Reference Code
GB243 T/SOR/36
Title
Les Forster Collection
Dates of Creation
c1934 – 2016
Extent
5 archive boxes.
Name of Creators
Les Forster
Level of Description
Fonds
Administrative History
Les Forster was born on 10 September 1919 in a two-storey tenement house at 970 Maryhill Road, Glasgow. His brother Archie preceded him by seven years. His father and grandfather came from Leith and had a prosperous blacksmith’s shop on the corner with Bilsland Drive. His mother’s family were Munros from Brora. Her father was a stonemason and worked on the construction of Maryhill Barracks. Les and Archie attended Garrioch Primary and then Allen Glen’s School. Archie went on to Glasgow University. Although a voracious reader, Les didn’t have much time for school and left early to join the building trade. The family moved to Milngavie in 1935 and when his father died two years later he and his mother moved to Garnethill. Around this time he was getting interested in politics and went to Workers Education Association (WEA) lectures at Glasgow University on Saturday afternoons. His mother was also politicised, she was a friend of Johnny Muir of the Clyde Workers’ Committee and attended political meetings. Les got involved and she encouraged him. He was also politicised through his contact with Guy Aldred and Helen Crawfurd.
In his early twenty’s he became Secretary of the City Branch of the Communist Party where he met Jimmy McLaren (later died at the age of 28 with TB) and Hugh Savage. The three were close pals. They also met Harry McShane with whom they became lifelong friends.
Communist Party members including Les and Harry were involved in opening up squats in Glasgow to combat the housing crisis. Les was also a Shop Steward and along with Ned Donaldson led the Merrylee Housing struggle of 1951 which organised numerous strike actions including an unofficial march on Glasgow City Chambers with upwards of 5000 striking workers to oppose the Tory Corporation selling off 622 newly built council houses. Guy Aldred’s Strickland Press printed 30,000 leaflets. The Strike Committee didn’t have much money. When Guy found this out he told Les not to worry, it was for a good cause and he did the job for nothing. The struggle continued until May 1952 when the Tories lost their slim majority in the local elections. The houses were never sold, but Les, Ned and others were blacklisted from the building trade. Les, with the aid of Harry McShane was able to get two references and joined British Rail, where he stayed until he retired in 1985.
In 1953 Les, Hugh Savage, Bill McCulloch and Harry McShane resigned from the Communist Party and started the Socialist Workers Federation (SWF). SWF was not a political party. They held regular open air meetings at the corner of Drury Street and published The Socialist Revolt and The New Commune, other members included: Eric Heffer; J. Britz and Ken Tarbuck. Arouind 1957 SWF ran out of money and stopped publishing the paper. Les, Hugh Savage and Harry McShane remained Revolutionary Socialists. They were also friends with Matt McGinn who likewise, had left the Communist Party.
In 1963 Les contributed to 1913 – 1963, National Union of Railwaymen, Jubilee Souvenir, 50 Years of Struggle, Glasgow and West of Scotland District Council.
In 1971 he married Grace James which according to Les was the best thing that had ever happened to him.
In the 1980’s Les, Hugh Savage and Ned Donaldson were involved in the early days of Workers City, with Janette McGinn, Freddie and Isobel Anderson, Farquar McLay and others. He also became a close friend of James Kelman and Tommy Gorman.
In the late 1980s and 1990s he wrote articles for The Keelie, became a member of the Glasgow Labour History Project and contributed to the publication, The Singer’s Strike, Clydebank, 1911 – where he highlighted the importance of women in the organisation of the strike action. John Maclean had drawn attention to the fundamental role of women in this struggle at the time. Les was a member of The Friends of the People’s Palace, published Sell and be Damned, The Glasgow Merrylee Housing Scandal of 1951 as told by Ned Donaldson and Les Foster, and along with Hugh Savage wrote, All For The Cause: Willie Nairn, 1856 – 1902, Stonebreaker, Philosopher, Marxist. In 1994 he wrote the Introduction to a new edition of Harry McShane’s, Three Days That Shook Edinburgh and two years later his autobiography, Rocking the Boat: Memoirs of a Glasgow Socialist and Whistleblower. He also left behind unpublished articles and a biography of his late wife.
Les died in January 2016 aged 96. James Kelman wrote an obituary and read it at his funeral in Maryhill Crematorium on 1 February 2016.
Les Forster was a lifelong and passionate revolutionary socialist. He was the last survivor of a generation of socialist activists in the West of Scotland who broke with the Communist Party Stalinist tradition in the early 1950s and struck out on a libertarian socialist road. He made a massive contribution to working class struggle.
He had a great knowledge of the local history of Maryhill, was completely non-sectarian and loved football, especially Maryhill Juniors. At the age of 96 he was reading Kropotkin’s, The Conquest of Bread and talking football, politics, music, and memories.
Scope and Content
This collection includes handwritten and typed manuscripts; handwritten notes; research materials; texts; transcripts of speeches; political campaign materials; correspondence; newspaper cuttings; letters to the press; obituaries; serials; pamphlets; publications and ephemera. It also includes texts written by Harry McShane; Hugh Savage; Ned Donaldson and James Kelman.
System of Arrangement
The arrangement of this material reflects the original order in which it was received. Serials, Publications and Pamphlets have been arranged in alphabetical order.
Custodial History
Material collected by Les Forster
Immediate Source of Acquisition
James Kelman
Appraisal, Destruction, Scheduling
Appraised according to the Spirit of Revolt appraisal policy.
Accruals
No further accruals expected.
Access Conditions
Open
Copyright Reproduction
Application for reproduction should be made to the archivist.
Existence of Copies
No known copies.
Finding Aids
Descriptive list available at Glasgow City Archives and on the Spirit of Revolt website.
Publication Note
The Singers Strike, Clydebank, 1911, Glasgow Labour History Workshop. Published by Clydebank District Library, 1989.
Sell and be Damned, The Glasgow Merrylee Housing Scandal of 1951 as told by Ned Donaldson and Les Foster. Published by Clydeside Press, 1992.
All For The Cause: Willie Nairn, 1856 – 1902, Stonebreaker, Philosopher, Marxist. Written by Hugh Savage and Les Forster, Published by Clydeside Press, 1991.
Related collections
Other Spirit of Revolt (Ref: T/SOR) collections held at Glasgow City Archives.
Date(s) of Description
Compiled by Paula Larkin (Project Archivist) April 2018.
1 |
1913 – 1963, National Union of Railwaymen, Jubilee Souvenir, 50 Years of Struggle, Glasgow and West of Scotland District Council. Prepared by W.C. Allan, D. Kelly, L. Fo[r]ster and P. Sweeney. |
1963 |
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2 |
Glasgow Labour History Workshop |
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1 |
Working Class Protest in the West of Scotland 1820 – 1915. A collection of documents for schools by W. Hamish Fraser and Alison Gray. Includes two copies, one incomplete with pages with pages 10-21,24-53,56-57,60-66 missing. |
1986 |
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2 |
Information Sheet Typed document detailing the work of the Glasgow Labour History Workshop. |
1987 |
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3 |
The Singers Strike, Clydebank 1911 [manuscript]. Also includes: Checklist of Key Themes / Questions; Project Organisation / Division of Labour; research methods and note taking; notes and a photocopy of The Great Strike Movement and Its Lessons pamphlet by H. W. Lee (London, Twentieth Century Press). |
1988 |
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4 |
The Singer Strike Clydebank, 1911, Glasgow Labour History Workshop. Published by Clydebank District Library. Also includes Scottish Labour History Review No. 3, Winter 1989 with an insert to order the book. |
1989 |
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5 |
The Labour Unrest in West Scotland, 1910 – 1914 [Research Project]. Includes research, meeting and discussion notes, list of members, correspondence and bibliography. |
1989 |
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6 |
Miscellaneous Includes: material relating to the history of Glasgow, Glasgow Green and the Calton Weavers; H.M Hyndman and Daniel de Leon, The Two Souls of Socialism by James J Young, Labor History, v28, no.n4, 1987 Fall, p534(23) (ISSN: 0023-656X); a letter printed in the History Workshop Journal (HWJ) by Iain Mclean in response to the review of his book The Legend of Red Clydeside by Sean Damer in HWJ 18; John Maclean and the Russian Revolution: A Discussion Article, Scottish Labour History Society Journal No 23 1988; 68th Commemoration John MacLean M. A. Clann Ghill-Eain by Sorley MacLean and An Expanded Version of a Speech Given on the Occasion of the Annual Commemoration of the Death of John MacLean. November 30th 1991. |
nd |
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7 |
Dundee in Word, Song and Image, One Day Conference at Dundee University. Organised by Scottish Labour History Society. Programme for the day including enrolment form. |
15 October 1988 |
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3 |
Sell and be Damned, The Glasgow Merrylee Housing Scandal of 1951 as told by Ned Donaldson and Les Foster. Published in 1992. |
1950 – 1998 |
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1 |
Publication Available online at: http://scottishtenants.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Sell_and_be_damnded_lo_res.pdf. |
1992 |
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2 |
Manuscripts and research notes. Also includes: handwritten notes on the back of “Fight for Homes Now” campaign fliers (30,000 printed in 1951 by Strickland Press); invitation to the launch of the publication at Transmission Gallery and other publicity material . |
nd |
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3 |
Transcripts of interviews with building workers about their involvement in the campaign. |
1990 – 1991 |
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4 |
Institute of Housing in Scotland, 1991 Conference, Key-note Address by Mr John Maxton M.P. Includes: a letter from the institute to Ned Donaldson, material from Shelter and a newspaper article about the right to buy council houses. |
1991 – 1993 |
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5 |
The Battle for Houses in Glasgow, by Harry McShane. Published by The Communist Party (Glasgow Committee), [1946?]. Includes one copy and one photocopy. |
c1946 |
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6 |
Research materials Includes: a photocopy of a letter to Ned Donaldson from Bob McIlhone, Secretary, Glasgow City Committee, The Communist Party,16 January 1952; information on the Scottish Gallacher Memorial Library; rates of pay for Scottish building employees 1950 – 1957 and 1990; photocopy of Housing News, A quarterly bulletin issued to all employees of The Glasgow Corporation Housing Department, Vol. 5 No. 4, with season’s greetings for 1952 and photocopy of text relating to the Tory party in Scotland. |
1951 – 1991 |
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7 |
Correspondence Includes: “The Battle of Merrylee” article by John Sheriff published in Daylight, issue 11 with a reply to the editor from Ned Donaldson; a letter from Dario Sinforiani, Paradise Films and a note from Shelter Scotland with the transcript of speech given by Liz Nicholson in 1998. |
1990 – 1998 |
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8 |
Newspaper cuttings Cuttings regarding Sell and Be Damned, including a transcript of an article for The Herald (slightly edited version was published on 3 April 1993 and is available online at http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12614251.A_Brave_New_World_dying_of_old_age/, articles relating to other housing issues and two editions of Forward a socialist newspaper published in Scotland (Vol. 44 No. 21, 27 May 1950 and Vol. 45 No.4, 27 January 1951). |
1992 – 1993 |
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4 |
All For The Cause: Willie Nairn, 1856 – 1902, Stonebreaker, Philosopher, Marxist. Written by Hugh Savage and Les Forster [Published by Clydeside Press]. |
1991 -1992 |
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1 |
Publication Contains 3 copies. |
1992 |
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2 |
Manuscripts and notes Also includes transcript of a speech given by Les on Willie Nairn to The John McLean Society. |
nd |
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3 |
Research materials Includes: printouts of articles written by Willie Nairn for The Scottish Cooperator and other articles published in Justice; photocopy of Chapter IV, Glasgow in the Dawn from William Morris and the early days of the socialist movement by J. Bruce Glasier; 1888 – 1988, The Centenary of the Founding of the Scottish Labour Party; photocopy of an obituary of Willie Nairn printed in The Social -Democrat, Vol VI. No.2, 15 February 1902; various photocopies of socialist related texts and handwritten notes about the debate between Willie Nairn and Annie Besant. |
nd |
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4 |
Correspondence |
1988 – 1993 |
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5 |
Publicity A4 poster for a lecture given by Les Forster about the book for The John Maclean Society on 21 March 1992. |
1992 |
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6 |
Finance Invoices and receipts from bookshops and Clydeside Press. |
1991 – 1992 |
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7 |
Newspaper Cuttings Reviews of All for the Cause by: Peter Fryer, Workers Press 1992; William Hunter, Glasgow Herald, 30 January 1992, Alex Clark, Morning Star 14 December 1992 (a reply to this review is in correspondence T/SOR/36/1/3/3). |
1992 |
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5 |
Harry McShane |
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1 |
Harry McShane [typed manuscript] Read on line. |
nd |
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2 |
A Marxist-Humanist Pamphlet, two articles by Raya Dunayevskaya[:] Footnote on the Detractors of Lenin The Theory of Alienation – Marx’s Debt to Hegel Foreword by Harry McShane. Available online at: https://www.marxists.org/archive/dunayevskaya/archives/4787.pdf Also includes a Guide to the online Raya Dunayevskaya Collection and Supplement. READ ON LINE |
1970 and 1988 |
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3 |
Condemned From The Dock: John Maclean, His famous speech against War and Capitalism, [Introduction by Harry McShane]. Published by The John McLean Society. READ ON LINE. |
1973 |
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4 |
Marx’s Capital and Today’s Global Crises by Raya Dunayevskaya. Special Preface by Harry McShane. READ ON LINE |
1978 |
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5 |
Three Days That Shook Edinburgh by Harry McShane [New Edition 1994 by AK Press], [Introduction by Les Foster]. Also includes: correspondence with AK Press; a mock up of the pamphlet; typed notes of the introduction by Les and typed profiles of John McGovern, Aitken Ferguson and Harry McShane by Hugh Savage which are printed in the pamphlet. READ ON LINE. New Edition plus correspondence. READ ON LINE. |
1994 |
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6 |
Texts Includes handwritten and typed documents by Les and Hugh Savage on McShane including: speech given by Les at the ceremony for scattering McShane’s ashes at Nelsons Monument on Glasgow Green; obituaries for publication; typed questions to Les and Ned Donaldson on the history of workers’ struggle in Glasgow; Socialist Review, Monthly magazine of the Socialist Workers Party, 16 May – 14 June 1981 with an interview of Harry McShane by Mike Gonzales pg.14; Hugh Savage’s obituary of Harry McShane published in Scottish Labour History Review, No.2 Autumn/Winter 1988 and the transcript for a lecture given by Les Forster on Harry McShane to the John McLean Society. READ ON LINE. |
nd |
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7 |
Harry McShane and the Scottish Roots of Marxist-Humanism by Peter Hudis. Published by The John McLean Society. Contains one copy, one photocopy, a leaflet for the launch of the publication and an agenda. |
1993 |
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8 |
Publicity material for events Includes: A4 and A3 posters for EIS Lanarkshire Association, The Great John McLean Night, No Mean Fighters, John McLean and Harry McShane, Annual Memorial Lecture Given By Ray Challinor, Labour Historian [1988]: A2 poster for the Scottish Labour Party 1888-93, A Commemorative Exhibition, People’s Palace Museum 1 May – 1 July 1988 and Socialist Workers Party, A5 flier for Harry McShane, 100th Anniversary Memorial Meeting, Speaker Paul Foot [1991]. |
1988 – 1991 |
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9 |
Correspondence |
1958 – 1990 |
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10 |
Newspaper cuttings |
various |
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1 |
Obituaries |
nd |
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2 |
Miscellaneous |
nd |
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11 |
Miscellaneous Includes printouts and photocopies of: Socialism and Slavery by H.M. Hyndman; newspaper articles 27 Jan 1951; Cunninghame Graham’s Maiden Speech; pg. 80 and 81 of The Women’s Liberation Movement as Revolutionary Force and Reason; pg435 and 436 of Labour monthly, October 1958; material on squatting and Glasgow District trades Council Centenary Brochure 1858 – 1958, A Hundred years of Progress [compiled by Harry McShane]. |
nd |
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6 |
Rocking the Boat: Memoirs of a Glasgow Socialist and Whistleblower, Les Forster [Published by Clydeside Press]. |
1995 |
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1 |
Publication Contains two copies one of which includes five photographs printed within the publication. |
1995 |
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2 |
Manuscripts and notes Handwritten and typed notes, manuscripts including 1st and 2nd drafts. |
nd |
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3 |
Book Launch Contains invitations. Posters and notes for the speech by Les at the launch in the Clutha Vaults, Glasgow 5 December 1995. |
1995 |
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4 |
Sales Also includes typed list of the names and addresses of people to send the book to. |
1995 – 1996 |
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5 |
Correspondence |
1992 -1997 |
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6 |
Newspaper Cuttings Includes reviews of the publication in the Milngavie Herald and the Workers Press. |
1995 – 1996 |
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7 |
With Pen in Hand, Outspoken Essays From a Writers Notebook by Les Forster. |
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1 |
Collection of essays printed and bound by Les. Contains one bound and one unbound copy covering themes such as: Robert Service; Jack London; the Klondike gold rush; Adam Smith; Annie Swan; Donald Macrae; banking; From Ferguson to Marx; Glasgow Green; Scottish Reformation; John Millar and Patrick MacGill. |
nd |
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2 |
Manuscript and notes Typed and handwritten manuscript and notes for the publication. |
nd |
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3 |
Research materials Includes a copy of The Satire of the Three Estates by Sir David Lindsay, The Acting Text prepared by Robert Kemp for Tyrone Guthrie’s production at the Edinburgh Festival 1949 and newspaper articles about the Klondike gold rush. |
1949 -1998 |
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8 |
Against the Odds, Grace Forster, A life of courage, compassion and caring by her husband Les Forster [also titled Remembering You, Grace Forster, A life of courage, compassion and caring by her husband Les Forster]. |
nd |
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1 |
Short biography about his late wife, printed and bound by Les. Contains seven copies, one with photographs. |
nd |
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2 |
Manuscript and notes. Also includes handwritten essays which are a sequel to the biography and cover the period Summer 1998 – December 1999. |
nd |
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9 |
Notebooks Twenty six small reporter notebooks and jotters with handwritten notes by Les. |
nd |
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10 |
Miscellaneous Notes Various hand written notes on a variety of subjects including: Glasgow Trades Council; Willie Nairn and Patrick McGill; Mayday; Municipal Socialism; John S Clarke; Dundee free speech fight; the American labour movement; a review of John Taylor Caldwell’s book Come Dungeons Dark, The Life and Times of Guy Aldred, Glasgow Anarchist; H.M. Hyndman; Raya Dunayevskaya; Tony Blair; notes for a speech and Bush, Mayor Saddam, The Criminal Class. |
nd |
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11 |
Speech at a benefit concert at Glasgow Trades House in support of striking signalmen. |
nd |
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12 |
Untitled manuscript 30 page handwritten manuscript about various aspects of football in Glasgow. |
nd |
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13 |
The Friend’s of the People’s Palace |
1989 – 1995 |
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1 |
The Friend’s of the People’s Palace News, pamphlets, fliers and posters. Includes: News Issue no. 29, January 1989; Sister Smudge, The Peoples Palace Cat pamphlet and postcard; defend Elspeth King flier; A Friend Unfairly Treated, A free pamphlet on the Elspeth king debate by Alasdair Gray; Thomas Paine 200 year Anniversary Lecture poster and flier, organised by the Friend’s with introductory handwritten notes by Les Forster, 1991; Glasgow Socialist Heritage Trail. Suggested format and some content (for discussion only); Socialist Revolt! flier; Calton Weavers Memorial flier for the unveiling of new memorial stones unveiled by Elspeth King,1992 and a Friend’s May Day flier, 1993. |
1989 – 1993 |
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2 |
Workers City
Includes: stickers for an event at the Winter Gardens to celebrate May Day 1990; handwritten notes by Les on the history of Glasgow Green; letter from Hugh Savage inviting people to a joint meeting – The Future of Glasgow Green in July 1990 with a Glasgow Green Factsheet and a flier for a Public Protest Meeting regarding Elspeth King and Michael Donnelly, September 1990. |
1990 |
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3 Newspaper Cuttings
Various cuttings about Elspeth King, Michael Donnelly and Glasgow City of Culture 1990 including letters written by Michael Donnelly to the press as well as a photocopy of the article, Mr and Mrs History, published in The Scots magazine and a feature in The Herald highlighting Elspeth King’s talk celebrating the Bicentenary (1795 – 1852) of Frances Wright in 1995, includes flier for the event. |
1990-1995 | |||||||||||||||||||
14 |
Thomas Paine Society (T.P.S.) Includes: Thomas Paine Society Newsletter No. 11, 119; Call for Papers, Thomas Paine and The Horizons Of Democracy, An International Symposium, University of East Anglia, 1994, letter from Hugh McNaughton with T.P.S. Echo, No. 1, 1996 and two leaflets about Thomas Paine. |
1993 – 1995 |
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15 |
Eric Heffer Includes: Born in the labour movement, Workers’ Liberty, No. 11 pages 13-16 (part one of an interview with Eric Heffer, available online at http://www.workersliberty.org/system/files/NO11.pdf); Joseph Stalin by Eric Heffer, Heroes & Villains, The Independent Magazine, 30 December 1989; Eric Heffer obituary by Tony Benn, The Guardian and a hand-written letter by Les Forster in reply to comments by Ian Aitken reporting the memorial service in The Guardian. |
1989 – 1991 |
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16 |
Ned Donaldson Includes: correspondence, 30 page typed autobiography and other typed notes about his life; funeral programme; tribute to Ned from the Springburn and Possilpark Housing Association; handwritten obituary by Les Forster; obituary by Andrew Reid for The Herald and obituary in The Northender. |
nd |
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17 |
James Kelman |
1999 – 2016 |
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1 |
Texts James Kelman texts sent to Les Forster. Includes: Scottish radical history; the British fascist movement, communist and socialist activities up until the 1930’s; introduction written for Born Up A Close – Memoirs of a Brigton Boy by Hugh Savage and Family Business and Identity. Also includes a letter from Billy Clark |
1999 – c 2006 |
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2 |
Correspondence Includes a letter written to Les while Kelman was in Texas. |
1998 – 2001 |
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3 |
Newspaper cuttings Various articles and interviews with James Kelman in: Sunday Times; The Herald; The Guardian and Chapman, issue 57, Summer 1989. |
1994 – 2001 |
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4 |
Thirsty Books Live! Presents Thirsty Lunch Programme for Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2006 including Born Up A Close, introduced by James Kelman (page17). Also includes handwritten notes on Hugh Savage by Les Forster. |
6 – 20 August 2006 |
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5 |
Les Forster Obituary Five copies of the obituary of Les written by Kelman with handwritten edits and four copies of Les’s funeral programme. |
2016 |
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18 |
Obituaries Handwritten by Les Forster. |
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1 |
Colin Munroe |
nd |
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2 |
Hugh Savage, 1918 – 1996 Contains three obituaries, two of which are the same with a couple of different edits. |
1996 |
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3 |
Sparky Forster, 1992 – 2008 |
2008 |
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19 |
Correspondence |
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1 |
Letters to and from the Press. |
1980s – 1990s |
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2 |
Letters and cards from Les to Grace. |
1967 – 1973 |
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3 |
Letters to Les and Grace from Bill McCulloch. |
1980s – 1990s |
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4 |
Letters to and from the Scott Savage (son of Hugh Savage). |
1996 – 2005 |
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5 |
Various |
1970s – 2000s |
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20 |
Photographs Includes fifteen photographs of Les and Grace. |
nd |
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21 |
Newspaper cuttings and magazine articles |
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1 |
The British Monarchy Includes the New Statesmen, Anti-Jubilee Number, 3 June 1977 and various articles about the Royal Family and Republicanism vs Monarchy. |
1977-2000 |
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2 |
John MacLean Includes: The Man Who Turned The Clyde Red by Marion Pallister, Evening Times, 9 August 1979 and John MacLean: Red Revolutionary, Glasgow Guardian, May Day Special, 1 May 1986. |
1976 and 1986 |
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3 |
Adam Smith Various articles about: Adam Smith; his bicentenary; the Adam Smith Institute; right-wing politics; Thatcherism and the Poll Tax. |
1988-1990 |
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4 |
Various 3 folders of cuttings covering a wide variety of political issues. |
nd |
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22 |
Miscellaneous |
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1 |
Texts Includes: 2 handwritten texts on Marx (author unknown); political text by someone involved with Clydeside Action on Asbestos in the 90s (author unknown); photocopies of various political texts; part of a bibliography and print outs of searches for Robert Frost and R.B. Cunninghame Graham publications. |
nd |
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2 |
Exhibition Brochures Includes: Scottish Football, A History, Third Eye Centre, Travelling Exhibition, 1983; Tremble Ye Tyrants, An Exhibition About 200 Years Of Organised Labour In Scotland, 1986; Blitz, Tom McKendrick, Lillie Art Gallery, Travelling Exhibition 1986-87; Muriel and Archibald Sandeman, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, 1987; A Painted Portrait II, A tribute to the life of Mary Armour (1902-2000), 2002 and Joan Eardley (1921-1963), 40th anniversary tribute, 2003. |
1983-2003 |
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3 |
Flyers and postcards Includes flyers for: Save Maryhill Juniors, Kelvingrove Park Action Group; Working Class Movement Library; Marx Memorial Library and various postcards. Also includes photocopy of the poem “The Micky Dam” (Mugdoch Dam 1856-59). |
nd |
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4 |
Flat Caps 2 flat caps worn by Les. |
nd |
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23 |
Serials |
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1 |
Camerawork No. 17 January/February 1980, pages 7-10 featuring: Matchgirls’ strike 1888. |
1980 |
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2 |
Cencrastus The Magazine For Scottish & International Literature, Arts And Affairs Issues: No. 28, Winter 87/88 and 3 copies of No. 30, Summer 1988 which features – All For The Cause: Tributes to Harry McShane, pages 9 -14: A Unique Link by Raymond Challinor; Fighter, Thinker, Marxist-Humanist by Olga Domansk; The Man I Knew by Les Forster, A Remarkable Man by Nan Milton and All for the Cause by Raymond Ross. |
1987-1988 |
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3 |
Daily Mirror Special Anniversary Edition from the 1st day of WWII, 4 September 1939. |
nd |
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4 |
New Internationalist Issues 404, September 2007, 405, October 2007, 408, January/February 2008. |
2007-2008 |
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5 |
New Interventions A Journal of Socialist Discussion and Opinion, Vol. 7 No. 1 Winter 1996 |
1996 |
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6 |
New Statesman Issue published 9 April 1982. Also includes photocopies of 2 articles by John Pilger: A one-sided bloodfest. The allied victory was a mass slaughter, 8 March 1991 and Liberal triumphalism. Liberals are helping create the new Big Lies of war, 15 March 1991. |
1991 |
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7 |
Revolutionary Notes Issue No 1, July 1996 |
1996 |
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8 |
Scottish Anarchist, Number 3 Duplicate in Dek Keenan Collection |
1995 |
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9 |
Scottish Labour History Journal Issues: No.3, November 1970; No. 4, July 1971; No. 14, May 1980; No. 16, 1981; No. 17, 1982 and No. 25, 1990. |
1971-1990 |
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10 |
Scottish Labour History Review Published by the Scottish labour History Society, Issue No. 1 Autumn/Winter 1987. |
1987 |
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11 |
Scottish Workers Republic Vol. II, No. VII. |
nd |
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12 |
Socialist Worker Review Issue published October 1986 (pages 13-24). |
1986 |
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13 |
Socialist Revolt Organ of the Socialist Workers Federation Includes: Crisis In The Communist Party by J. Blitz; Revolt, No.6 and 5 copies of Socialist Revolt, Vol. 1 No.8 Jan-Mar 1957. Socialist Revolt, Vol. 1 No. 9 April-June 1957 (pages 5-8). Read on line: Crisis in The Communist Party |
1955-1957 |
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14 |
The Glasgow Keelie Issues 1-7, May, July, September and November 1991, April, May, July and September 1992, 16 -20 (duplicates in John Cooper Collection T/SOR/3/56/17). Read the full collection On Line here. |
1990-1993 |
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15 |
The New Commune An Organ of Revolutionary Socialism 3 copies from July 1960. Read No.6 on line. |
1960 |
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16 |
The Suffragette No. 35-Vol 1, Friday, June 13, 1913 (Great Newspapers Reprinted No. 28 with The Suffragette Derby 1913 wrap round)) |
1913-1914 |
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17 |
Visual History Trade Union Labour Co-Operative Democratic History Society Issue No. 7 1980. |
1980 |
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18 |
Workers Revolutionary Party Workers Press (pages 3-6) |
1988 |
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24 |
Publications and Pamphlets |
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1 |
A Letter in Reply to a Request for a poem for a Poems for Bosnia anthology, “in which The Independent has an interest”. From Tom Leonard. Published by Infolio. (gift to Ned Donaldson signed by Tom Leonard. Also Includes a letter from Leonard to Ned). |
1993 |
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2 |
Against Individual Terrorism, Leon Trotsky. First printed 1974, Pathfinder Press, New York, ISBN 0-87348-334-0. |
1980 |
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3 |
Crofter Power in Easter Ross. The Land League at work 1884-88 by Rob Gibson. Published by Highland Heritage Educational Trust. |
1986 |
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4 |
Glasgow 1990. The TRUE Story Behind the Hype by David Kemp. An ArtWork special from Famedram. |
1990 |
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5 |
John Maclean: Educator of the Working Class by James D. Young. Published by Clydeside Press. |
1988 |
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6 |
Labour Nationality and Religion by James Connolly. Being a discussion of Lenten Discourses against Socialism delivered by Father Kane, S. J., in Gardiner Street Church, Dublin, 1910. 1972 edition with an introduction by A. Raftery. |
1972 |
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7 |
Life and Labour 2, Factory Kings & Slaves by John Hargreaves and Life and Labour 3, Caring and Sharing by Ruth Breakell. Published by Pennine Heritage Network. |
1980s |
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8 |
Pre-Plenum Discussion Bulletin #1 November 1987, Resident Editorial Board, Draft for Marxist-Humanist Perspectives 1988. |
1987 |
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9 |
Poplar Story, National Museum of Labour History. |
nd |
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10 |
Socialism Made Easy, By James Connolly, A Militant Pamphlet. First published 1909. |
August 1981 |
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11 |
Tales of Old Eastwood, Giffnock and Thornliebank by Anna Blair. Published by Eastwood District Libraries. ISBN: 1 87121512 9. |
1996 |
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12 |
Talking About Socialism by Tony Benn, based on an interview conducted with Tony Benn by John Foster in October 1995. Published by Unity Books, Glasgow. |
February 1996 |
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13 |
The Cork Workers’ Club, Historical Reprints No. 7, The Irish Question 1894, The Land League, The Church and the Working Class by John Leslie. [First published in serial form in the British Social-Democratic Federation paper, Justice, between March 24th and May 5th, 1894]. |
June 1986 |
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14 |
The Last Threads, Life in a Glasgow Weaving Mill by Ann Kerr. Published by Clydeside Press. A Play in Two Acts. ISBN 0 9512057 4 9. |
May 1990 |
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15 |
The Middleton Overseer and the Madman and other poems. [Collected for Social Workers With Notes by Colin Harvey]. Published by Heatherbank Press, Glasgow. ISBN 0 905192 05 2. Also includes a copy of The Welfare History Picture Library Catalogue, The Heatherbank Museum of Social Work. |
1976 |
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16 |
The Re-Conquest of Ireland by James Connolly. [With an Introduction by A. Raftery]. Published by New Books Publications, Dublin and Belfast. |
1972 |
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17 |
Thomas Muir of Huntershill 1765-99 by M. Donnelly. Author and Researcher. Published by Bishopbriggs Town Council. Contains 2 copies and a brochure for Thomas Muir, Father of Scottish Democracy 1765 – 1799, a programme of events to mark the bi-centenary of Thomas Muir’s death. |
1975 and 1999 |
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18 |
Torture Trial in Belfast. Eye-witness Observer tells Full Story of Mallon and Talbot whose acquittal after Murder Trial shocked the Unionists and indicted the R.U.C. By John Hostettler, Connolly Association’s Independent Observer. A Hair-raising Story. |
c1958 |
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19 |
Two Members’ Monologues and A Handy Form for Artists for use in connection with The City of Culture [by] Tom Leonard. Published by The Edward Polin Press. |
1989 |
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20 |
Vote: What For? [By] Robert Lynn. Duplicate in Dek Keenan Collection. |
nd |
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21 |
Publications by Guy Aldred Socialism and Parliament, Part II. Government By Labour, The Devil’s Chaplain, The Story of the Rev. Robert Taylor, M.A., M.R.C.S. (1784 – 1834) and Rex v. Aldred, London Trial, 1909, Indian Sedition, Glasgow Sedition Trial, 1921.
|
1942 1948 |
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25 |
Books |
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1 |
Young, James D., Making Trouble, Autobiographical Explorations and Socialism. Published by Clydeside Press. Contains 2 copies. |
1987 |
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