SPGB Meetings (1946)

Party News from the November 1946 issue of the Socialist Standard

Party News Briefs (1955)

Party News from the September 1955 issue of the Socialist Standard

August Bank Holiday Meetings. Camberwell and Fulham Branch jointly organiscd two very successful meetings. In the afternoon, from 3 p.m. to 6.30 Comrades Garnham, Keys, Baldwin, McCarthy and Cash, spoke to an attentive audience of about 200 in Hyde Park. In the evening 12 members went out of London to Heron Court. Richmond, where Comrades Keys, Robertson, Baldwin and McCarthy addressed an audience of almost 200 from 7 o’clock until 10 p.m. About 10/- worth of literature was sold at the two meetings.

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Under the heading: “A London Bus Worker tells of one of the earliest struggles for the Right to Unionise.” the July 7th edition of the Samasamajist, an English language paper, published in Colombo, Ceylon, reprints Comrade Waters article in the Socialist Standard, “The Story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs.” It is hoped that the Samasamajist will reprint other articles from the Socialist Standard in the future.

* * *

The Swansea Branch prepared a programme of activity for August which was to include outdoor meetings and an indoor public debate with the Welsh Nationalist Party. Whilst the outdoor meetings are underway with the visits of Comrades from Cheltenham and London, unfortunately the debate has fallen through owing to the inability of the Nationalists to finalise the arrangements. The national headquarters of the party threw the onus on their Swansea Branch who declined under pressure of work. Swansea Branch have challenged the Communists, Labourites and Welsh Republicans by personal letters and an open challenge in the Press but have had refusals all round. We now look forward to the visit of Com. Ambridge from London.

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Provincial Propaganda Tour. Nottingham was visited by two London Comrades for a week from July 31st to August 7th. Thirteen meetings were held, with audiences averaging 300. Twenty dozen August Standards were sold in addition to pamphlets and back issues of the Standard.

Dundee is being visited by two London Comrades who report very good meetings held—more details next month.

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The Autumn Delegate Meeting is being held at Denison House. Vauxhall Bridge Road (nr. Victoria Station) on Saturday and Sunday, October 8th and 9th, commencing each day at 11 a.m. It is hoped to arrange a social at Head Office on the Saturday evening—more details will be given in the October Socialist Standard.

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Obituary. We regret to announce that another old member of the Party has recently died. Comrade A. Maskell, of Paddington Branch, who joined in 1927. He had been ill for a considerable time.

Prior to the war, he engaged in all Branch activity, and sold many copies of the S.S. to personal contacts. He was Branch Treasurer for more years than one wishes to recall, and throughout the war years was one of the most regular Branch attenders. In two election campaigns in N. Paddington he put his flat at our disposal for us as Committee Rooms, and it gave him great pleasure to feel that, despite his enforced inactivity, he could still be of assistance to the Party. Many of the older Paddington members will recall the assistance he gave them at all times and we should like to express our sympathies to his wife and family.

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Documentary Films at H.O.. 52, Clapham High Street, S.W.4 (near Clapham Common Tube Station) every Sunday at 7.30 p.m. These films will be followed by a short talk by a Party lecturer. Questions and discussion follow. Admission free.

Oct. 2nd. Public Opinion. Speaker, R. Coster.

„        9th. The Beginning of History, W. Kerr.

„       16th. Mediaeval Village, V. Phillips.

„       23rd. The Story of Money, E. Wilmott.

„       30th. We’ve Come a Long Way, J. Trotman.

Nov.  6th.   Man-One Family, J. Read.

Phyllis Howard

Blogger's Note:

Comrade A. Maskell's obituary had previously been posted on the blog as a standalone post.

Party News Briefs (1954)

Party News from the November 1954 issue of the Socialist Standard

The Delegate Meeting is being held at Denison House, Vauxhall Bridge Road (Near Victoria Station) on Saturday and Sunday, November 6th and 7th, commencing each day at 10.30 a.m. Social at Head Office on the Saturday evening from 7.30 p.m.

Hampstead Branch have changed the day and time of their outdoor meetings at the Whitestone Pond, Hampstead Heath. During the winter months the day will be Sunday and the time 11 a.m. Their previous meeting time—Friday evening—has been discontinued until next summer.

Glasgow. The City and Kelvingrove Branches are jointly running a series of meetings on Sunday evenings at the Central Hall, Bath Street, at 7.30. (Doors open at 7 p.m.) The first meeting is to be held on November 7th. Full details of this and other meetings appear under “Meeting Notices” in this issue.

Islington Branch are holding a Social and Dance at the Winchester Hotel, Archway Road, Highgate, on Saturday, 27th November. Admission Free. Members are assured of a happy evening.

Nottingham Branch has arranged a series of lectures by London speakers. Full details of current dates under “Meeting Notices.” Good work is being done in the comparatively new branch and the meetings will no doubt meet with success.

Camberwell Branch has consistently held meetings at two outdoor stations, East St., Southwark, and Rushcroft Road, Brixton. The results at East St. (our all the year round meeting place) have varied taken over a long period, owing to opposition meetings ranging from good meetings with Lit. Sales around 8/- and collections of 4/- to small meetings with only three or four Standards sold. Recently signs of a revival were shown when Comrade Gloss, of America, spoke. The audience was large and 8/6 worth of literature was sold. From then on and with the arrival of the Anniversary S.S. things have moved upwards. Our main set-back at this station has been the pre-occupation of the workers with the current problems of British Capitalism.

Our Rushcroft Rd. meeting has maintained a fairly high level of interest, although this is only a summer season station, literature sales average 2/4.

Largely arising from a visit of an Ealing Comrade we started a canvassing drive in June, this year, and we have found this also very worthwhile. It has the advantage of personal contact. Since we began about 20 new readers a month have been found and with fluctuations our present increased readership stands at 85.

The address of the Branch and time of meetings is on the back of this journal. We extend the usual Socialist welcome to all non-members and are always eager to hold discussions on matters of interest to them.

Phyllis Howard

Party News Briefs (1956)

Party News from the September 1956 issue of the Socialist Standard

Provincial Propaganda. Speakers have been visiting the provinces during July and August and it is hoped that good results will be reported from Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Nottingham. Bristol group has had success on Durdham Downs (a pre-war regular speaking spot). There has been difficulty over selling literature there but our comrades have taken the matter up in the local Press. Their letter has been published giving the full name of the Party. Meetings with audiences of 200-300 have been held.

• • •

Literature Sales. Comrades are still energetic on the various canvasses being organised by Ealing and Camberwell Branches. This work is particularly good as owing to the bad weather, our outdoor propaganda must have suffered and in consequence the sale of literature at meetings has not been as well as expected.

• • •

From Wellington, New Zealand, we have received news of the death of an old comrade, Con Killeen. The Overseas Secretary of the Wellington Branch writes: "He died in his sleep on the 9th April 1956, aged 78 years. He was a member of the old New Zealand Marxian Association. Con could always be depended upon to help in Party work, very seldom was he absent from EC meetings. He did not suffer a long illness. According to reports he was reading until 12 p.m. on the night he died."

• • •

From High Wycombe we also learn that Comrade Gibson died recently. Comrade Gibson had been a member since 1920, a speaker in his younger days, and although moving around, always joined his nearest branch. He will be particularly remembered by members of the old North London Branch.

Phyllis Howard

Branch News (1963)

Party News from the August 1963 issue of the Socialist Standard

To give full details of the amazing work being done by “Our Man in Cornwall” would fill a whole issue of the Socialist Standard. Here we can report only briefly the activities of our comrade in St. Austell, St. Blazey, Callington, Looe, Bodmin, Liskeard, Wadebridge, Rylla Mill (Village Fair), Par, Saltash and Torpoint. He is circulating our literature throughout the West Country. Think of all the work involved in getting from place to place, talking to workers, attending political meetings, day in and day out, sending lengthy reports to Head Office. Our comrade can have little time for rest—his leisure is propagating Socialism. Due to an illness, this member was prescribed a diet, but this does not explain his recent loss of weight from 13½ stones to 11½ stones. He comments that he feels fine and hopes that before long, new branches will be formed in the West Country. When this happens, the work he has done will have speeded the day.

After 20 years existence as Ealing Branch and 10 years in its meeting place near Eating Broadway, the Branch has changed both its meeting place and its name. Over the years, particularly after the promotion of Wembley Branch, many members have gravitated away from Ealing and it has become inescapable that a move nearer the centre of London would be generally more convenient. And so the die has been cast! The Branch is now the West London Branch and meets at Westcott Lodge, Lower Mall, Hammersmith, a few minutes’ walk from Hammersmith Broadway. All members have been informed of the new meeting place and it is hoped that many of those who found the journey to Ealing too inconvenient will be able to attend the new premises. more easily. A cordial invitation is also extended to those members formerly belonging to Fulham Branch, and to all other members and sympathisers resident in the area.

The Branch is also optimistic that the new meeting place will be a convenient point of contact for sympathisers from the outdoor meetings at Earls Court. These have been very successful so far, the weather has been generally kind, with good audiences and literature sales. It is hoped to follow up this activity with a particularly wide range of lectures, discussions, and film shows during the winter season.

Wood Green and Hornsey Branch have been active in Tottenham. Branch members attended a film-show organised by Tottenham C.N.D. and effectively criticised C.N.D. policy before an audience of 50 people. This criticism was repeated in a letter printed in the local press. The Branch was also invited to send a speaker to the Tottenham Young Socialists and a comrade addressed an audience of over 50 who showed great interest. A further address is being arranged on the subject of C.N.D. Please note change of branch address in the Branch Directory.

Camberwell Branch, with the Propaganda Committee has organised at Battersea Town Hall on Wednesday, August 14th at 7.30. Title and full details advertised in this issue. All available comrades should make every endeavour to support this meeting by bringing along friends, selling literature and as much cash for the collection as they can afford.

The title of the meeting is Labourism or Socialism. Comrades C. May and D. McCarthy are the speakers. Battersea Town Hall is near Clapham Junction.

World Socialist Party of Ireland. Good work is being done in Belfast. The members are holding a Seven Days for Socialism during, the third week in September. The idea is to devote an entire week to Socialist propaganda work. The Branch members will canvass the Socialist Standard and Western Socialist with a suitable leaflet. At least two outdoor and one indoor meetings will be held. The Branch is contesting Duncain and Shankhill Wards in the Municipal elections next May and the week of propaganda will be held in these areas and will be the start of the election campaign. An election fund will be opened and candidates will be selected in September.

Armagh Branch continues with its canvassing with good results. Press advertisements inserted in Dublin, Belfast, Portadown and Armagh have brought in good results and it is expected that the results shown from Dublin will help Comrades to become even more active.

Phyllis Howard

Party News Briefs (1956)

Party News from the April 1956 issue of the Socialist Standard

May Day. In order that members are well acquainted with the arrangements made for Sunday, May 6th, here is a brief resume of the proposed activities in London, Glasgow, and Nottingham. In Hyde Park, the usual trolley will be set up by three o’clock, and speakers will take turns in running the propaganda. Members should note that it helps the meeting to start more promptly if it is well supported by members. The Trades Union processions will be taking place and it is being planned that our members sell literature along the route. The procession will lead to Trafalgar Square where other parties will be holding meetings. Therefore, apart from selling literature along the route, we need a good number of members to circulate among the crowds at Trafalgar Square with the literature. In view of the fact that Ealing Branch has circularised London Branches in an endeavour to greatly increase the Socialist Standard sales, for May, this is an additional appeal to help to achieve this aim. Will Comrades willing to assist, please contact (personally, or by letter), the Propaganda Committee at Head Office. The sooner we have a list of willing Comrades the sooner and better we can make arrangements.

Glasgow (City and Kelvingrove Branches) are holding their May Day Rally on the afternoon of May 6th at Queen's Park Recreation Ground and at St Andrew’s Halls, Berkeley Street from 7.30 pm. Several speakers will be on. the platform.

Nottingham Branch are holding a Mass Rally in the Market Square on the same day (May 6th) at 3 p.m. Speakers: J. Garnham, J. Keys and F. Warlow.

London. At Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, WlC.l, a Rally will be held after the propaganda meeting in Hyde Park. The meeting commences at 7.30 p.m., the title “ POLITICAL MATURITY AND THE STRUGGLE FOR SOCIALISM.” Speakers: R. Coster and W. Read. Although every effort will be made to advertise this London meeting, as there arc restrictions at the moment regarding printing, it is essential that members and sympathisers pass on the details of this meeting as widely as possible, in order that we have a really good attendance. So please note the details and PASS THE WORD ALONG!

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A Meeting was held at Conway Hall on Monday, March 12th. Comrades Bryan and May spoke on "Departing Empires—the Socialist attitude.” Although the attendance at the meeting was small, mainly due, we feel sure to being unable to advertise as usual, the audience was very interested and good questions were put to the speakers.

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There is good news from Camberwell Branch again. Apart from having kept open-air meetings going throughout the winter at East Street, Walworth, the branch has vigorously extended canvassing the Socialist Standard. In the first two months of the year, as a result of one of the meeting stations being closed, the sales of the Socialist Standard usually fall to eight dozen. For the two months this year, however, 22 dozen were sold in the same period. The Branch would like to assure the Ealing Branch Comrades of their enthusiastic and practical support for their proposed May drive to really put the Socialist Standard into working-class hands on a large scale. The Branch is more than confident that in May they will more than double the average monthly sale of 10 dozen copies, and maintain it at the highest possible level. Meetings are held each Wednesday at Camberwell Green at 8 p.m.

The Branch holds its meetings on Thursday at the “Artichoke,” just past Camberwell Green,1, at 8 p.m. The room is comfortable. All are welcome.

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Swansea Group, though having lost members through transference to another branch have kept the Party before the reading public by constant letters to the Press on various topics. One Member's letter was given prominence on the billposters of the Swansea Voice, the public being shocked with glaring head lines, i.e., Swansea Man wants to do away with Money!

Challenges have been issued to various organisations and including a reverend gentleman who conducts a class on the "Art of Public Speaking.” This expert, needless to say, refused to test his skill against a Socialist speaker. The Llanelly branch of the Conservative Party has also refused to debate with us.

Swansea hope to be able to hold more open-air meetings during the coming summer, and are in contact from Comrades from London with this in view.

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Outdoor Meetings. With the arrival of spring, the number of outdoor meetings held will increase and details of the additional meetings, are given under the list of outdoor meetings advertised in this issue. Make a note please and attend as many as possible—good support for meetings stimulates speakers, helps to sell more literature and so helps along the work of the Party which is to propagate SOCIALISM.

Phyllis Howard

SPGB Meetings. (1928)

Party News from the November 1928 issue of the Socialist Standard

SPGB Parliamentary Fund. (1928)

Party News from the June 1928 issue of the Socialist Standard

Party News Briefs (1956)

Party News from the August 1956 issue of the Socialist Standard

From Wythenshawe, near Manchester, comes news of more good work by one of our comrades. In the recent sales drive for May he played his full part and disposed of over 300 copies of the Socialist Standard. But as far as he is concerned, this is only a step in the right direction and does not intend to rest on his laurels. He has already exceeded his May record and is now introducing our pamphlets to his "customers" with good results.

In a recent letter to the secretary of the Ealing Branch, he tells of his assaults on the "better class" areas around Manchester and the gains made. These are not his favourite haunts, however—the front gardens are too long and (some of) the dogs too fierce (cost to date—one pair of trousers).

This news makes excellent reading at a time when one hears far too often the monotonous story of political stagnation all round. All power to his elbow. Just one small point of correction, though. "Wythenshaw is the area for propaganda,” he says. Quite correct, comrade, but so is any and every area where Socialists are, and propaganda efforts of one sort or another must go on all the time.

June sales by this energetic comrade number 600!

Camberwell Branch has been so busy that they did not have an opportunity to sum up the special efforts made in May sales of the Socialist Standard, until it was too too late for press in the July issue. However, since the branch’s part in the sales drive was so successful the following report: is of interest. As may be remembered, the branch aimed at a sale of 22 dozen Standards, which was double the usual monthly quota. During May, four members made a total of 14 canvasses. These took place in blocks of flats covering the Kennington Oval and Tulse Hill, Brixion Estates. The whole area had been visited with free back-numbers previously and 43 dozen May Standards were sold. The branch is more than pleased with the genera] response of workers, and strongly recommends this form of Party activity. The figure quoted above includes sales at meetings but certainly the result far exceeds anything the Branch had hoped for.

Ealing Branch filled a couple of cars for a propaganda trip to Southsea on Sunday, July 15th. A useful meeting was held, which carried on well past the usual closing time, with interested questions coming along. Literature sales—which incidentally the branch are finding generally higher this year, were encouraging. On 22nd July Kingston Branch went down and went one better than Ealing with two meetings—one in the afternoon and one in the evening. Other branches may well find it worthwhile to visit this spot and combine a day's outing with putting over some Socialist views.

Other Ealing Branch meetings—at Ealing Green on Saturdays at 3.30 p.m. and Heron Court, Richmond, at 8 p.m. on Mondays—have started well. More support from members is needed to help the branch’s efforts along.

Phyllis Howard

Camberwell Branch. (1927)

Party News from the December 1927 issue of the Socialist Standard

A new Branch of the Party has been formed recently in the London district of Camberwell.

All sympathisers of the party living in the adjoining districts of Peckham and Brixton are invited to took in at the Branch meeting-room any Friday evening after 8 o’clock. The room is situated next to the main entrrance to the Camberwell Public Baths (main entrance Church Street, Camberwell).

The Secretary’s address is : J. Goodfellow, 40, Solon New Road, Clapham, S.W., to whom all enquiries should be addressed.

Branch headquarters are very conveniently-situated and suitable for the discussions (open to the public) which will be a feature of these Friday evenings.

J. G.

SPGB Meetings on the Race Question (1965)

Party News from the June 1965 issue of the Socialist Standard

Party News Briefs (1958)

Party News from the February 1958 issue of the Socialist Standard

Glasgow Branches (City and Kelvingrove) are holding regular Sunday evening propaganda meetings and full details are given in the local press. These meetings are being well attended and the Branch members are anxious to see that interesting subjects are dealt with and also to maintain the already good start made for 1958. Please make a note—full details of meetings in your local paper.

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Wales. The Party’s name is frequently in the news and the Western Mail (calling itself the National Daily of Wales) publishes letters from our Swansea Comrades in its “Letters to the Editor” column. The Swansea Group members, being few in number, not living very close to one another, rely on correspondence as their main source of propaganda. In the issue of the Western Mail dated December 4th a feature article quotes “The Western Mail seems to me to have been quite generous to political minorities. I noticed for example at least one letter from the Swansea Secretary of the Select Party of Good Boys, as I call the Socialist Party of Great Britain which still claims to be the only true Socialist Party in these isles.”

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"Socialist Standard.” Another reminder that a subscription form is in this issue, and although the Standard is now 6d. a month, 7s. 6d. will secure the Socialist Standard for a whole year, posted to any address in Britain.

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Camberwell Branch has not been mentioned in News Briefs for sometime now. This is not due to lack of activity; on the contrary, the Branch has been very busy. Two outdoor meeting stations have been maintained— East Street and Rushcroft Road—and although during the winter, months, these meetings are not so well attended as in the Spring and Summer, literature sales have been well maintained. The Branch Members regularly canvas the Socialist Standard and in the November “drive” nearly 20 dozen copies were sold.

One member who was very active in the Branch has moved out of London and the Branch has lost contact with him. The member is Comrade Goodman and the Branch would be very pleased to hear from him again.

Currently, the branch is arranging film-shows and lectures and mock debates at the branch room. Details of these activities will be given shortly. As in other branches of the Party, non-members are always welcome at branch meetings and lectures.

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Activity in Morecambe. Comrade Shaw of Morecambe sends us from time to time cuttings from local newspapers containing many letters of his putting the party case in answer to articles and letters from other readers. Recently he has had letters in the Barrow News, the Lancaster Guardian, Morecambe Times and Morecambe Visitor. In this way Comrade Shaw is able to put over the Socialist case on matters of current interest and it is an example other members could usefully copy.

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Our Advertising. In response to a recent advertisement we received the following letter:

“your strikingly-worded advertisement in the News Chronicle causes me to write for the free specimen copy offered.

I am still looking for a Socialist journal free from the omniscience of Tooley Street and the greasiness of Uriah Heep.

Is such to be found in Clapham High Street?”

It is pleasing to receive this tribute to our advertising. We only hope that the literature which has been sent to this enquirer will stimulate his interest sufficiently to induce him to make a fuller study of the Socialist case.

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New Journal published by our Irish Comrades. We welcome as an addition to Socialist literature the Socialist, published by the Socialist Party of Ireland. It is a brightly written and informative 8-page duplicated journal, issued monthly at 3d. Those who wish to get copies are invited to apply to the S.P.I., 29, Lincoln Avenue, Belfast, or to P. Boylan, 115, Walkinstown Drive, Walkinstown, Dublin, or to our head office. We wish our Irish Comrades success in their venture and urge readers of the Socialist Standard to give them support.

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Speakers’ Class. The Propaganda Committee is arranging a Speakers class to be held February—April. The last class was very successful as members know and the Propaganda Committee will be pleased to hear from Comrades who intend to join. Details are being sent to Branch Secretaries.

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Passing of an early member. We have received from Leonard F. Bailey a letter about the death of his father, B. S. Bailey on 17th December, at the age of 78. He writes:—

  “I understood he was a founder member of the Party in 1904, and was for many years an active member of Wood Green Branch, and mentioned to me amongst other comrades, the names of Anderson and Fitzgerald, which would take us back to the first world war of 1914.

    I know he had the party movement deeply at heart and should like, if I may, to send the Party a small donation each year to commemorate his memory on December 17th.

   His sons are scattered, one at Helpringham, Lines., another at Ringstead, Northants, and myself at Ilford, but I can safely say we have all father’s ideals at heart.”

Phyllis Howard

Branch News (1962)

Party News from the April 1962 issue of the Socialist Standard

This month is going to be an exceptionally busy one for the Party. The Annual Conference, Rally and Social (April 20th, 21st and 22nd); planning for May Day Meetings; and in Glasgow, our comrades are preparing for the hustings in May, when they are contesting Kelvin Ward in the Municipal Elections. Their Election Address is re-printed on page 64.

The Party in London is departing from its recent practice of holding an evening meeting following the Sunday afternoon May Day Rally, instead an indoor meeting is being held at Caxton Hall, on Tuesday May 1st. Details are given elsewhere in this issue. Sunday, May 6th in Hyde Park from 3 pm will be the Outdoor Rally. Our speakers will be putting the Socialist case from a decorated stand. There should be a good audience in the Park, but we will need every available member there to assist and especially to help sell Party Literature.

Camberwell Branch continues to maintain a high level of activity. In addition to the regular work of running two outdoor meetings and canvassing the Socialist Standard, the Branch has been well represented on the propaganda trips to Coventry as well as other London indoor meetings and literature drives. The Branch is now holding a series of discussion meetings. One on ‘Trade Unions' proved very interesting as did the following discussions on the 'Hidden Persuaders' and ‘Workers and Politics ’. Branch members also had the pleasure of hearing Comrade Gilmac talk on his tour of America and Canada.

In spite of the severe weather at the beginning of the year, Wembley Branch persisted with its canvassing efforts. The small band of comrades turned out in biting winds and flurries of snow, to play their part in expanding sales of the “S.S. At the end of April, it is hoped to go further afield and try a canvass in the Maidstone area. The branch lectures were continued throughout the winter months. At the time of writing, a talk on Trade Unions was scheduled for March 19th. Wembley has been particularly active with two indoor public meetings and a film show on the programme. With the approach of Spring and Summer, we look forward to a successful outdoor propaganda season.

It seems to be more than a coincidence that political and religious bigotry are so often found in the same place. However, it is encouraging to hear how some of our friends manage to overcome these difficulties. In Grenada, in spite of the very strong influence of the Church, we have one isolated Socialist (whose nearest fellow Socialist is in Trinidad). In spite of the fact that he has been visited by the local Priests and threatened (not only with hell fire!), he holds regular discussions at his home and distributes our literature.

Much nearer home, in Dublin in fact, another lone Socialist has found a novel way of making our case known. As well as distributing literature in more usual ways, she has been cutting out selected articles from the Socialist Standard, pasted them on large sheets of paper, and then bill-posted them on hoardings and other advertising sites. She tells us that some of these homemade posters have been up for several weeks and. as they carry the Party address, she hopes we may make some new contacts. Her only complaint is that, for her purposes, she would prefer the size of the print to be larger!

Phyllis Howard

Parliamentary Fund. (1928)

Party News from the December 1928 issue of the Socialist Standard

Camberwell Branch (1946)

Party News from the April 1946 issue of the Socialist Standard

With the formation of a branch in Camberwell a large area that has been devoid of party activity for years is to receive party propaganda again.

The branch visualises the commencement of a large-scale propaganda drive in 1946, and to ensure its success we appeal to all members and sympathisers who live in or around the district to come to branch meetings or get in touch with the secretary (see branch directory).

The venture depends upon the combined efforts of all to bring the party to the fore in this region.

Obituary: Frank Simkins (2019)

Obituary from the August 2019 issue of the Socialist Standard

We are saddened to have to report the death in May at the age of 90 of our comrade Frank Simkins. Frank was born in Battersea in South London in 1930. He had been a member of the Labour Party while a teenager but, on returning from conscripted national service (in Greece where the British Army was supporting the pro-West side in the civil war there), joined the old Camberwell branch in 1950 after listening to Party speakers at East Street, Walworth. He trained and worked as a tool-maker in various engineering factories, where he was an active trade unionist and AEU shop steward and, later until the age of 80, as a storekeeper in his brother’s motor business in Stockwell.

Frank was a regular outdoor speaker and occasional writer for the Socialist Standard and the Party’s candidate in Clapham in the 1970 General Election. He also represented the Party in elections to the old GLC and was a regular attender at Conference and Delegate Meetings (until his final illness), where he emphasised the need for socialists to support political democracy and warned of picturing socialism as a society without problems. In particular, he often argued that it was ‘inconceivable’ that every person on the planet would have their own personal car if socialism was to be an environmentally-friendly society.

Rarely seen without his trademark jacket and tie, the word ‘dapper’ could have been invented to describe him. But above all, Frank will be remembered as a polite, considerate and thoughtful man, with a good sense of humour. He was well-regarded by his comrades and our condolences go to his family and friends.

SPGB Lectures (1929)

Party News from the March 1929 issue of the Socialist Standard

SPGB Lectures (1929)

Party News from the February 1929 issue of the Socialist Standard

Click the picture to enlarge.

Party News Briefs (1958)

Party News from the December 1958 issue of the Socialist Standard

“Socialist Standard” Sales. Members will know that a committee was formed to investigate the ways and means of improving the “Standard.” The object being to produce an even better journal for propagating Socialism. The recommendations of the committee are being discussed by the E.C., but whatever the outcome, it must be realised that a better journal should help to sell more copies per month and, to complete the circle, get our case over to more and more people. However, we have a good journal now and it is up to Party members to see that it circulates to as many people as possible. This month is a good time to make the extra effort and if individual members would really try to further this end, a suggestion is to get sympathisers to fill in the subscription form (elsewhere in this issue, and send to Head Office) and start 1959 with new readers subscribing for at least twelve issues.

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Basildon and Southend Branches. Unfortunately, the report on activities of these branches arrived too late for insertion in the November issue, but our Essex Comrades are pleased to report that now that these two branches are “pooling” their resources, results are much more fruitful than when the branches (Basildon was previously Wickford Branch) were working separately. They have appointed a joint organiser who is arranging a series of propaganda lectures and film shows during the winter. A joint literature drive has proved most encouraging. Standard sales have increased in both branches, Basildon has increased its order by seven dozen since last quarter. The Organiser welcomes enquiries from members and sympathisers living in the district, details of the branch addresses are given on the back page in the Branch Directory.

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Indoor Lectures. Bloomsbury Branch is holding discussions on the first Thursday in each month at Conway Hall at 8.30 p.m., Islington. Paddington, and Lewisham Branches are holding regular discussions, details are given in this issue, and the Documentary films at Head Office are being shown every Sunday throughout the winter with the exception of December 28th.

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Marx and Darwin. The year 1959 marks the 100th Anniversary of the publication of Darwin’s Origin of Species. The year 1859 also saw the publication of Marx’s Critique of Political Economy. It is proposed to publish articles on the contribution of Darwin and Marx to society and their present standing. Members who would like to contribute are asked to let the Editorial Committee know immediately what they would like to do on these lines.

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Mitcham Group. This new group, formed during the summer by a few members living in the Mitcham area, has already served a useful function in bringing several members and readers of the S.S. in Surrey into contact with one another. So far four lectures have been given and attendances have ranged from 14 to 30 people. Secretaries of local organisations have been circularised of the meetings, but these invitations have yielded a nil result. However, short reports of the lectures have been sent to the local press and a correct summary was printed following Comrade Hardy’s address on: “The Cause of War.’ The correspondence column of the local has carried several letters outlining the Party’s attitude to different questions.

To date, Group members feel results have been reasonable. They appreciate the support already given by members of neighbouring branches, mainly Camberwell, Lewisham and Kingston, and hope this support will continue while the group builds up local interest. Now the Group is making an effort to draw in local workers by the door to door direct approach. In addition to the December meeting (advertised elsewhere in this issue), a series of Thursday meetings for the first quarter of next year are being arranged on subject of topical interest.

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Swansea Group. A weekly series of lectures on Social and Economic history have been arranged by the Group. Up to date three lectures have been given. A small but interested group of building workers form the nucleus of the class and there are indications that more interested sympathisers will eventually come along. The sympathisers have purchased the Standard and other Party literature. The Group was recently in touch with the Socialist Party of Ireland. It is intended to visit them in the near future.

A recent challenge issued to the Llanelly and Swansea branches of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament to debate, has in both cases been ignored!

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Islington Branch continues to hold well attended meetings, with lively and interesting discussion following Branch business. In co-operation with Wood Green & Hornsey Branch it is proposed to run at least one large public meeting in the North London area (possibly a series of three meetings) beginning early in the New Year. The first meeting will probably deal with the question of nuclear warfare, and the organisers of both Branches are now busily engaged in making all arrangements, including writing letters to individuals and organisations who have been engaged in recent months in holding protest meetings and marches concerning the banning of the “H Bomb” It is hoped that these people will attend the meeting, and perhaps it may even be possible to get one of them to debate.

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Camberwell Branch has not been reported in News Briefs for some time, but has maintained its usual high standard of activity. This includes two weekly outdoor meetings at which really encouraging sales of Socialist Standards and pamphlets have been made. Branch meetings also canvass throughout the year. 

Currently, during the winter months, indoor lectures are being arranged once a month. On Monday, December I5th, Comrade Lawrence will speak on "The African Conflict” starting at 8 p.m. sharp. A fuller account of Branch activity will be given in the near future.

Phyllis Howard

Obituary: Joe Carter (2018)

Obituary from the November 2018 issue of the Socialist Standard

We are saddened to report the death in September of Joe Carter at the age of 85. He joined the old Camberwell branch of the Party in 1963, later transferring to Haringey branch. In the 1960s and 70s he was active as an outdoor speaker (in particular at Tower Hill and Lincoln’s Inn), indoor lecturer, writer (as ‘JEF’) and as a party candidate in local elections in north London. Born in Switzerland and having lived and worked in Belgium, he was fluent in both Italian and French. He worked, thanks to his knowledge of languages, as a night telephonist in the overseas section of the Post Office. Our condolences go to Janet, a Party member, and his family.