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Devon Clarion Tour of 1907

DEVON
Clarion Van Tour
1907

The Clarion was a weekly socialist publication edited by Robert Blatchford begun in Manchester in 1891.

Blatchford stated

"I will go as far as to say that during the first ten years of the Clarion's life that by no means popular paper had more influence on the public opinion in this country than any other English journal, The Times included."


One of the Clarion's best known writers was Julia Dawson, it was she who proposed the establishment of Clarion Van tour, with the idea of bringing the Clarion newspaper and Socialism into every town and village in England.

The First Clarion Van tour was embarked upon in 1896 and through a series of Clarion Vans they continued until 1929.

Clarion Van Hackney women speaker 1908
Clarion Van Scotland ( Edward Hartley sitting)

Bruce Glasier (and Brierley and Bacon) inside Clarion Van note Merrie England bookon table and Caroline Martyn picture on wall

The Western Times reported in 1907 that a Clarion Van was to commence a tour of Devon on 29th February 1907,

The first Devon Clarion Van tour meeting was to be held at Barnstaple town square, where Mr Thomas Kennedy the Socialist (Social Democratic Federation) parliamentary candidate for North Aberdeen (1906 and 1910) was the main Clarion speaker and a huge crowd was in attendance to hear him. As a direct result of the Clarion Vans visit, a branch of the Social Democratic Federation was established in Barnstaple, North Devon (early March 1907 - was this the first avowed socialist organisation to be formed in North Devon ?).

Thomas Kennedy (25 December 1874 – 3 March 1954) railway clerk, joined the Social Democratic Federation, stood as parliamentary candidate in 1907 and 1910, Joined the British Socialist Party (later Communist Party) and became BSP national organiser in 1913 but left the party over his support for the War. Kennedy was later Labour Party Member of Parliament for Kirkaldy Burgs (Fife) from 1921–1922, from 1923–1931 and from 1935–1944.

By the 9th April 1907 the Clarion Van had arrived in Exeter from Newton Abbott again large crowds flocked to Bedford Circus to hear the Clarion speakers including Councillor Edward Hartley of Bradford.

Edward Robertshaw Hartley (1855-1918) was a noted Yorkshire socialist activist.

Given previous Clarion van tours the arrival of the van in any town or village would secure a large turnout of local people interested in finding out about the new politics of socialism. The local farmers, businessmen and Tories would try to stifle attendance, heckle the speakers and sing "God save the queen/king" .

At the end of the Clarion speeches questions and answers would be taken and socialist propaganda sold, meetings would often ending with the singing of "England Arise".

Gerry Sables For Barnstaple - Devon

All 3,700 electors have now received the election address of the "Progressive" candidate standing in Barnstaple Central ward.

Gerrard Sables is standing as the "Progressive Left" candidate in the Barnstaple Central ward in both the Barnstaple Town Council and North Devon District Council elections on 5th May. Voters will have five votes for the Town Council and two for District.

These will be the ninth and tenth elections he will have fought in; the first was back in 1979.

Following on from a town council bye-election in the same ward last July where he got 6% of the vote in a fight with Libdem and Tory candidates for one seat Gerrard is hopeful of a higher vote. In the District Council there are two Tory, two Libdem, one Labour and one Communist. Labour has not stood in this ward since at least 1995 and the candidate last stood where he lived in Braunton

. He has not replied to a letter asking why the communist should ask voters to put an X against his name as well as the communist's.

The Town Council election is more interesting. The local Libdems seem to have a personal dislike of the incumbent Tory. The Libdems have four candidates. The Tories have the one. Then there is Gerrard Sables. The Libdems are sure to get three candidates through but they want all four and they don't want the Tory.

It is understood that at least three of the Libdem candidates are asking their supporters to give the fifth vote to Gerry Sables "Progressive" and avowed communist. The coalition is not operating at local level.

Each voter has also recieved a copy of the People's Charter.

Vote Progressive Vote Gerrard Sables 4 Barnstaple

NORTH DEVON: candidate strides out

Thursday, 07 April 2011 11:06

Gerrard Sables is the Progressive candidate contesting the Barnstaple Central ward for both Barnstaple Town Council and North Devon District Council. You can view his campaign literature here. If you are local and want to help contact us. Gerrard says, "It seems all three big parties are having difficulties in getting candidates. In the town council contest my ward has five seats. There are four Libdem candidates, one Tory and me so if Barnstaple Central acts like Barnsley we're in. For the district, which has two seats there are two Libdem, two Tory, one Labour and one Communist. The only ones who live in the ward are the Tory and I. Labour has not fought North Devon District Council since 1999. Now there are ten candidates for the 44 seats. The Libdems have had two high level resignations locally. Dave Butt a LibDem Distict councillor since 1987 and Malcolm Prouse former leader of the district council have both left the party. Two lifelong Liberals signed my nomination form and another supporter has offered help in my campaign. I have had unsolicited promises of votes from disillusioned Liberals. The cuts in public spending are the main issue. Barnstaple Records Office is under threat, the Tourist Information office has already had its budget slashed by 50%, support is being withdrawn for bus routes. A headline in today's North Devon Journal says "Homeless and can't afford to rent in the private sector." It is a scandal about former council houses which were sold by the former Libdem council, being used as temporary lets and the plight of those tenants on finding they are to be demolished. I used to live in that street. I had two offers of help today one from a disabled woman on her motor scooter who offered to write and stuff envelopes as she once did for the LibDems and one from a Bengali who has just been granted permanent residence. He is active among the migrant community and is going to take me to visit the workers at various Indian and Chinese restaurants. His first ever vote is going to be for me.

1928 The Soviet Threat in Abingdon & Barnstaple

In February 1928, the ruling class of Abingdon, Oxfordshire fearful of an imminent Soviet revolution in Britain secured the services of its elected councillors on Abingdon Rural District Council to ban the sale of Soviet Petrol.

The move by Abingdon Rural District Council came as the council discussed applications for permission to store petrol. On the motion of a Councillor Aldwinckle, seconded by Councillor Cornish the licences were granted, subject to no Soviet petrol being sold.

A similar attempt to ban Soviet Petrol was made at Barnstaple Council, North Devon

Source: ILP New Leader 24th February 1928

Abingdon & Barnstaple Fight Back To Stop A Soviet Britain

In February 1928, the ruling class of Abingdon, Oxfordshire fearful at an imminent Soviet revolution in Britain secured the services of its elected councillors on Abingdon Rural District Council to ban the sale of Soviet Petrol. The move by Abingdon Rural District Council came as the council discussed applications for permission to store petrol. On the motion of a Councillor Aldwinckle, seconded by Councillor Cornish the licences were granted, subject to no Soviet petrol being sold. A similar attempt to ban Soviet Petrol was made at Barnstaple Council, North Devon.

Source: New Leader 24th February 1928

Exeter - Come and Take Them - "ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ"

EXETER CITY COUNCIL ELECTION SEPTEMBER 2010
THE BATTLE OF THE GRECIANS
"ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ"
(Come and Take Them)

The Battle of Thermopylae of 480 BC set an alliance of Greek city-states against an invading Persian army.

Though vastly outnumbered, the Greeks (Spartans) held back the Persian advance until the Greek army could regroup.

(The Grecians is also the nickname of the Exeter City FC who play in Red & White).

EXETER THE BATTLE OF EXETER 2010

On 9th September 9th the Labour Party in Exeter will emulate the great battle Thermopylae by taking on the might of Exeter Tories and their Coalition allies the Liberal Democrats, in hand to hand fighting in thirteen keenly fought by-election Council seats.

To the victor the spoils of war could be the control of Exeter City Council. Presently, the Coalition forces control 16 seats to Labours 8 (and real Liberals 3).

Early reconnaissance from scouts in Exeter are pointing to Labour gaining ground and routing the enemy in Polsloe (Con), Cowick (Con) , Pinhoe (Con) and Exwick (Ind) wards, while holding firm in Whipton Barton, Mincinglake, Priory, Newtown Wards.

Hopes run high of even mighty St Davids wall's falling to the might of Septembers Red Army.

But we have a long march so rest and prepare for battle comrades the hour is near at hand "ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ"

NOTE:

The Greek phrase "Μολών λαβέ" ("molon labe", or "come and take them"), a quote attributed to Leonidas at the battle, has been repeated by many later generals and politicians in order to express an army's or nation's determination to not surrender without a battle