SPGB Meetings and Outdoor Meetings (1963)

Party News from the November 1963 issue of the Socialist Standard

SPGB Meetings (1963)

Party News from the October 1963 issue of the Socialist Standard

Blogger's Note:

'W. Walters' - speaking on the General Strike - at the Paddington and Marylebone Branch of the SPGB would have been a typo. That was Bill Waters.

SPGB Meetings (1964)

Party News from the July 1964 issue of the Socialist Standard

SPGB Meetings (1963)

Party News from the July 1963 issue of the Socialist Standard

SPGB Meetings. (1963)

Party News from the June 1963 issue of the Socialist Standard

Branch News (1963)

Party News from the March 1963 issue of the Socialist Standard

In these wintry days the thought of Spring seems a long way off. However, in preparation for the May issue of the Socialist Standard work has already commenced. The issue will in the main deal with the Housing Problem. Writers from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, the Midlands and London have been invited to send reports dealing with their areas—other articles will deal with political and economic aspects. Branches are urged to gear their meetings and literature sales drives for this issue— it probably will be enlarged--20 pages— and colour introduced — price at usual. Therefore, it behoves us all to sell at least twice the normal number of Standards in May. May Day Rallies and, we hope, better weather will enable an all-out effort to be made. A challenge, but one that we will all take up and see a greatly increased circulation.

Islington Branch is holding a meeting at the Islington Town Hall on Monday, March 11th, see details on Meeting page.

Paddington, Ealing and Bloomsbury Branches have arranged a three-branch series of propaganda meetings. The first of these was held in January at the Paddington & Marylebone Branch room. Comrade Hardy spoke on the Common Market. The event was most successful—comrades from the three branches supported the meeting and many visitors were there. Good questions and discussion ensured and it is hoped that the next event—a Brains Trust at Ealing Branch at the Memorial Hall. Windsor Road, near Ealing Broadway. will take place on Friday March 1st at 8 p.m. Bloomsbury Branch hope to arrange a meeting the following month. This first meeting was such a success that other groups of branches could well follow this example.

Annual Conference is being held at Conway Hall, Red Lion Square on Friday. Saturday and Sunday April 12th. 13th and 14th. Provincial Branches are asked to contact the Central Organiser at Head Office regarding accommodation required for their delegates. Early notification helps to ensure that accommodation is available.

Phyllis Howard

Paddington and Marylebone (1965)

Party News from the September 1965 issue of the Socialist Standard

Paddington and Marylebone Branch have held a continuous series of lectures and discussions since Easter. We had the pleasure of listening to our comrade Alice Petersen from Copenhagen talk on the educational system in Denmark. The following week our veteran and staunch comrade Rudolf Frank from Vienna spoke to us about the work of the Socialist Group in Austria. And then we were visited by our comrade Charlie Davis (Secretary of the New York Local of the WSP of the USA) and we had a very interesting discussion with him. The international flavour to our meetings was continued at a later meeting when we had a visitor front Italy, who addressed the Branch in Italian, and with the help of a member who could speak Italian, members were able to discuss with him. We made a propaganda trip to Brighton and held two good meetings on the front. To the end of the year a varied series of lectures and discussions have been organised, and we welcome you to all our meetings. We meet every Wednesday at 8.45 p.m. (see page 134).

Branch Organiser.

Branch News (1964)

Party News from the February 1964 issue of the Socialist Standard

Lewisham Branch, in anticipation of the General Election, have a full programme of meetings and activity arranged for the next few months. Their first meeting is at the Bromley Library Lecture Room. High Street. Bromley on “What is Socialism”. The date—Friday, February 28th at 8 pm (Full details are advertised in display panel in this issue). The following meeting at the same, venue is titled “Wages and Inflation", and is on March 20th. Intensive work will be put into Bromley by the branch with the help of other London members prior to the General Election when it is hoped that the Party will be able to contest the Bromley constituency. When the date of the election is known, members from all over London will make a special effort to assist in Bromley, but meantime all help will be welcome by Lewisham Branch.

We are happy to acknowledge donations from the following: Ethel L. Lee Haing, Sydney. Australia (£39 16s. 9d.). Mrs. P. de Cleve. Wellington. N.Z. (£1). “A Sympathiser” from Sunderland (10/-). and from Vienna, our comrades Frank and Pelinger £1 10s. each. It is particularly pleasing to learn that comrades so far away, whilst working hard under difficult conditions to spread the Socialist message, in addition contribute so generously to our funds.

Paddington and Marylebone Branch have a very full programme arranged right up till April. Full details in the meetings column. Glasgow also have a very full programme in preparation for the General Election. Details of their immediate meetings are advertised in this issue.

We regret that a printing error was made in Branch News in the December Socialist Standard. Under activity in Swansea reference was made to the “ Anti-Panzer Group”—this should have read the “Anti Nuclear Group”

We are very sad to learn of the death of our comrade Mark Bredon of West Ham Branch. Due to illness he had not been around very much of late, but he will be well remembered for his visits to Head Office and Conferences despite great difficulty in walking. He had been a Party member for more than thirty years.

Phyllis Howard

Branch News (1964)

Party News from the January 1964 issue of the Socialist Standard

Readers of the December issue who ordered a year’s subscription for the Socialist Standard should be feeling justified on seeing the first issue for 1964. Those who did not send in their subscription form are reminded now, and with this special issue as an example of Socialist literature subscription forms should now be pouring into Head Office. The more Standards sold, the less the overall cost and other fields of propaganda can be embarked upon with more cash in the “kitty".

Wembley Branch have had a most successful literature canvass—all their Standard stock was sold out, the latter part of the canvass was in a new area for the Branch —Queen’s Park. The canvassers were impressed by the interest taken, some people bought two copies and asked that they be called on again.

Mid-Herts. Group have been operating for just over a year. Much progress has been made and it is hoped to arrange a series of meetings in the New Year based upon the policies of the Conservative, Liberal and Labour Parties. These may take the form of discussion debates or a lecture from a Party speaker. When these arrangements are complete it is hoped to have leaflets printed and distributed to advertise the events.

South East Essex Branch holds its first meeting of the New Year on Monday, January 13th and will then meet every two weeks from that date.

During last month’s by-election in Marylebone, our local Branch members produced a special leaflet for the occasion. They also attended the meetings of the contesting parties, and keenly questioned the candidates. At Labour's meetings our comrades successfully put their points, exposing the weakness and anti-socialist nature of the Labour Party. At the Conservative meetings our members tried hard and well, but were faced with the strange phenomena of a candidate who refused point blank to answer oral questions from anyone. This Tory candidate apparently has aspired for the premiership. His arrogance and rudeness, plus his hollow phrase-mongering only made him look very foolish as well as incompetent.

Phyllis Howard