Clarion Van No:2

Clarion Van No:2 at Erith (Erith Socialist Sunday School meeting) circa 1900

Note banner of the Social Democratic Party

Slogan on back of the Clarion Van Workers of the "World unite"

Clarion Movement Drama Clubs

Clarion call to Drama.
Martin W. Collins
People's Theatre Archives.
May 2002

Introduction.
In 1911 the Newcastle upon Tyne branch of the British Socialist Party was having problems with their cash flow. They had rooms in Leazes Park Rd. Newcastle, in a wedge shaped building that is now a Joke Shop and Theatrical Costumers. Funds were hard to come by and they had been reduced to running dances in the Leazes rooms, for both socialists and non-socialists, to make ends meet. This was regarded by some as sacrilege and so a higher, more socially uplifting, way to raise money was sort. Wilf Armstrong, a staunch socialist and a reciter of some local repute, took up the challenge by posting a notice asking for any members who were interested in the Drama as a possible way to solve the financial problem. A number of people took up his idea and began to run with it. So, on Friday 17th march a Clarion Drama Club was formed. (Veitch 1950, Goulding 1991, The Clarion 1911)

It is my intention here in to give an account of the progress of the Clarion Drama Clubs/Societies with reference to the growth of the Newcastle upon Tyne Club whose members had a strong influence upon the National Clarion Players. Groups tended to be a little cavalier about the use of the terms "Drama Club" and "Drama Society" therefore, throughout this work the two words are essentially interchangeable.

The Clarion Movement.
One of the strands of socialism that was thriving in Newcastle, and who shared the Leazes Park Rooms, were sections of the Clarion movement. The main and most persistent strand of this movement are the Clarion Cycle Clubs (many of which, including one in Sunderland, still exist), however there were a range of other sports and arts clubs working under the Clarion banner. The Clarion movement began with the publication in 1891 by Robert Blatchford in Manchester of "The Clarion", a socialist weekly newspaper. "The Clarion" always carried a strong line for the Theatre. An extensive column called "STAGE LAND" produced by "Dangle" was part of the papers content well into the 1920s. It gave a range of reviews and gossip about theatre from around the country. Blatchford believed that socialism need not be drab. He believed that the socialist movement took itself to seriously regarding the austere Puritanism of Keir Hardy as lacking colour. Indeed Blatchford and Hardy had a long standing animosity between them. As Paynn (1976) put it, Blatchford believed that by offering a friendly atmosphere in the Clarion Clubs a wider appeal could be won for socialism. From this developed the Cycle clubs already mentions along with Swimming Clubs, Vocal Unions, Glee Clubs, Drama Clubs, Missionary Vans, handicrafts, holiday camps and Cinderella Clubs to entertain slum children. Regular reports of these groups would appear in "The Clarion." It therefore seemed obvious that the new drama club in Newcastle should be a Clarion Drama Club.

Clarion Drama Clubs/Societies and Clarion Players.
So it was that on July 11th 1911 the Clarion Drama Club of Newcastle upon Tyne mounted their first production, a double bill of two short plays. These reflected the Clubs socialist position in that they chose an adaptation of a section of Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables" by Norman McKinnell called "The Bishops Candlesticks" and a play by Gertrude Jennings called "Pot Luck." At around the same time Liverpool was also setting up its Clarion Drama Club (The Clarion 1911b). Reports of Clarion Drama Clubs began appearing in "The Clarion" on the 4th. May 1910 with mentions of groups in North and South London, Glasgow and Stockport.

The first Clarion Club to dabble with the drama as a mean of propaganda was set up in 1899 by members of the Manchester Club House. However, Birmingham claimed to be the first, in 1903, to form a Clarion Dramatic Society as an offshoot of its Cinderella Club. In 1910 the Clarion Players Union was formed (Pye 1995) by the ten clubs that then existed across the country. However, in the 1912 National Clarion Cycle Clubs year book (These Year Books acted as the Year Book for the wider clarion movement and the meets an outlet for their talents.) published for their 18th meet at Buxton, the groups report section on the Clarion Players stated:

Clarion Players; These are flowers in the bud, so to speak. Many amateurs and professionals have expressed themselves willing to help in such a scheme. But an organiser is wanted. Who will volunteer? Splendid scope for propaganda. (NCCC 1912)

In 1913 The Newcastle Clarion Drama Society performed a number of plays at the National Clarion Cycle Clubs annual meet at York. This included its fiftieth performance of Shaw's "Major Barbara". The Programme and Year Book accompanying this meeting lists Clarion "Players" in Hyde, West Leeds, Stockport and of course Newcastle upon Tyne. The reports section is introduced with the following paragraph

Clarion Players; Have developed considerably during the last three years, and are ready to present the drama – from Shakespeare to G.B.S. – without any qualms of conscience. (NCCC 1913)

In the 1913 year book the entry for the Newcastle club, after a list of the shows undertaken since its inception in 1911 there is a hope expressed that their example would inspire others to tread the boards as had the Newcastle Clarion Drama Club. The entry ended with "The propaganda value of plays such as the above are very great indeed, as a great number of people reached to whom lectures and other methods of propaganda would not appeal." (NCCC 1913)

In his book "The People's" (1950) Norman Veitch describes the efforts of the "National organisation of Clarion Drama Clubs" to form a library of plays suitable for Clarion Clubs, but more importantly that deal with Labour and Socialist subjects. The library was to be funded by clubs giving ten percent of their takings to this central library. To this end the Newcastle Club's (and by inference other clubs around the country) 1913 season consisted of a range of one act plays from both established writers such as Shaw and new writers. This project allowed the clubs to acquire a number of plays of their own which were "under the control of the National Executive." Although a number of plays were produced under this scheme two were particularly popular, "Recognition of the Union" by Landon Ronald and "Ashes" by W. J. Priestley. Indeed Ashes was so popular that it sold out. The scheme was working well until world war one intervened.

By 1914 Norman Veitch, one of the founders of the Newcastle Clarion Drama Club, was National secretary of the Clarion Players Union. He laid out the ideals of the Union in the Newcastle section of the 1914 NCCC annual meet Programme and Year book (held at Shrewsbury) as follows:

"We realise that most good art is good propaganda, so that in an indirect manner we express, through the drama, the living truths of socialism to people who otherwise are never touched by the ordinary methods of street-comer meetings and manifestos."

The NCCC 1914 Year Book and Programme listed seventeen clubs from around the country listed in table 1. The National Clarion Drama Societies (Players) were involved in the Meets of 1915 and 1916, however by this time World War I was taking its toll and no meets were held until 1919 when regular Meets were re-established. The National Clarion Drama Societies made use of these Meets to hold there own annual conferences along with entertaining those gathered. The final performance at these meets was at the 1927 York Meet when Newcastle Clarion Drama Society gave a performance. Unfortunately, no record of exactly what was performed seems to have survived.

Table 1. Clarion Drama Clubs in 1914

Club/Society	Year founded
Birmingham	1903
Nelson	1908
Glasgow	1909
Horsforth	1909
Stockport	1910
North London	1910
Hyde	1911
Liverpool	1911
Newcastle upon Tyne	1911
Accrington	1912
West Leeds Socialist	1912
Willesden Clarion (Black & White) Minstrels	1913
Nottingham	1913
Bristol	1913
Litherland (Liverpool)	1913
Handsworth	1914
West Ham	1914
NCCC Year book & Meet Programme 1914

In the press release that announced the formation of the Newcastle upon Tyne Clarion Drama Club (Clarion 1911a) members of the Clarion Drama Clubs in other parts of the country were invited to visit. In 1921 the Newcastle Clarion Drama Society had Mr. Herbert Humphreys on loan from the Birmingham Clarion Dram Club for their production of Bernard Shaw's Man & Superman in April 1921. In his book, the People's, (1950) Norman Vietch discusses his friendship with Humphreys, a future Mayor of Birmingham, forged during Clarion Easter Meets and continued by post. Humphreys was also instrumental in introducing George Bernard Shaw to the Newcastle Association, a relationship that lead to the Clarion/People's Theatre performing a number of Northern and National premiers of his plays.

Throughout the 1920s Clarion Movement in general was changing. Performers were realising that there was more to the Theatre than just socialist propaganda and these "entertainment" for the sake of entertainment were just as fulfilling as the hard core socialist repertoire. In Newcastle the Association had already begun to use "The People's Theatre" above the Clarion name. This was thought to provide a wider embrace than just the Clarion name. There was also increased bickering between "The People's/Clarion Theatre" and the Socialist society, even though the Drama Club had bailed the Socialists out of numerous financial holes, so allowing it to continue.

In 1929 the Newcastle upon Tyne People's Theatre incorporating the Clarion Drama Association acquired its own premises. When it moved to its new theatre "The People's Theatre" left its Clarion banner behind it at the Royal Arcade. All around the country Clarion Drama Clubs were either converting or disbanding.

Conclusion.
The Clarion Drama Movement was not the only attempt to promote Socialism through the medium of the Drama. In 1906 the Northern Weekly newspaper reported the formation of the first "Daisy Amateur Dramatic Society" in Manchester with the object of producing two plays, "The Unemployed" and "An out-of-works reply" written by two of the papers contributors. In 1936 the "British Workers Sports Association" formed a coral & Dramatic section stating:

It was realised that in the formation of the Choral and Dramatic Societies there were immense possibilities of linking the recreational activities with the propaganda work of the Labour movement. (1937)

Words that echo those published in the NCCC 1913 Year Book about the Clarion Drama Clubs.

The legacy of the Clarion Drama Movement is diverse. In Newcastle upon Tyne this legacy is highly apparent in the fact of the People's Theatre, a wholly amateur theatre company which has provided a wide repertoire of plays, including world premières from the likes of Shaw and O'Casey, to the people of Newcastle. In other places it may be a few unattributed photographs in the Local History Library. But for the twenty five years of its existence at the beginning of the twentieth century the Clarion Drama Movement helped to both entertain and educate the working people of Great Britain.
30th. May 2002.

References.
British Workers Sports Association (1937) Leaflet.
Goulding C. (1991) The Story of the People's: Newcastle upon Tyne City Libraries & Arts.
National Clarion Cycling Club (NCCC) Annual Meet, Buxton 1912: programme and Year Book (1912) The Utopia Press, London.
National Clarion Cycling Club (NCCC) Annual Meet, York 1913: programme and Year Book (1913) The Utopia Press, London.
National Clarion Cycling Club (NCCC) Annual Meet, York 1914: programme and Year Book (1914) The Utopia Press, London.
National Clarion Cycling Club (NCCC) Annual Meet, York 1927: programme (1927) The Utopia Press, London.
Northern Weekly (1906) 10th. March.
Prynn D (1976) The Clarion Clubs, Rambling and Holiday Associations in Britain since 1890s': Journal of Contemporary History 11(2&3) 65.
Pye D. (1995) Fellowship is Life: The National Clarion Cycling Club 1895-1995.
The Clarion (1911a) March 31st. p12
The Clarion (1911b) April 21st. p3
Veitch N. (1950) The People's; being a history of the People's Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1911 – 1939: Northumberland Press Ltd.

---

There are many glaring gaps in our knowledge of the Clarion Drama Clubs/Societies. I would therefore like to hear from anyone who can help fill in the gaps. Questions such as where the minuets of the Annual General Meetings have gone? What exactly were the programmes of productions given at the NCCC meets? What the Clubs other than the one in Newcastle doing and where are their records now? If you can help with any of this please contact me and tell me all about it.

My e-mail address is:

martin(at)sandmartyn.freeserve.co.uk
Pictures, words anything to fill the gap would be most welcome.
Martin Collins
People's Theatre Archive.

Robert Blatchford - Clarion

"Labour is the only hope of Socialism;
but Socialism is the only hope of Labour".

Robert Blatchford Editor of the Clarion

Clarion Clubhouses

Manchester Clarion Clubhouses

“Comradeship and fresh air at a reasonable cost”

(article based extensively on an article by Denis Pye)

The Clarion movement was based around the Clarion newspaper established in 1891, one of its off shoots was a very successful cycling section formed in 1895. The slogan of the club was taken from William Morris's slogan “Fellowship is Life” and “Lack of Fellowship is death”.

One of the most successful areas for the Clarion movement was the industrial towns of North West of England.

Soon the Manchester Clarion Cycling Club began to organise regular summer camps for its members, initially at Tabley Brook near Knutsford in August 1895 and 1896

These Clarion camps were organised by
Charles "Charlie"D Reekie, Secretary of
Manchester Clarion Cycling Club.

Charlie Reekie was a Railway Clerk from Ancoats, Manchester.

The first Manchester Clarion camp at Tabley Brook was organised for three weeks in August 1895. The Clarion camp consisted of four bell tents, a square kitchen tent and a large marquee for dining and entertainment – all equipment for the Clarion camp (including Gorton ILP crockery) was transported in a horse drawn caravan borrowed from a farmer and Clarion supporter from Malpas, Mr William Ranstead

(The same van that was used by the first Clarion women’s propaganda van tour).

The first Manchester Clarion camp of 1895 was a huge success and was visited by over 2,200 cyclists of whom 460 camped.

After the success of this initial camp Charlie Reekie suggested other Clarion camps in other parts of the country under the slogan “Comradeship and fresh air at a reasonable cost” he also wrote a short poem

“Where thrushes sing and busy bee hums,
Far from the stinking, stifling slums,
We’ll pitch our tents by a troutlet stream,
Sink all sorrow, nor think of the morrow,
But look on life as a happy dream”

With the success of the Clarion camp, Manchester Clarion's began to examine the possibility of a Clarion Clubhouse in the country, an old “old farmhouse” was already mentioned being discussed by Manchester Clarion cyclists. The Clarion Scout Journal in November 1895 reported that the Burnley Clarion cycling club had already established a a Clubhouse (photo left) and that the Manchester Clarion Cycling Club were keen to get one by next Spring.

However by August 1896 the Clarion’s were once again camping at Tabley Brook this time with fourteen bell tents, two marques and Clarion cyclist came from as far away as Birmingham and London. Kier Hardie the great Labour leader even put in an appearance at the Clarion camp, staying the night and even help preparing the porridge in the morning (probably in the rain as Charlie Reekie once again wrote the following verse

“The rugs are wet and the beds are damp,
Conducive to ague, rheumatic and cramp’
We’re praying for sunshine, but the weather gets wuss,
Causing the campers to quietly kuss.”

Charlie Reekies dream for a Clarion clubhouse was modelled on guest houses in William Morris’s “News from Nowhere”.

They would be “clean, airy, well appointed rooms, furnished with fumed oak furniture, tapestry hangings and allegorical pictures” The house would be “ Surrounded by grounds and with a first floor balconies for al fresco meals (with) fruit orchard and playing fields on every side; the whole alive fair women and brave men; while up in the sky floated a captive balloon to guide comrades from miles around towards the pleasant by lanes approaching the spot – the ideal spot”.

The Rev T Arthur Leonard of Colne had already established a o-operative Holiday Association Guest House in Ambleside in 1893.

One local Clarion had even visited the cabin of Thoreau's Walden in Massachusetts, Thoreau lived in the woods of Massachusetts for two years, two months, and two days and wrote a book of his experience "Life in the Woods".

BUCKLOW HILL 1897-1902

“The first socialist guest house”

By February 1897 a plan was in progress for the Manchester Clarion Cycluing Club to take a cottage half a days cycling from Manchester, Wigan, Bolton, Rochdale, Oldham and Liverpool (all flourishing Clarion cycling clubs)

In June 1897 the Clarion proclaimed that Bucklow Hill (four miles South of Altrincham on the A556) would be the “first experimental co-operative cottage of the Clarion clubs” it also noted that apart from the cottage their was a field for camping and football.

Bucklow Hill Clarion Clubhouse (the house being known previously as Acropolis) was officially opened on the 22^nd June 1897 and was deliberately designed to offer socialist alternative to celebrations and holiday to mark Queen Victoria’s 60^th anniversary as monarch.

The Clarion cyclists met at Trafford Bar at 10am on the 22^nd June 1897 in a great ride out to the opening at Bucklow Hill.

Robert Blatchford “Nanquam” the editor of the Clarion was to perform the opening with a specially cast diamond jubilee pig iron key, but he was not available on the day and as a result the Clarion clubhouse at Bucklow Hill was opened by Mr J. Pitt-Hardacre actor-manager of the Comedy Theatre, Manchester
and keen Clarion cyclist.

Some 250 were present for dinner (lunch and even more for tea). The clubhouse could accommodate up to sixty people overnight and up to 150 for meals.

The Clarion newspaper columnist Haydon Perry wrote an article stating that he found people on the balcony, and in garden deck chairs under Chinese umbrellas, reading and smoking. Tents had been pitched in the adjoining field and campers used spring water for washing. There was ample rooms for stabling bicycles, a large kitchen and dinning room, an office and a reading room. Up stairs a general purpose room opened on to the balcony , which offered a view of the road to Manchester ],. The dormitories were named after flowers.

The steward and stewardess of the Clubhouse were Mr and Mrs Bennett (Manchester Clarion cyclists)

The Secretary of the Bolton Clarion cycling club stated the new clarion clubhouse was “Centre of a cycling paradise, away from the Smokey towns” popular rides included rides to Arley Hall and Rostherne Mere.

The Clarion clubhouse was very popular with cyclists and non cyclists who came for the evening concerts and walked or cycled during the the day.

The funding for the project was to come from the proceeds of selling 2,000 five shilling shares in the Clarion cycling Clubhouses company limited, a company drawn up by Dr Richard Pankhurst (father of Sylvia Pankhurst).

At the first meeting of the shareholders in October 1897 at the Royal Oak tavern, Quay street, Deansgate, Manchester, some 150 people attended. However the good attendance did not materialise into share ownership and only some 120 out of 500 shares had been taken.

The Clarion Cycling Club spent its winter months raising money to maintain its new property, to this end they were helped by the Manchester Clarion choir who also organised concerts to pay for the clubhouse.

The Bucklow Hill cottage was acquired on a five year lease from the local Earl Egerton of Tatton, who only later found out he had mistakenly let one of his establishments to the hated socialists., unsurprisingly the lease was not renewed by Earl Egerton in June 1902.

HANDFORTH 1903-1935

After its untimely eviction from Bucklow Hill, Manchester Clarions scoured the countryside for a replacement Clarion Clubhouse and they found an ideal establishment eight miles from Bucklow hill, in the form of a dilapidated, old, empty farmhouse. It was located on the outward road between Cheadle and Handforth, about half a mile off the main Manchester-Wilmslow road.

It was flanked by two orchards and was secluded enough to minimise the possibility of causing annoyance to local people.

Handworth Clarion Clubhouse was officially opened in September 1903

Rambling farmhouse had a large kitchen with oak beams and panelling, which was as furnished with a comfortable sitting room. Here the presiding genius was Edward Fay, the much loved “Bounder” who had died in 1896 at the age of 43 and whose picture adorned the wall. There was a card room as well as a library and reading room. Four dormitories with a total of fifty beds, and tents available to sleep at least a dozen, failing that you could also sleep in the hayloft.

Outside, a lawn fringed with a well kept garden could be enjoyed from a number of wooden benches. The kitchen garden was the “pride of the steward” One of two orchards was used as an open air theatre

or auditorium (anything from Shakespeare to Shaw). Nearby was a large playing field with three tennis courts and space for cricket and football and the annual old English sports day held in July and included obstacle races, high jump, skipping, and potato gathering for the ladies.

Handforth played a pivotal role in development of the Clarion's and early socialist ideas in the North West.

Colin Coates (a keen Clarion cyclstated “I fear we were guilty of attempting to make the most of two worlds; the Clarion Cycling Club with the claims and charms of the road, and the benefits which the House afforded in the way of concerts, games, plays etc. there were amongst the members at that time many who were able and willing to draw from their store of talents; singers, players, reciters could always be tapped to provide good entertainment. Weather permitting, concerts arranged in the orchard. On the stage beneath the pear trees the artists did their stuff”.

The Clubhouse was surely one of the greatest treasurers of the Clarion movement and the leisure and enjoyment it gave to thousands of socialists toiling in Northern industrial towns must have been immense. Everything revolved around the Clubhouse and the saying “Clubhouse for tea” was a very popular slogan amongst the North west Clarion Cyclists.

It may have been a Utopian experiment but the mass unemployment of the 1930's forced the Handforth Clarion Clubhouse to close in the early 1930's

VALLEY HOUSE 1936-1951

In 1938 the Manchester Clarion Scouts were once again in search of a Clubhouse this time they found it at Valley House, Oversley Ford on the banks of the river Bollin near Styal, just two miles from Handforth.

The prominent gold painted clarion sign from the old clubhouse at Handforth was taken to the new premises and a fixed to the outside wall as previously do ne at Handforth.

The official opening was conducted by Hubert Humphries a Birmingham Councillor (later Mayor of Birmingham) on the 24^th May 1936. Over 600 were present at opening and Sang the red flag

Those seeing it for the first time must have been impressed with their new home. The site was quiet and secluded, surrounded as it was by tall trees. The house was fronted by extensive gardens, while alongside the River Bollin was a large natural field with space for cricket or football with tennis courts and putting green.

While the Clubhouse was always in need of financial support money was raised after war to pay of its debts however the local Public Health Department demanded improvements, which would cost a further £2,000 and the Clarions were forced to sell the Clubhouse in 1951

Of the Clarion Clubhouses that were opened by 1950 only a handful remained

Clarion Club house - Sheffield Dore Moor (Left)

Their was previously a Clarion hut at Sheffield, Cordwell Valley, probably on the land of Edward Carpenter, and was used by Heeley Clarion Fellowship , It was transfered to the Dore Moor land in 1920, when built by local Clarion's.

The Sheffield Dore Moor Clarion Club House was not only used by the club house shareholders, [who could stay there overnight,] but also by the Clarion Cycling Club , and Clarion Ramblers . At the Club House there were the Clarion Entertainers, a Clarion Football team, Clarion Cricket team, there was a putting green , a bowling green, childrens playground,and a wonderful view of Sheffield from the club house verander at the back. The general public could buy their cups of tea and sandwiches in the cafe, or could even bring their own tea and just get hot water during the war years.

Ribble Valley near Ribchester opened in 1913 (right)

Yorkshire (Menston) Clubhouse opened in 1902 (Still open but lost control ?)( below Left)

(Halewood Clarion Clubhouse Left of which little is known ???)

The only Clarion Clubhouse open to day, under progressive management is the excellent clubhouse at Pendle.

www.clarionhouse.org.uk

END

First Socialist Public Meeting in Hillingdon

In July 1907 The London Standard announced that the London Clarion Scouts planned an “invasion” of Uxbridge, however the project was abandoned because of “inclement weather”. It then fell to the Southall Clarion Scouts to carry through on the plan and accordingly embarked upon the journey to St Margaret’s church Uxbridge on Saturday July 13th 1907 with the aim of initiating out what was the first socialist meeting ever held in Uxbridge at the old pump outside the church,

The local paper covered the event accordingly “The meeting one of the first open air meetings held in Uxbridge was held outside St Margaret’s Church, the chief speaker being Councillor Horace Lucia (Southall) he explained that they (Socialists) aimed at the nationalisation of all means of production, distribution and exchange - not in order to rob anybody in any shape whatever, but in order to prevent the people, the workers being robbed as they were at present.

Socialism, he claimed, concerned life at every point, and would certainly sweep away the present unwholesome and unsanitary conditions in which so many of the working classes had to live, a condition, too which meant that they were underfed, badly clothed, and ill housed. He urged that the land, machinery, and other means of producing wealth. Should be utilised for the benefit of the whole nation, and not, as now, for the enrichment of a comparative few, while the mass of the people never knew how they were going to live from week to week.

Finally, he urged that if the people wanted social reforms carried out, they must look to no party but their own for they would get nothing which they did not strenuously claim and work for on their own behalf.

In November 1907 the Uxbridge gazette reported on the following regular events on Saturday night at the pump at St Margaret’s Church Uxbridge , “The visitor to Uxbridge may see on any Saturday night just how the local people like the teachings of Socialism. Be it understood that the Uxbridge Socialist Society assembled themselves (with important speakers) in the triangle just outside the Church in Windsor Street and mounted on a box painted in flaming red, proclaimed to the public some of the advantages of Socialism. But the funny part of the whole business is that the Uxbridge people wont see the Socialists emphasise (ie) that “Socialism alone is the salvation of the masses” one of our staff went out of curiosity to watch the proceedings and the following transcript from his notebook will show pretty clearly the kind of reception the red flag has received

SOCIALIST ORAITOR: “the capitalists are..
THE CROWD: “Three cheers for Sir Frederick” (The local Tory MP)
SOCIALIST ORAITOR: “The wage slaves of England”
THE CROWD: “Good old Joe”
SOCIALIST ORAITOR: “You sweated workers”
THE CROWD: “Rot, Ailens, Jews”
SOCIALIST ORAITOR: “Think of your present conditions, I heard a man just now he had lost his job “
THE CROWD: an egg or two is thrown
THE CROWD: “Tariff Reform”
THE CROWD: Then a none too musical voice rises to song “If I could only take your hand” The notes are rendered in the slowest possible manner the musical susceptibilities of one of the socialists are hurt.
SOCIALIST ORAITOR: leaves the box and a colleague fills the vacancies.
SOCIALIST ORAITOR: “ ill sing you a song (he says) The red flag and he gets no further. Boisterous laughter is all that is heard, discard reigns. Supreme despair on the faces of the red flaggers.
A Policeman walks round with a merry twinkle in his eye ONE VOICE: “Three cheers for Joe”
THE CROWD: in unison they come back ONE VOICE: “And now three cheers for John Burns”
THE CROWD: “Boo - Boo - Boo - ray” When this has been repeated some half a dozen times.
THE CROWD: Sing God Save the Queen, two or three times

All then becomes quiet the Socialists have departed the crowd follows suit The Socialists however, before they went promised to return on Sunday morning.

The Secretary of Uxbridge Socialist Society was in 1907 Mr A.D. Notley of 8 Tachbrook Road, Uxbridge, who became a well known Uxbridge Socialists family.


At the end of September/early October 1908 a Socialist Van (This must have been a Clarion). The “Vanners” “entered upon a three day match with lungs and wit at Uxbridge, for about three hours each evening the pavement under the Market House rang with the heavy shock of the wordy warfare, and it must be admitted that the Socialist Orator held their own remarkably well”

NOTE
Albert Notley, born Meadham, Suffolk founder member of Uxbridge Social Democratic Federation later Party (SDF/SDP) Life Assurance Agent.

The other Social Democratic Federation member Dickie Bond recalled was Mr Barr who had a watch repair shop in the market house, Uxbridge.

A local Uxbridge branch of the Social Democratic Federation (DSDF) was established in early 1908 and meet at the Ram Hotel on Wednesday nights one of the first meetings was on “The coming down fall of our present social system” Public House.



Both the Notley and Barr family were involved in trade union activities into the 1980's