SPGB Meetings (1977)

Party News from the December 1977 issue of the Socialist Standard

SPGB Meetings (1978)

Party News from the February 1978 issue of the Socialist Standard

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

Obituary: Cyril May (2003)

Obituary from the November 2003 issue of the Socialist Standard

Cyril May, who was the Party's Central Organiser for many years, died last month. He joined Paddington branch in 1940 after listening to Party speakers in Hyde Park where he was later to himself become a regular speaker. Refusing to be conscripted to kill fellow workers in the war then going on, he was sent to work on the land.

He was one of the best Central Organisers that the Party has had, travelling the country to speak at meetings and encourage members to form groups and branches, organising meetings and rallies, arranging for leaflets and socialist literature to be available for demonstrations such as the CND marches of the 1960s, acting as election agent, rushing bundles of Socialist Standards to Euston station for dispatch to provincial branches; you name it, he did it — except for serving on the executive committee since he preferred to concentrate on the Party's front-line activity of putting over the case for socialism.

He was an impressive indoor and outdoor speaker, putting over the case in a persuasive, non-aggressive way, addressing the audience as "Men and Women" (which raised a few eyebrows since the traditional form was "Fellow Workers:! For many years he also acted as secretary of the Paddington branch, but in the 1970s set out to organise another new branch, in Hampstead.

Later, he transferred to North West London branch. Unfortunately, this was one of two branches that came into conflict with the rest of the Party for deliberately and repeatedly refusing to apply a Conference resolution that was later confirmed by a poll of the whole membership. In the end, in 1991. after two further Party polls, most of the members of the two branches were expelled, a majority of members considering that internal Parry democracy was a cardinal socialist principle that overrode ail other considerations including past service to the cause of Socialism. Sadly, the last ten or so years of his political life were spent, as part of a group of individuals who, rather ludicrously, claimed to be us trying to undermine the party for which he had done so much work.

Blogger's Notes:

The May 1977 issue of the Socialist Standard has a picture of Cyril May addressing a SPGB meeting. Also of interest is an issue of The Western Socialist dating from 1970 which carries the transcript of an interview with Cyril May that was conducted by Arlene Francis of WOR-AM, a local New York radio station. 

Obituary: Albert Grant (1955)

Obituary from the June 1955 issue of the Socialist Standard

On Friday morning of April 15th a small number of Party members met at the Marylebone Crematorium to witness the passing of the late Comrade Albert Grant, who died at the age of 55.

Many comrades who knew him for years will be shocked at the sad news.

By coincidence it just happens that I knew him many years ago. We were boys together in Lansbury's old Herald League at the Manor House, Finsbury Park, in the days of the first world war.

Several young people flocked to Lansbury's pacifist banner during 1915-17, and a vigorous and growing propaganda was carried on. With the end of the war the Herald League virtually broke up. The discordant elements, which had sunk differences, gravitated towards the Labour Party, Communist Party, and branches of the I.L.P.

I think I am correct in saying that, out of over 600 members on the books of the North London Herald League in 1918, two joined the S.P.G.B. One was Albert Grant who remained, until the day he died, a staunch, loyal, unwavering revolutionary Socialist.

Well do I remember how much moral courage it required to stand out alone amongst the horde of supporters of reformism of various kinds, whether the romantic variety of the C.P., or the pale pink I.L.P. Comrade Grant, though still a boy, philosophically accepted all the good-natured banter, and a great deal of ill-humoured gibing and epithets ("Impossibilist!" "Small Party of Good Boys") and "jokes" which still pass for wit in similar circles to-day.

Calm, genial, and urbane, he invariably gave as good as he got from those disagreeing with him, without ever losing composure. He was always sure of respect, if not support.

Shortly after the first war, he went to South Africa and was a first-hand witness of the bitter struggles occurring on the Rand before returning home. During the Second World War he was frequently to be found, when circumstances permitted, supporting the Party platform in Hyde Park.

In the Second World War, as the First, he had no doubts whatever about the strength and validity of the Party's attitude.

A clear logical thinker, he could be relied on for sound advice in changing situations. Members of Hampstead were accustomed to seeing him regularly at the Whitestone Road on Sunday mornings in recent years, where his acid comments on the absurdities from opponent's platforms frequently enlivened the scene.

The Party has lost a loyal and dependable member; many members a dear and respected friend.

To his wife and children we extend the hand of sympathy in time of trouble.

Though many may step forward to fill the gap he leaves vacant, to those who knew and loved him, it will never be filled.

Harry Young