Description
Object description
British civilian baker in Southwark, London 1926-1936. Served as political commissar with Machine-Gun Coy, British Bn, 15th International Bde and as nurse in Spain 11/1937-12/1938
Content description
REEL 1 Background and reactions to family's German background, Southwark, London 1910-1936: story of attacks on father's bakery by local population during First World War; family poverty resulting from internment of father, ca 1915; attending Dockhead Catholic Convent School; standard of living; story of being attacked by schoolchildren and being sent to Germany for convalescence, 1925; encountering prejudice during period in Germany, 1925-1926; background to return to Southwark and employment as printer; losing job due to anti-German behaviour of colleagues; conditions and period of employment as baker, 1926-1936; measures taken against blacklegs, 1926; reaction to conditions; recruitment to Labour Party League of Youth; competition for employment among dockers; aid for local poor; brief period as foundry worker; wages; organising activities with Amalgamated Union of Operative Bakers, Confectioners and Allied Workers; story of being arrested for smuggling anti-Fascist leaflets into Germany inside bicycle frames, 1933.
REEL 2 Continues: background to recruitment to CP in 1936; appointment as Secretary of Agitation And Propaganda Section; local support for Jarrow hunger marchers; story of opposing eviction of tenant with Southwark Trades Council at Kings Court, Borough ca 1935 including housing conditions, death of tenant's daughter, rallying unemployed workers to oppose bailiffs; opinion of Communist Party recruitment and selection policies; opinion of Party's relationship with workers; servicing car for Felicia Browne before she left for workers' Olympiad in Barcelona, 1936; reactions to Nationalist uprising, 1936; activities with Aid Spain movement, 1936; opposition to Aid Spain movement including story of being attacked by Blackshirts at meeting in East London.
REEL 3 Continues: aspects of attending Aid Spain demonstration at Elephant and Castle ca 1936 including role of trades union movement, reactions to death of Felicia Browne, marching to Westminster; story of concealing German refugees with dockers in East London; deciding with refugees to volunteer to fight in Spain, 9/1937; finding out about war from International Bde veterans. Aspects of journey to Spain, 10/1937-11/1937: clandestine nature of journey; leading group of volunteers through Paris; dangers of visiting brothels; description of visiting brothel; death of volunteer; confinement in hotel in Alles and suspicions of room-mate; buying in supplies to take to Spain.
REEL 4 Continues: removal of room-mate; presence of look-outs during coach journey to Pyrenees; hiding-out with party in hollow haystack; attitudes of volunteers to receiving instructions; issue of alpagartas; instructions from guide on night crossing of Pyrenees; terrain of Pyrenees; lying low; shooting of volunteer; being trapped in storm; shedding kit and supplies; digging-in in snow; fatigue crossing border. Aspects of period at IB clearing station, Figueras Castle, 11/1937: reactions to rations, conditions; condition of refugee Basque soldiers; attempts to improve conditions.
REEL 5 Continues: pooling money to buy food; improving insnaitary conditions; death of volunteer in bombing raid; learning Spanish; overcrowding; reactions to Basques soldiers; train journey to Albacete. Recollections of period with Machine-Gun Coy, British Bn, 15th IB, 12/1937-10/1938: processing of volunteers at Albacete; refusing blood-stained jacket as uniform; surrendering rifle at Madrigueras; election as political commissar and reaction of Canadian volunteer; story of losing Christmas collection money; discipline problems with wounded British volunteers at Madrigueras, their escape by truck to Barcelona; personal morale; visit by Paul Robeson; contracting double pneumonia and pleurisy; medical treatments; convalescence in Denia; deciding to return to unit; impressions of Denia; impressions of Calaceite; volunteer's accident with machine-gun; view of Spanish soldiers returning from front; move to Aragon front, ca 3/1938; view of terrain, Wally Tapsell and Nationalist tank crew; casualties from tank attack, ca 4/1938;
REEL 6 Continues: being outflanked; casualties; view from hill position of shooting of captured comrades; defending road of wounded soldiers from Nationalist tank advance; air attack; escape with others to find unit; reporting casualties; being fired on whilst alone and searching for unit; rejoining unit; anticipating capture and burying identity papers; escaping box barrage; physical condition; leaflet drop; meeting with Fred Copeman; view of battle scene at Falset; receiving medical treatment in makeshift hospital, digging-in on beaches during air attacks on Barcelona; condition of wound; aspects of period nurse at hospital in Castelfullit?, ca 4/1938-12/1938 including treating venereal diseases, stomach wounds.
REEL 7 Aspects of period in London, 1910-1936: question of influence of mother; religious education; stories of encountering violence and prejudice; story illustrating conditions, relief for poor in Southwark; political influences; strikes, conditions in bus garages, South London; campaigning for improved conditions for bakery workers, 1926.
REEL 8 Continues: stories illustrating various working conditions; CP meetings in Southwark; being arrested and fined after CP demonstration; incidence of crime, unemployment and 'razor gangs'; violence of dockers gangs; working-class discontent; opinion of workers' leaders; recollections of Tom Mann.
REEL 9 Continues: recollections of Jarrow hunger marchers; description of violent clashes between Blackshirts and anti-Fascists, weapons used at Victoria Park, Hackney, East London, ca 1936; opinion of recruits to British Union of Fascists; recollections of Harry Pollitt, Johnny Campbell, Felicia Browne, Edith Bone.
REEL 10 Background to joining International Bdes in Spain, 1936-1937: opinion of mobilisation of volunteers to fight in Spain; reaction to reporting of bombing of Guernica; involvement of print trades union, role of Lou Kenton in Aid Spain movement; initial attitude towards volunteering; opinion of role of groups fighting on Republican side; reactions of family; reaction to stories told by IB veterans; recollections of Jock Cunningham. Aspects of period in Spain, 11/1937-10/1938: conditions during train journey from Figueras to Albacete; relations with French and American volunteers; machine-gun training with German First World War veteran; death of John Cornford; contrast in weaponry; personal morale during period as political commissar; story of effects of speech at Aid Spain fundraising dinner.
REEL 11 Aspects of period as nurse at Castel Fellit de la Rochas, ca 10/1938; improving food for patients; question of unnecessary amputations taking place in front-line hospitals; improving hospital conditions; treatments for syphillis; appointment as nurse; story illustrating duties, opinion of staff; morale of patients; reaction to news of withdrawal of IBs and repatriation of volunteers. Reactions to repatriation and return to GB, 12/1938: relations with civilians in Barcelona; opinion of conditions of transit of wounded; opinion of role of British Consul, trades unions in France; reception at Victoria Station, London, 18/12/1938; opinion of effects of withdrawal of IBs; send-off from Barcelona.
REEL 12 Review of period in Spain, 1937-1938: opinion of Republican defeat; stories illustrating problems of supply, personal morale as political commissar; political discussions with Mexican comrade; mountain terrain at Gandesa; question of daily routine; rations; question of leave; impressions of towns in Catalonia; pay; opinion of Republican military commanders.
REEL 13 Continues: story illustrating problems of command at Calaceite, ca 3/1938.