce works on the 1911 Clydebank Singer Strike, a history of the NUR. He wrote the Introduction for the reprinted 3 Days that Shook Edinburgh!  Harry McShane's pamphlet]. He wrote [with Hugh Savage] a life of Willie Nairn from Brechin [All for the Cause] who was an influence on John Maclean. His own autobiography was Rocking the Boat. He was one of the wee group who caused ructions in the early 1950s when they resigned the CP and went ahead in their own way. He was talking football, books, art, politics, music, gossip, memories and whatever else, right up until the last.  He was 96 years old, into his 97th. A Maryhill Juniors regular when fit, you saw him there with me!
His funeral is this Monday coming [ist Feb]  10.30am at  Maryhill Crematorium. I'd appreciate it if you could share this information.

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

Workers, Know Your History, Ben Reitman.

       Ben Reitman was an anarchist, born 1879, died from a heart attack in Chicago 1943. During his life he was kidnapped, beaten, tarred and feather and branded and later, 100 years ago tomorrow, in January 17th, 1916, imprisoned for the horrific crime of, distributing leaflets on birth control. That's democracy for you. These heroes of the working class are airbrushed out of history, the establishment  would rather they never happened, or at least are forgotten. We have a duty to remember and record those who fought on the side of the ordinary people for that better world for all.

From Wikipedia:

        Reitman was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, to poor Russian Jewish immigrants in 1879, but grew up in Chicago. At the age of ten, he became a hobo, but returned to Chicago and worked in the Polyclinic Laboratory as a "laboratory boy".[2] In 1900, he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Chicago, completing his medical studies in 1904. During this time he was briefly married; he and his wife had a daughter together.[2]
        He worked as a physician in Chicago, choosing to offer services to hobos, prostitutes, the poor, and other outcasts. Notably, he performed abortions, which were illegal at the time.[2]
      Reitman met Emma Goldman in 1908, and the two began a passionate love affair, which Goldman described as the "Great Grand Passion" of her life.[1] The two traveled together for almost eight years, working for the cause of birth control, free speech, worker's rights, and anarchism.
        During this time, the couple became involved in the San Diego free speech fight in 1912–13. Reitman was kidnapped by a mob, severely beaten, tarred and feathered, branded with "I.W.W.,"[1] and his rectum and testicles were abused.[3] Several years later, the couple were arrested in 1916 under the Comstock laws for advocating birth control, and Reitman served six months in prison.[4]
        Both believed in free love, but Reitman's practice incited feelings of jealousy in Goldman.[5] He remarried when one of his lovers became pregnant; their son was born while he was in prison.[2] Goldman and Reitman ended their relationship in 1917, after Reitman was released from prison.[2]
         Reitman returned to Chicago, ultimately working with the City of Chicago, establishing the Chicago Society for the Prevention of Venereal Disease in the 1930s.[2] His second wife died in 1930, and Reitman married a third time, to Rose Siegal.[2] Reitman later became seriously involved with Medina Oliver, and the couple had four daughters — Mecca, Medina, Victoria, and Olive.[2]
      Reitman died in Chicago of a heart attack at the age of sixty-three. He was buried at the Waldheim Cemetery[6] (now Forest Home Cemetery), in Forest Park, Chicago.

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

A Wet And Windy Walk Of Pride.

       Glasgow's Walk of Pride, yesterday, November 17th. was not as well attended as we would have liked, nor did as many people turn up that said they would. Perhaps the weather had something to do with that, as it was dreadful, cold, windy and wet. Never the less, all in all about 20 people braved the Scottish crap weather, and Walked with Pride, carrying their banners and making the symbolic noise of an odd racquet and whistle, down to the City Chambers in George Square. So marking that wonderful working class victory won in 1915, 

         A big thank you to all those who left the comfort of their home and braved the lousy Scottish November, and a thank you to all those who helped organise the event. 

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

The Long History Of Glasgow's Anarchists.

       We in the city of Glasgow can trace the roots of its anarchist groups, individuals and activities, back into the distant past. We have always been there, standing with the people of the city in their many and varied and sometimes brutal struggles for that better world, for justice and for freedom. The history of the Glasgow anarchists is one of which we can be proud.

         It was in 1894 that Tom Anderson founded the first Scottish Socialist Sunday School, and three years later founded the South Side Socialist Sunday School, which lasted well into the 1930's. In 1910, George (Ballard) Barrett settled in Glasgow and set about holding street meetings with some assistance from John McAra from Edinburgh. Around about the same time George along with John Paton, set up the Glasgow Anarchist Group. 1919 saw the well know anarchist Guy Aldred settle in Glasgow, stating it was, "its citizen's truculent attitude, rebellious spirit and disrespect for leaders" that made him think of settling in Glasgow. Let's hope we can enhance that particular trait in the citizens of our great city. When we mention Guy Aldred, we have to mention Ethel MacDonald. Running along with and over lapping the time of Guy Aldred, we had such gallant working class fighters as, Frank Leech, Charlie and Mollie Baird, Willie McDougal, who helped keep the Workers Open form running until the 1950's, Jimmy and Babs Raeside,  Bobby Lynn, The list goes on and on, some known, some forgotten, some lost in the fog of history, much to our regret. Some others are, Farquar McLay, John Taylor Caldwell, Rita Milton, Allan Burnett, with more on Allan HERE, and Dave Carruthers.

        A little hint of what was happening in the anarchist movement in Glasgow during the 1960's can be read HERE,  and a little later, 1974-1986, HERE.

        These are just a few of the anarchist that have helped shape our city, like I said, there are so many names that have been lost, that this is just a fragment of the picture. What is encouraging is that the anarchist tradition is still alive and well in our city today. There is a crop of enthusiastic individuals and groups, who are still at the forefront of the struggles of the people of our city, and it is uplifting to see that it is not all grey haired and slow walking individuals, but a wonderful gathering of young, intelligent and dedicated individuals, that are forming groups and pushing forward with the anarchist dream of that better world for all.

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