Socialist League
Kavanagh, Mat, 1876-1954
A short biography of Mat Kavanagh, Liverpool-Irish class struggle anarchist.
“For the young anarchists of the 30s, of whom I was one, and right until the 50s, Mat was our link with the traditional working class Anarchism of the past and our mentor as no other” - Albert Meltzer
Wess, Woolf, 1861-1946
A short biography of Jewish anarchist Woolf, aka William, Wess, active in the Socialist League in East London.
“He was the most modest of men” - Rudolf Rocker
Woolf Wess was born to a Jewish family in Vilkomar (or Ukmerge) near Kovno in Lithuania in 1861.
He was the son of a Hasidic master baker and at age of 12 was apprenticed to a shoemaker.
Dave, Victor, 1845-1922
Biography of a Belgian radical, imprisoned in Germany and militant within the proofreaders' union.
Victor Dave
Born Jambes, Belguim 1845. Died Paris, France 1922
Victor Dave was born in Jambes, near Namur in Belgium on February 25th, 1845. Son of a senior judge (President of the Cour des Comptes Belge) he completed his higher education at the Faculty of Letters in Liège and the Free University in Brussels.
Brocher, Gustave, 1850-1931
The story of French priest-turned-anarchist writer, Gustave Brocher.
Gustave Brocher 1850-1931 a.k.a Rehcorb
Born Delle, France 1850. Died France 1930
Barker, Ambrose, 1859-1953
Short biography of East London radical secularist and anarchist, Ambrose Barker, who was active in the Socialist League, Walthamstow Anarchist Group and the London Freedom Group.
Ambrose Barker
Born 1859 Northampton, England. Died 1953 East London, England
Bell, Tom, 1867-1942
A short biography of leading Scottish anarchist Tom Bell, a marine engineer and propagandist who travelled the world, finally settling in the US.
Thomas Hastie Bell was born in Edinburgh in 1867. He should not be confused with another Tom Bell, fellow Scot , Red Clydesider and one of the founders of the Communist Party.
Tochatti, James, 1852-1928
A short biography of early Scottish anarchist and tailor, James Tochatti, who was active in the Socialist League in London.
James Tochatti, whose real name was Moncure Douglas, was born in 1852 in Ballater, Scotland. Originally destined for a career in the kirk, Tochatti eventually became a merchant tailor. He was very active in the National Secular Society from the 1870s.
Lane, Joseph, 1851-1920
Nicolas Walter's biography of one of Britain's earliest and most hard-working libertarian socialists, and author of An Anti-Statist Communist Manifesto, Joe Lane.
Joseph Lane
Born 2 April 1851 – UK, died 3 September 1920 - UK
An Anti-Statist Communist Manifesto, which was first published in 1887, was the most important writing by Joseph Lane, who was one of the little-known founders of the libertarian socialist movement in Britain.
Mainwaring, Sam, 1841-1907
A biography of Welsh engineer and anarchist orator Sam Mainwaring, who was among the first active anarchists in the UK.
Sam Mainwaring 1841-1907
Born 14 December 1841 – Wales, UK, died 29 September 1907 - UK
Mainwaring, Sam biography
A brief biography of Welsh engineer and anarchist orator Sam Mainwaring.
A more detailed biography of Sam Mainwaring is in our history section here.
The Anarchist movement, numerically always a small movement in this country, has been rich, in fact unique, in exceptional personalities.
