Preamble

This chronology is an attempt to get us as close as we can to the sequence of events that led to the 1945 split within the ranks of those British anarchists centered in or around the Anarchist Federation (AF). I think we can assume that the Freedom Press Group (FPG) broke away from the Anarchist Federation in January 1945 as a result of ongoing tensions within the Anarchist Federation, after which actions and arguments took place over who owned what of the Federation’s possessions. The Anarchist Federation (London Group) Bulletin appeared in March 1945 and appears to the first formal publication of those opposed to the FPG and their supporters in the Anarchist Federation. The first issue of “Direct Action” appeared in May 1945 and sometime after this the opponents of the FPG re-named the Anarchist Federation, the Anarchist Federation of Britain (AFB) with that name appearing above the banner of the June 1945 “Direct Action”. The first National Conference of the Anarchist Federation of Britain took place in Glasgow in September 1945.The first conference of The London Anarchist Group was in June 1945.( briefing paper of the LAG to the March 1946 Conference) and The Union of Anarchist Groups was founded sometime on the 1-2 December 1945  ( "Freedom through Anarchism" 15 December 1945). Both of these latter organizations were supportive of the FPG. Finally, a letter was sent out to interested comrades from the Anarchist Federation of Britain in April 1949 proposing the formation of the Syndicalist Workers’ Federation and the landscape of British anarchism that would last for some decades was created.

 

The chronology, then, covers events before January 1945 that led up to the split and, to some degree, events that took place after the split. We have consulted substantial primary source material from both sides of the split – Freedom Press and the newly named AFB – and have used this to compile an admittedly rough chronology of events. This material is located in the Kate Sharpley Library as well as the Vernon Richards Papers housed at IISH in Amsterdam, and the Public Records Office in London. For whatever reason the circumstances of the split appear not to have been published in “War Commentary” with only Guy Aldred’s “The Word” in May 1945 giving it publicity after the trial of the editors of “War Commentary” in April 1945. Because of this the primary documents have taken on an added importance. We should be wary however. These primary documents cannot tell us everything. Personalities and personal tensions often disappear in minutes and reports and can be important drivers of events. It is also quite possible that there are other documents somewhere waiting to be found. We have also consulted the written memories of people who were centrally or peripherally involved in events and are compared them to what the primary source documents tell us. These memories were written and recounted between thirty and seventy years after the split took place and differ greatly in their interpretations of events. Whatever conclusions we arrive at may never be definitive ones. After all there are letters in 1944-45 from people throughout the UK asking what is going on with regard to tensions in the movement. If they could not work out what was happening it is unlikely that we will be able to build a complete picture of events and feelings. All we can try to do is get a little nearer to what occurred during those strange wartime years. After all this split created a landscape for British anarchism that would last for at least fifty years if not longer.

 

Some points and questions that might help the reader or, at the very least, provide some material for discussion:

 

The Anarchist Federation that was formed in April 1940 appears to have had three primary areas of support namely London, Glasgow and Kingston Upon Thames. There were some supporters in Bristol and numerous other individuals around the country. Numbers are hard to determine but one source cites the newspaper “War Commentary” (often described by some anarchists of the time as the paper of the Anarchist Federation) as having a circulation of around 2,000 and the Workers in Uniform bulletin having a circulation of twice that. (see “I Couldn’t Paint Golden Angels”. P.95.) The list of subscribers we have in the KSL appears somewhat smaller but this list may well be a subset of a larger one. Not all of the subscribers would have been in the Anarchist Federation of course. In " Revived 45" Philip Sansom suggests that around 200 people in the armed forces subscribed to " War Commentary". It might also be useful at this juncture to mention that the split affected some anarchists who were not in the Federation.

 

Many of the accounts listed below lay stress and emphasis on some events and miss some others out entirely. One event in particular in the primary sources we have, that appeared to have left bad feelings among members of the Federation which may have fueled later tensions, was the affair of Desmond Fenwick who was allegedly caught stealing money sent in by subscribers and supporters to the Freedom Press office from May 1942 onwards. Albert Meltzer mentions Fenwick in passing but as far as we can tell no one else does. The case of Fenwick and the aftermath of his expulsion from the Anarchist Federation was cited by Marie-Louise as being a prime cause of unpleasantness within the Federation and was one of her reasons for her resigning from the organization in 1944.

 

It has proved quite difficult in trying to pin down the relationship of the Freedom Press Group (FPG) to the Anarchist Federation. At times, in the documents we have, they appear to be a group within the London Anarchist Federation but there remains considerable uncertainty as to what that relationship was with the organization and whether or not people at the time saw “War Commentary” as the organ of the Anarchist Federation and, therefore, essentially owned by the Federation. We know that the FPG published “War Commentary” and various books and pamphlets. We also know that they regularly appealed for money to publish “War Commentary” and, after the bombing of the Freedom Press premises in May 1941, the FPG created a Reconstruction fund. It also formed the Friends of Freedom Press in September 1941 with one of its purposes being the providing of finance to help publish Freedom Press publications. The FPG, apparently, scrupulously published each donation that was received for “War Commentary” or the Reconstruction fund etc in the paper but it appears that some (Tom Brown etc.) were unsure of where the money actually went and suspected Vero and Marie-Louise, for example, were using it to live off the movement. Albert Meltzer, however, in “The Anarchists in London, 1935-1955” states that only John Hewetson and Marie-Louise Berneri were full time workers at “War Commentary” (unpaid?) It would appear that for some of the war Vero worked as an engineer for London Underground and the British rail network (see his obituaries in “The Times” of 12/12/2001 and “The Guardian” of 4^th February 2002, the latter written by Colin Ward).

 

The role played by some Spanish anarchists in the split needs to be considered carefully and more work does need to be done on the effect they had on the British movement. It seems that some of the Spanish exiles apparently felt that the FPG had not been welcoming to them. This feeling may have come about because the FPG did not provide space in the FPG offices for Spanish anarchists to work after being asked if that was possible. We also have to understand that the AF was vehemently anti-war and anti-militarist. In their “Aims and Principles” (1943) we can read that “We oppose the war as the outcome of the clashing interests of rival imperialisms”. Some of the Spanish anarchists who became members of the Federation supported the war effort the Allies in the hope that the defeat of Hitler would lead to the defeat of Franco. Such an attitude was one of the reasons why Albert Meltzer resigned from the AF claiming that the Federation had different principles from the one he had joined. We do know that, after the split became formalized, only a minority of the Spanish comrades allied themselves with the FPG and the London Anarchist Group.

 

Two other points we would make that both reflect the difficulties we have faced in creating this chronology.

 

In “A Beautiful Idea” (p77) Clifford Holden is reported as putting a gun to Marie-Louise Berneri’s head and marching her down to a bank to cash a cheque on the evening of January 30^th 1946. According to the briefing paper presented at the March 30^th meeting at Kingsway Hall the people who entered the flat of Berneri and Richards that evening to re-claim the money for a duplicator were Ken Hawkes, Tom Brown (both from London) and Bill Borland and Tom Reilly from Glasgow. No attempt was made to cash the cheque for a few days and the attempt to cash the check led to another major incident. George Woodcock in “Half A Life of Editing” suggests that some of the people (the men from Glasgow presumably) were IRA members or close to them. If nothing else this story reflects how easy it is for myths to grow unchecked and appear to be a “fact” once published.

 

Secondly an apparently key player – George Woodcock – is missing from much of the documentation we have. Concerns about the funding of his magazine “Now” that appear in both Albert Meltzer’s work and are mentioned in Woodcock’s own writings are not reflected in the contemporary documents we have found. It is Richards and Hewetson who appear to attract the ire of those opposed to the FPG and it is Richards who is keen to press the FPG’s case with the Glasgow Group of the AF for instance, where he was supported by Albert Meltzer. Woodcock is rather absent as a target of criticism or support, or as a presence at meetings, as are Peta Edsall and Woodcock’s partner, Ingeborg Roskelly, who were also in the FPG. He does, however feature in Special Branch reports, as do Edsall and Roskelly.

 

Oral memories and various accounts of the events that took place can be found in:

 

Colin Ward “Witness for the Prosecution” in “Wildcat Inside story” No 1:London, 1974

 

Albert Melzer “The Anarchists in London, 1935-1955”. Sanday: Cienfuegos Press, 1976

 

Albert Meltzer “The Anarchists in London, 1935-1955” London: Freedom Press, 2018 (this edition has a two-page epilogue written in 2018 by Freedom Press)

 

Charlie Baird Transcript of interview. http://libcom.org/history/anarchism-1940s-glasgow. 1977

 

George Woodcock “Half A Life of Editing” in “The Sewanee Review”, Vol 89,No.3. Summer 1981.

 

George Woodcock “Letter To The Past”. Toronto: Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 1982.

 

Philip Sansom “Freedom Press and the Anarchist Movement in the 50s and 60s” in “Freedom / a hundred years”. London: Freedom Press, 1986.

 

Philip Sansom “Revived 45: Anarchists Against the Army” in “The Raven Anarchist Quarterly” No. 29 : Freedom Press London, 1995.

 

Albert Meltzer “I Couldn’t Paint Golden Angels: Sixty Years of Commonplace Life and Anarchist Agitation”. Edinburgh, London and San Francisco : AK Press/Kate Sharpley Library. 1996.

 

Clifford Holden “Work In Progress” 2006 (See http://www.cliffholden.co.uk/documents_1999_10.shtml)

 

Donald Rooum “A Short History of Freedom Press” in “Freedom” Nov 2011- March 2012 (5 issues.

 

Carissa Honeywell “Anarchism and the Warfare State: The Prosecution of the ‘War Commentary’ Anarchists.” in International Review of Social History vol 60,issue 2, August 2015. https://libcom.org/history/anarchism-british-warfare-state-prosecution-war-commentary-anarchists-1945

 

Rob Ray “A Beautiful Ideal: History of the Freedom Press Anarchists”. London: Freedom Press, 2018.

 

David Goodway, “Introduction” in Vernon Richards “Lesson of the Spanish Revolution, 1936-39”. Oakland and London: PM Press/Freedom Press, 2019.

 

 

Many of these references are autobiographical memories but Honeywell and Ray have attempted to write historical narratives that discuss and explain some of the events that took place in 1944 and 1945 often drawing on the sources outlined above.

 

Sharp eyed readers will also notice that there are numerous references to Albert Meltzer throughout the chronology. We hope that this will inform a separate work that will re-consider Albert’s life and writings so we took the opportunity of attempting to kill two birds with one chronology.

 

Any corrections /added information/ general comments would be more than welcome. Apart from constantly reviewing all the information here – we need to add details about John Olday for instance – our next step will be to provide a biographical directory which will include many of the people involved in the split, however peripherally.

 

Chronology of a split

 

April 28^th 1940. Second Anarchist Federation formed “or at least its clandestine existence was recognized” (“The Anarchists in London”, p.45) at a conference at the Workers Circle Hall, New Cavendish Street, London.

 

August 1940 issue of “War Commentary” has an article by “Libertarian” (Vernon Richards) entitled “Tribunals and Political Objectors”. It features a lengthy extract from Albert’s recent address to the Fulham Tribunal which began “Support for this war, and service in any capacity whether military or non-combatant would be […] a radical betrayal of the international working class”. Albert’s case was rejected as the Tribunals are just pacifist tribunals (not anti-militarist or democratic ones), Libertarian writes. [https://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/hx3gzf]

 

1940/1941 Albert was the secretary of the AF but gave it up to work on “Workers In Uniform” where he took on the editing and correspondence (“The Anarchists in London” (p49). In “I Couldn’t Paint Golden Angels” (p95) Albert claims that “Workers In Uniform” at its height had a circulation of 4,000. Twice as much as “War Commentary”. Both the AF and WIU “were kept a secret in case of repression” (ICPGA. p95) However there is an advert in the May 1940 issue of “War Commentary” that advertises a May Day social on behalf of “War Commentary” and the Anarchist Federation.

 

November 1940. “War Commentary” mentions the Freedom Bookshop in Red Lion Passage. This was eventually run by Albert.

 

10^th May 1941. The premises and stock at Red Lion Passage are destroyed in a bombing raid. (“War Commentary” June 1941)

 

June 1941. A full-page appeal detailing the destruction of anarchist pamphlets and newspapers in the bombing raid of May 10^th appears in the June 1941 “War Commentary” under the heading “Freedom Press Reconstruction”. Essentially it is an appeal for funds from readers to enable new pamphlets to be produced. The appeal is signed by the “Freedom Press Group”. Is this the first use of that name during this period? A postwar report (“We cannot plan without your solidarity”, “Freedom through Anarchism” 2 November 1946) says that almost £500 was received for the reconstruction fund in the 12 months after the bombing.

 

September 1941. The September 1941 “War Commentary” announces the formation of the “Friends of Freedom Press”. “The Friends of Freedom Press is, as the title implies, an association of people in sympathy with our work and eager as friends to lend a helping hand”. The announcement calls for the creation of discussion groups to analyze and discuss the ideas in “War Commentary” and Freedom Press pamphlets. It calls for these groups to organize public meetings also. A critical part of their work would be the distribution of Freedom Press publications. The Friends of Freedom Press will also help to ensure that Freedom Press have the financial, and other means to carry on with their publications.

 

September 28^th 1941. Meeting in Conway Hall to launch “Friends of Freedom Press” (September “War Commentary”). Herbert Read is a speaker.

October 1941 “War Commentary” publishes a one page “What Anarchism Stands For”. Many of the topics and some of the exact wording will later appear in “Anarchist Federation: Aims and Principles” in the May 1943 “War Commentary”.

 

November 1941 “War Commentary” published the speech “Bedlam Politics” given by Herbert Read at the Friends of Freedom Press meeting of September 28^th.

 

December 3rd 1941. Meeting of Anarchist Federation decides to bring the organization into the open.

                                ( letter from Freedom Press Group to Anarchist Federation- 22-10-1944)

 

April 1942. Express Printers plant at 84a Whitechapel High St becomes available for purchase

Freedom Press Group raise 24% of cost

FP (VR crossed out!) by means of loans raise 55% of costs

Comrades of Anarchist Federation raise 15% of costs

Comrades not in AF raise 4% of costs.

Total cost = 500 pounds (cost identified by VR in “Freedom: A Hundred Years” p29) Buyers cited in briefing by London Anarchist Group (LAG) in 1946 for Conference discussing the split. In his “A Short History of Freedom Press, Part Two” (December 2011) Donald Rooum suggests that a rival printer lent some money on condition he could have the Hebrew type. This is repeated in Rob Ray’s “A Beautiful Idea”.

 

May 1942 onwards. According to an undated statement from the Freedom Press Group (FPG) regular stealing takes place from the Freedom Press offices. Suspicion falls on Desmond Fenwick, a volunteer from Oxford who is staying with John Hewetson and Peta Edsall.

 

July 8th 1942. Fenwick meets with Marie-Louise Berneri, Vero [Vernon Richards] and Albert Meltzer and a decision is made to lay facts of the matter before the AF (of which Fenwick is a member).

 

December 1942 “War Commentary” p.15 in a box advert entitled “Now” – “Freedom Press have undertaken the publication of a series of occasional volumes of social and literary writings under the title “Now”. Its orientation as reflected in the social contributions is towards anarchism. The literary contributions, however, have been chosen on their merit and no writer has been excluded because his opinions differ from those of the editors”. Can be ordered from Freedom Press, 27 Belsize Rd.

 

February 1943 “Now No 1” is reviewed by Frederick Lohr. The price is 1/6d

 

January/February 1943. Letter to Frank Leech from John Hewetson with a handwritten amendment “To the comrades of the Anarchist Federation in Glasgow” The letter expresses concern about the understanding of the Fenwick affair in Glasgow. Hewetson claims that Fenwick has suggested other comrades may be guilty of the stealing and Bill Gape has adopted his cause. The two attempted to convince the Kingston branch of their innocence. An attached letter to Frank Leech from the Kingston branch dated January 31^st 1943 provides further allegations of Fenwick stealing from a comrade there while he was out on bail for stealing books (he was eventually placed on probation). Gape resigned from the AF after accusing Marie-Louise Berneri, Vernon Richards, John Hewetson and Tom Brown of trying to sabotage the movement. The FPG are concerned that Gape and Fenwick tried to cause trouble between the FPG and Mat Kavanagh and Gape and Fenwick had suggested that Frederick Lohr had been expelled while in fact he had resigned from the AF while still offering his support to the organization. FPG were dismayed to learn that Fenwick had recently spoken from a Glasgow AF platform.

 

May 1943. First appearance of “Anarchist Federation: Aims and Principles” in “War Commentary” May 1943 (Vol 4.No 13). A 4pp pamphlet with the same title and content is published shortly after.

 

November 1943. Special Branch officers call in at the Freedom Press offices in Belsize Road, looking for Cliff Holden who has deserted. During that visit they mention that Freedom Press is not registered under the Registry of Business Act, 1916 and there are severe penalties for non-registration. Richards, Berneri, Hewetson and Tom Brown discuss the matter and decide to register Freedom Press in JH’s name and Express Printers in VR’s name. The date of registration was Dec 3 1943. The Anarchist Federation was informed and no objections were raised. (All from statement of LAG for 1946 conference.) We should note that at the trial of the “War Commentary” editors it was stated that Express Printers was registered to Richards on the 3^rd December and Freedom Press registered to Hewetson on the 6th December. (National Archives HO-45-25554, image 044, KSL)

 

According to the background statement of the London Anarchist Group for the March 1946 conference on the split, until the summer of 1944 decisions were taken after discussion in the AF only if there was unanimous agreement. Tom Brown and Ken Hawkes (allegedly) began to argue for a majority vote as a means of taking decisions.

 

May 19^th 1944. Letter from Tom Brown to secretary of the Anarchist Federation giving his apologies for the meeting the next day as he is working. He goes on to raise three matters. It was agreed to have informal discussions with the Spanish anarchists with regard to possible collaboration with them “without violating our principles.” This turned from an informal meeting to a formal meeting of the AF and votes were taken etc. Brown believes this meeting should not be minuted but the topic should be discussed again at tomorrow’s meeting. Need a statement from the Commission (presumably a reference to the Commission of the CNT in Britain) representing the views of the Spanish comrades as a whole. Brown suggests that “until the CNT in the UK declare themselves against the war I will remain opposed to collaboration with the Commission” but will work with those Spanish comrades who “at the very least share the AF’s position against the War”.

 

Brown then goes on to address the role of the chair at AF meetings. He feels the chair should be neutral and not allow personal bias to affect the handling of meetings. At the meeting with the Spaniards the chair was not neutral and their bitterness and irrelevant remarks had been picked up by the Spaniards present.

Finally Brown suggests there is hostility between members of the AF. There is hostility by some comrades towards himself and others and we should know why. Internal hostility is not good for the AF, and Brown points out that hostility at the time of the Fenwick-Gape affair affected the functioning of the AF.

 

July 1944 Marie-Louise Berneri writes her letter of resignation to the AF. “I am resigning as a protest against what I consider to be a lack of revolutionary morals in the AF.” She goes on to cite the behavior of some comrades (especially Bill Gape) over the Desmond Fenwick affair and the behavior of some of the Spanish exiles who appear to believe that those around FP do not want to collaborate with them (this could a reference to the rejection by the FPG of a request by the Spanish anarchists to have space at the Freedom premises). She is also bothered by the equivocal attitude of the Spanish anarchists to the war. Both Ken Hawkes and Tom Brown are singled out for criticism and she ends up saying that “gossip with persons foreign to the movement do not improve relations within the movement.” (The letter is at: http://katesharpleylibrary.pbworks.com/w/file/139485561/Letter%20from%20Berneri%20resigning%20from%20AF.pdf )

 

July 25^th 1944. (After her resignation from the AF) There is a letter from Marie-Louise Berneri to TWB of the Anarchist Federation. She states that at their meeting the Spanish exiles complained about her and Vero. She dismisses all the complaints (perhaps the main one being that it is Vero and MLB who had prevented friendly relations between the Spanish movement and the FPG) as “blatant lies”: and responds to each issue raised. One mentions Albert – “Pradas (CNT) at our joint meeting declared that he was opposed to the war and attacked Albert for doubting it. Now he says he wants the defeat of Germany…”

 

The letter is asking the AF for “elementary solidarity” over these matters.

 

She writes again on 13.10.44 saying there has been no response to her letter. A handwritten note on this letter says a reply was made on 12.12.44.

 

1^st and 15 October 1944. Two contentious meetings of AF held – I presume these were to do with the relationship of Freedom Press to the movement. As yet we are unable to find any minutes.

 

20 October 1944. Response to these meetings in a letter from the FPG decrying attacks on those who in 1936 “began to build up anarchist propaganda on the ruins of the past”. They mention publishing 13,000 copies of TB’s “Trade Union or Syndicalism”. They talk about building up the circulation of “War Commentary” by selling it outside the gates of Hyde Park etc. They cannot ever remember Tom Brown helping with paper selling. They refer to themselves, sarcastically, as “egoists” – a reference to a statement made by Tom Brown at the meeting of the 15^th who said of them “They were all egoists who wanted their own way”. They stress they are not opposed to a revolutionary labour movement. Their allegiance is not just to the AF – “a handful of members (ignoring those who have no right to speak as Anarchists) but to the Anarchist movement as a whole – AF Glasgow, WHY group of NY, Man group of Los Angeles and to isolated groups and individuals in Australia and Africa.”

It’s signed by the FPG – Albert’s initials are not there. (FA, PE, JH, VR, PS, GW and LGW. MLB also).

 

21.10.44. Note from C.E. Palmer (East Mosely) to the secretary of the AFGB proposing that the group adopts the following motion at its meeting on Sunday 29^th October:

“That this meeting of the AFGB declares itself ready to reorganize and reconstitute itself on the basis of some form differing from the old, to be decided by a majority vote of those present at the meeting that will be called on the subject. It further declares that whatever form the organization and constitution shall take, as a consequence of the majority vote of the members at that meeting, all the properties, goods furniture, rights of publication or other rights, privileges or holdings, now controlled by virtue of their power of majority vote shall remain the properties of the federation under its new title if such there be, and in its reorganized and reconstituted form.”

 

22 October 1944. Further letter from FPG to the AF in response to the previous two meetings (1^st and 15^th October). The letter discusses the nature of the constitution of the AF, which is divided into three parts. In 1941 there was agreement that a probationary period was necessary for new members. The third part of the constitution of the AF was fully discussed in 1942. Brown and Hawkes were present and everything in the constitution was agreed unanimously. (According to the London Anarchist Group’s background statement the third part of the AF Constitution or Programme – they use the words inter-changeably – meant that Freedom Press was in no way committed to accept any control by the AF. Any change of position for FP was to be submitted to the General Congress of the AF. This never happened they claim).

 

24 October 1944. Albert resigns from the AF – “in view of the altered basis and principles of the A.F.”

 

29^th October. Meeting of the AF – which may have been the meeting that the FPG walked out of.

 

17^th November 1944. Albert sends letter (to someone in the AF) giving his reasons for resignation letter of the 24^th October. You get people at AF meetings you never see at any other time, people do not do the grunt work (Tom Brown singled out here) and what he sees as an elitist attitude in the likes of Brown, Hawkes and Holden. The latter is singled out for his failure to speak at a meeting, meaning Albert has to do extra work. The movement exists on “the energies of a few people”. Has a dig at Sonia Clements’ behavior in the earlier Anarcho-Syndicalist Union and questions her re-appearance. Mentions meeting where FPG left and only six people then revised the AF principles. Albert was away speaking at the time. Disparaging mention of some Spanish anarchists re. support for WW2. (The letter is at: http://katesharpleylibrary.pbworks.com/w/file/139485270/AlbertResignation1944.pdf )

 

Late November 1944 (after meeting of the AFB on November 26^th). Letter sent by Eve Rosenberg to editorial board of “War Commentary” (addressed to “Dear Comrade Secretary”). At the meeting on November 26^th Albert’s letter of 17^th November was read out. She suggests that “at its best was the action of a petulant child, and at worst a demonstration of a lack of self-discipline and organizational responsibility”. She wants to know why Albert’s article “Anarchism To-day” was published in “War Commentary”. She has no objections to bringing in independent contributors but considers it a bad mistake on the part of the editorial board to publish an article by someone the board knew had resigned and was in general disagreement with the AF. At the bottom of the letter John Hewetson has written in pencil “we thought it was a good article”, AM was a “good anarchist with a very good record in the movement”.

 

Undated (late 44?) five page statement from John Hewetson – “To The Comrades of the AF.” Claims allegations against him and others (he later mentions Vernon Richards and Marie-Louise Berneri); Disappointed that although allegations about him “were in the first instance from outside the English movement” they were now being repeated by comrades in the AF. He claims that the behavior of the FPG has been described as Stalinist and a “dereliction of anarchist principles”. Tom Brown suggests that JH is operating with ulterior motives apparently. He goes on to attack the charge (uncritically repeated by the AF) that the English movement has failed to extend solidarity to the Spanish anarchists in the past and made them feel unwelcome. Says that is ridiculous. Richards and Berneri supported the exiles by arranging food and lodging for 30 Spanish comrades for some months and for some ten of them a year. That latter group included Pradas (who, one presumes, is vocal in his criticism of Richards and Berneri). They even printed the pamphlet “Three Years of Struggle In Spain” for the Spanish anarchists, even though they disagreed with what was in it.

 

December 12^th 1944. Freedom Press offices at 27, Belsize Road were raided by the Special Branch and others (Inspector Whitehead with eight police officers). The houses of the editors and sympathizers were also searched under Defence Regulation 39b which stated that no person should seduce members of the armed forces from their duty. The seized material was taken under Defence Regulation 88a as evidence of such an offence. They obtain documents that will be used against the FPG in their April 1945 trial. As a result of this raid they were served with one month’s notice to quit by their landlord – leaving in fact on December 20^th. (VR in “Freedom/A Hundred Years”) Date of raid from: Michael Remy “Surrealism In Britain”. London: Lund Humphries Publisher Ltd, 2001. The raid is reported in “War Commentary” 30 December 1944.

 

December 1944?/ early January 1945? As a result of the raid on the Freedom Press offices a delegation from Glasgow come to see what the situation is. (Jimmy Raeside and JB) The FPG and the AF meet and the latter are told that the FPG are sorting it out and it is none of the AF’s business (C. Holden letter to unknown 17^th January 1945). (The letter is at http://katesharpleylibrary.pbworks.com/w/file/139485309/Holden%20letterCut.pdf )

 

December 1944/ early January 1945. Freedom Press group begin to use Express printers in Angel Alley as a temporary office/publishing address until February 1945. In 1944 the FPG had opened a bookshop at 132 Cheltenham Road, Bristol and mail order for literature was diverted there. All this as a result of having to leave Belsize Road.

 

End of December 1944. Various soldiers’ belongings searched for subversive literature, including Colin Ward’s in Orkney.

 

January 6th 1945 Letter from FPG to AF – States that in the “interests of the movement which have been, as always, the guide to our decision” they can see no useful purpose to associate with the AF. They accept that legally they own stuff but have always accepted the disadvantages of this position, “as the events of the last three weeks have shown” (a reference to the raid) They make some suggestions:

“War Commentary”, The FPG recognize it would be difficult for the AF to start a new paper now so for the duration of the war suggest an editorial group of 3 from FPG and 3 from AF – if the AF takes responsibility for selling a minimum of 600 copies of the paper. Other suggestions – FPG can print your stuff for you if they agree with it, or the AF can do it themselves. The AF can use the printing equipment – giving them the same rights as the Glasgow anarchists. They can have FPG pamphlets at two thirds cost and “War Commentary” at 25% off. This appears to be the first formal notice of the split.

 

January 7^th 1945. AF met in response to the FPG letter and decided that " the suggestion of FPG that it was for the AF to collaborate with it on these or any other terms is unacceptable.It is for individuals and small groups to collaborate with the movement"  ( Clifford Holden- Tom Carlile misdated as January 17th 1944- should be 1945)

 

January 8^th 1945 (a Monday evening). This from a statement by Jack Wade and Lilian Wolfe: Tom Brown, Cliff Holden and Ken Hawkes arrive at FP. Argument occurs over duplicator. They claim it belongs to the CNT. Richards denies this – bought it for 20 quid. Brown bottles Hewetson and a melee breaks out. Brown then threatens Richards with a blunt knife. Richards tells them to take the duplicator. Some discussion about property belonging to the movement and of the FPG proposals to the AF group took place! Albert arrived after the AF group left with the duplicator. Apparently the visitors believed that the duplicator belonged to Sonia Clements. In fact VR had bought it from Manuel Salgado for twenty pounds according to the statement of the witnesses

 

January 11^th 1945 Ken Hawkes and Cliff Holden go to Glasgow and meet with the Glasgow group of the AF to explain their concerns about the FPG. At this meeting the Glasgow Anarchist Federation passed the resolution: “that the Freedom Press Group as a gesture of good faith hand over the publication of “War Commentary” to the Anarchist Federation of Great Britain; that a National Congress be held as soon as possible to reconsider the entire basis of organization” (Holden letter of 17 January 1945 to unknown) (Letter is at http://katesharpleylibrary.pbworks.com/w/file/139485309/Holden%20letterCut.pdf )

 

January 17^th 1945 Vero and Albert go to Glasgow and discuss the situation with the Glasgow group. What follows is from the minutes of the meeting written by Vero –probably!!

Vero outlined positions of factions in London and the financial situation of “War Commentary” “Everything put forward by VR so far as one could tell accepted by everybody present”

Albert “pointed out dangers re: domination by CNT Commission” No doubt in the meeting that the Spanish Refugee Commission was pro-War (I presume this is a reference to the CNT Commission). Some anger that three of them were members of the AF. Meeting felt that Brown, Hawkes and Holden had been led astray by the Spanish faction. Jimmy Raeside felt that the three should be allowed to work their passage back into the movement and this was generally accepted, but they (Glagow AF) couldn’t entertain any official dealings with the London AF. Raeside was very outspoken on this and comrades endorsed these proposals. Raeside considered Pradas to be particularly dangerous.

“Assurances were given that it was our intention to hand FP to the movement”.

Discussion on paid voluntary labour (not quite sure what the meeting meant by this. Perhaps it was supposed to read “unpaid”??) working on the paper and there was an agreement to organize a National AF Congress. Something on this to go in “War Commentary” suggesting FPG and Glasgow Anarchist Federation had agreed to re-organize the AF. FPG received a general vote of confidence.

 

February 13 1945. Letter from Tom Brown to Richards demanding money owed. 11 pounds to help purchase Express Printers and various amounts to Press fund. Richards sends him a cheque.

 

February 22^nd 1945. Richards, Berneri and Hewetson arrested plus Philip Sansom who was working in the Freedom office at the time of the other arrests. Charged with the dissemination of 3 issues of “War Commentary” – namely the editions of 1^st, 11^th and 25^th November 1944 – that were considered causes of disaffection.

 

March 1945 FPG move to 27 Red Lion St, London WC1.

 

March 3^rd 1945. Open letter put together by George Orwell and Herbert Read condemning the impending charges on the “War Commentary” anarchists was circulated and appeared in “New Statesman”. Other signatories included T.S. Eliot, E.M. Forster and Stephen Spender.

 

March 10^th 1945. The four “War Commentary” defendants are arraigned – “having conspired together and with other persons unknown to endeavor to seduce from their duty persons in His Majesty’s Service and to cause among such persons disaffection likely to lead to breach of their duty”.

 

March 15^th 1945. The first issue of the Anarchist Federation (London Group) Newsletter, edited by Ken Hawkes appears. It covers national industrial news (“to be issued from time to time by our Group”) as well as activities of the “Organized Syndicalist Movement abroad”. It calls for support for the “War Commentary” defendants but is clearly the first publication by those opposed to the FPG.

 

March 31^st 1945. As a result of the letter circulated by Orwell and Read the “Freedom Press Defence Committee” was formed comprising literary and intellectual luminaries. Letter to this effect published in “New Statesman”.

 

April 17th 1945. War Commentary trial begins. Throughout the trial the defendants (Richards, Hewetson and Sansom) strenuously deny any attempts to cause disaffection. Berneri does not give evidence, her defence being that, legally, a wife cannot conspire with her husband. The defense causes consternation in some anarchist circles – for instance those around Guy Aldred and “The Word”.

 

April 23^rd-26^th 1945. Trial continues. (from the pamphlet “Freedom Is It A Crime?” published June 1945.)

 

April 26^th 1945. VR, JH and PS are found guilty. Each sentenced to 9 months (National Archives HO-45-25554, Image 026, KSL)

 

May 1945. First issue of “Direct Action.” “The Word” publishes details of the “War Commentary” trial and letters criticizing the FPG for their behavior in the movement generally. One is by Adolfo Caltabiano. The April 1945 edition of “The Word” had also published letters critical of FPG by Tom Brown and Ken Hawkes. Brown's letter stated that the finances of the FPG had not been submitted to the movement.

 

23^rd May 1945. Letter from Freedom Press Group to Glasgow Anarchist Group querying the nature of the planned Congress (presumably they had received a circular/letter from the Glasgow Anarchist Group). The FPG had presumed that the Congress would implement the decisions of the 17^th January meeting between the Glasgow Anarchist Group and VR and AM. They state that since that meeting Tom Brown and Ken Hawkes had sent letters to “The Word” which, from the factual evidence presented to the GAG at the January meeting, they know to be lies. The FPG also suggest that, with his public allegation that the FPG have received a double paper ration, Brown wishes to involve the police. The London group of the AF will not collaborate with that group again. They had hoped that the planned Congress would discuss how we could form a national organization and have a press controlled by the movement. Therefore the Congress can only be attended by people who intend to be in one organization. (From names mentioned one presumes that the GAG had suggested a Conference including Brown, Hawkes and, apparently, even Aldred). It ids likely that at this conference( date still to be determined but late May-early June?)  the Anarchist Federation became the Anarchist Federation of Britain

They also inform the GAG of the name change from “War Commentary” to “Freedom”

 

 

June 1945. The June 1945 issue of “Direct Action” has the words “Issued by the Anarchist Federation of Britain” above the banner.

 

June 1945. Frank Leech, Eddie Shaw and Jimmy Raeside leave the Glasgow Anarchist Federation and form the group “Syndicate of Anarchists” that supported Freedom Press. Ken Hawkes as Sec’y of London AF to Wm Cairns, 30.12.46).

 

June 23^rd 1945. Meeting at Trade Union Club, 12 Newport St., London of the Friends of Freedom Press. The meeting is to decide upon the meeting of a new anarchist association and its relation to Freedom Press. No name is agreed upon but shortly after in June (no clear date yet known)  the London Anarchist Group is formed. Nineteen people attend this meeting that is chaired by George Woodcock, including Albert. One of them is probably a Special Branch agent. The meeting turns down a proposal that the new organization will be a purely pacifist grouping. Unanimously decided that the new grouping would be devoted mainly to the dissemination of anti-militarist propaganda and opposition to conscription. MLB “stated that Freedom Press would remain a privately controlled concern.” (National Archives Special Branch report HO-45-25554, Image 167, KSL)

 

June 1945. First meeting of the London Anarchist Group ( briefing document from LAG for the March 1946 conference

 

July 19th 1945. Commemoration meeting of the Spanish Revolution organized by the Anarchist Federation at Holborn Hall, London. Speakers: J. Garcia Pradas (ex- Editor “CNT” Madrid), Jimmy Dick (AF Glasgow), Tom Brown (AF London) and Ken Hawkes (AF London) [Flier for this meeting is at: https://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/gxd3qm]

 

August 17^th 1945 Special Branch report states that at a recent meeting the Freedom Press anarchists etc adopted the name of the London Anarchist Group. The majority of the Spanish anarchists went with the Anarchist Federation but six went to the LAG and are named. (National Archives HO-45-25554, image 164, KSL)

 

28^th August 1945. “War Commentary” becomes “Freedom through anarchism”.

 

September 1945. First national Congress of the AF in Glasgow (Hawkes to Cairns, 30.12.46)

 

September 1945  ' The Word" ." Guy Aldred,in the article "The "Anarchist" Trial Examined", sums up his critique of the defence strategy of the " War Commentary" defendants describing  that it was a " defence of paid irresponsibility"

 

 

14^th September 1945. Albert in court. Sentenced to three weeks for failing to notify of a change of address. Sentence served in Brixton. Then sent to Prestatyn camp?

 

24 October 1945. Albert court martialed. Conducted his own defence. Sentenced to one year for being absent without leave. Sent to Stakehill Military Detention camp.

 

29 November 1945. London Anarchist Group have a fundraising social and dance to celebrate the release from prison of Hewetson, Richards and Sansom. (Report in “Freedom through Anarchism” 15 December 1945)

 

1 and 2 December 1945. Congress of British Anarchists sets up the Union of Anarchist Groups, autonomous group united in a federal manner. Delegates come from Glasgow, London, Bristol, Newcastle, Paisley and Ayr with fraternal greetings sent from groups in Liverpool and Nottingham. Speakers include Preston Clements, John Hewetson, Philip Sansom, Vernon Richards, Marie Louise Berneri, Eddie Shaw, William Bryce, Tom Carlisle, Jimmy Raeside. (Report in “Freedom through Anarchism” 15 December 1945)

 

26 January 1946 Note in “Freedom through Anarchism” on “Conditions in detention camps” reports that John Olday and Albert Meltzer have been moved “from the notorious Stakehill Detention Camp to Sowerby Bridge in Yorkshire.”

 

January 30th 1946 (Wednesday) 9am. Brown, Hawkes (London) Bill Borland and Tom Reilly (both from Glasgow) force their way into VR and MLB’s flat at the point of a gun. Demand money for the publication of “Direct Action”. A cheque was made out for twenty-five quid. BB endorsed and cashed the cheque and was photographed on Friday 1^st February as he left the bank.

 

February 2^nd 1946. Same four as above plus three others went into Freedom Press and broke up type. They apparently believed that the photograph taken at the bank would be published in the next issue of “Freedom” (9^th February 1946). Richards arrived and was assaulted and coat torn to shreds. Onlooker called the police who were told they were not needed by Richards.

 

Sometime after Special Branch arrived at FP to warn them that another attack was planned for the 22^nd February. Members of the FPG warned the AF who denied any knowledge of the planned attack and made assurances that not further attacks were in preparation.

 

(A constant rumour often apparently passed on by TB – his name is always mentioned with it – was that VR and MLB’s flat was purchased with movement money.)

 

March 30^th 1946. 2:30pm Kingsway Hall, London. Conference called by FPG and the London Anarchist Group and is attended by members of the AFB, and the Union of Anarchist Groups as well as anarchists who belong to no organization. “The purpose of the conference is to discuss the situation existing between the two organizations” (Hawkes – Acracia Ruiz, asking Ruiz to attend the Conference as it will be attended “by people who have been given a completely false picture of the attitude of the Spanish comrades in this country”) Tony Gibson is chair. There is a long statement delivered by Tom Early that covers the history of the tension, as the LAG see it.

Dealing with the charge of VR obtaining money from the movement it claims that the balance sheets show VR was not in receipt of any money from the movement.

No balance sheet is available for 1944 due to the police raid of December 1944. (The statement by the LAG is at: http://katesharpleylibrary.pbworks.com/w/file/139485351/Conference%20summing%20up%20of%20affairs-LAG.pdf )

 

April 1^st 1946. Letter from Hawkes ( Sec’y, London Group, AFB – Sec. Manchester Regional Group, AFB) With regard to the conference on the 30^th March, Hawkes wrote “Comrade Brown put the case of the Federation, but, as expected no result was achieved. The clique controlling the Freedom Press, supported by the so-called London Anarchist Group, both held the view that the press should not be controlled by the movement. The only useful purpose served was to clarify the issue in some people’s minds”.

 

20 April 1946. Issue of “Freedom through Anarchism” reports release of John Olday from Stakehill, and under “Freedom Press and Bookshop” states “NO-ONE MAKES A LIVING OUT OF FREEDOM PRESS” (but that the printers, and the full-time managers of the bookshops in London and Bristol are paid).

 

?June 1946 Albert released (reported in “Freedom Through Anarchism” 29 June 1946).

 

31 August to 1 September 1946 London Anarchist Group-organised Anarchist Summer School. (Ad in “Freedom through Anarchism” of 27 July 1946, Report in that of 7 September 1946. Speakers mentioned: George Woodcock, Mat Kavanagh, Jimmy Raeside, Eddie Shaw.)