The Sparrows' Nest - "Ron's Collection" now online

Icon_article Published: September 04, 2012 14:37 by The Sparrows' Nest |

Tagged as: culture history
Neighbourhoods: nottingham_mechanics st_anns
Published by group: Group

"Ron's Collection", containing marvellous source materials mostly regarding Syndicalism in Britain (and around the world) can now be accessed online.

Ron's Collection is an amazing collections of leaflets, newspaper cuttings and (most numerous and interesting) letters, providing fascinating insights into the history of syndicalist groups and individuals, active in Britain and around the world.

The documents primarily record activities of the Anarchist Federation of Britain (AFB), which subsequently became the Syndicalist Workers Federation (SWF), between the 1940s and the early 1960s. The collection therefore provides researchers with unique source material on a period often overlooked in the history of radical politics, the years between the end of the Spanish Civil War and the iconic events of the late 1960s.

Part of the collection's importance is that it not only contains information on British syndicalists, but on groups and people from all over the world and with very different politics.

For instance, the processed documents were sent to and from 25 different countries, feature six languages and refer to a total of 195 groups, parties, trade unions, committees etc. as well as 71 different publications.

Be it out of curiosity or academic interest, the documents provide researchers with fascinating information regarding historical struggles (e.g. numerous strikes, the Civil Rights Movement or anti-nuclear protests), the personal lives and motivations of people involved in the AFB/SWF (or in correspondence with them), records of internal debates and splits, confrontations with opponents (be it police, fascist groups or landlords trying to evict the printing press) and current affairs of the day (e.g. the Cuba Crisis or the Hungarian Uprising).

Visit us and browse and research in our other archival collections and our library. Aside from books, pamphlets and papers on anarchist theory and action we hold numerous archival collection recording struggles in Nottingham, Britain and around the world.

Regular opening times are every Monday 11.15am - 2.30pm (or get in touch for alternative arrangements).