Liz Willis 1947-2019)

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Battlescarred
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Joined: 27-02-06
Nov 17 2019 17:11
Liz Willis 1947-2019)

From urban75 forums:
"Dear all,

We wanted to let you all know that our mum Liz Willis, author of the Radical History Network blog and Smothpubs Blogspot, sadly died on 10 November at Whipps Cross hospital in east London from pancreatic cancer.

Liz was born Elizabeth Smith in Stornoway on 21 October 1947, educated at Aberdeen and Belfast Universities, and, as you know, had a deep commitment to and interest in radical causes and history that lasted throughout her life."
"Liz Willis has a political background in YCND (Aberdeen), anarchism, and Solidarity (London). A main focus since 2006 has been the Radical History Network based in North East London and its blog (RADICAL HISTORY NETWORK (RaHN)). Her pamphlet ‘Women in the Spanish Revolution’ was published by the Solidarity group in 1975 and has been reprinted in various editions. She has self-published a few other small pamphlets, e.g. ‘Mary Wollstonecraft and the Doctors’ (2017)."

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Spikymike
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Nov 18 2019 17:25

Sorry to hear that. I wasn't a close friend of Liz but I remember her from London Solidarity and she was still writing for us in our 'Solidarity for Social Revolution' phase in the late 1970's/early 80's.

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freemind
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Nov 19 2019 10:51

Sincere condolences on your loss.

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Working Class H...
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Nov 20 2019 22:38

So sorry to hear this, unfortunately I didn't know that Liz Willis was still around and still active, as it would have been great to speak with her about her experiences. Sincere condolences to all who knew her

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Alf
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Nov 21 2019 16:53

I do remember Liz from the days I was in Solidarity in the early 70s, but I was in the Oxford group and relations with London were somewhat loose, so I only got to know a few of them, and then mainly the dissidents who didn't agree with the rejection of marxism by the majority 'Cardanites' (who somewhat to my surprise at first, since I had myself started off in the group with a variant of the anarchist, anti-marxist position), I joined up with.

Unless my memory is failing completely, I met her again at a small meeting of the Radical History Group in the East End, chaired by Dave Morris. Or it could have been something to do with the Hackney Solidarity Group because I remember there were copies of the group's publication being given out.

Anyway, I recall her smiling. Solidarity to comrades, friends and family

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Fozzie
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Nov 21 2019 22:22

Alf - yes you may well have seen Liz at a meeting of RaHN. This was mainly based at Wood Green Labour club in recent years and Dave Morris was also involved.

I didn’t know Liz well but she was great. Supportive and incredibly astute without making a fuss about it.

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Cleishbotham
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Jan 1 2020 16:11

I knew Liz in Solidarity North London (1970-2) and remember her and Roy in meetings though never bumped into them after that. Would agree with Fozzie's assessment. I recall her being the first woman I had ever seen breastfeeding in public but "without making a fuss about it". She was very natural and sincere as well as a lucid speaker. Very sorry to hear about her death.