The Anarchist Hall in Norwich

From Freedom , Oct 1st 1891:

Norwich. —The New Anarchist Club and Lecture Hall was opened on August 24, with a tea and public meeting. Louise Michel was prevented by illness from being present, but the meeting was addressed by Mowbray, Conlon, Mollett. Headley, Poyntz, etc. on September 27 Louise Michel and Merlino visited Norwich and addressed an enthusiastic meeting at the Club. Full report next month.

Norwich Mercury, 26th August, 1891.

A SOCIALIST AND ANARCHIST HALL. A glass-roofed building situated in Pitt Street, Norwich, which will accommodate some 300 people, was opened Monday with a tea and a public meeting. About 80 assembled at the social repast, and subsequently musical selections were rendered. The hall bears upon its walls the inscriptions, “Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity.” Among other Socialist mottoes and pictures is a symbolical representation of the dock strike settlement, and a red banner bearing the words Chicago martyrs : Their silence is more powerful than speech. hurrah for Anarchy.” Louise Michel sent a telegram that she was too unwell to travel, but that she would be with them on September 23rd. M. opened the meeting with a sympathetic allusion to the absence of Louise Michel, who was always ready to work for the cause. Having expressed the confident hope that she would ere long in their midst, he went on to narrate some the most stirring exploits in the career of that famous anarchist, who had been 20 years of her life in French prisons. Mr. C. Mowbray hoped that this hall would he centre of growth and unity for the movement, He urged that Royal Commissions could offer no solution of the pressing problems of the day. It was like foxes being called to inquire as to the loss of fowls in the farm yard. The only thing to do was to take over to themselves the means of life. The people themselves would have to do this He recommended them to pay no rent, and to discard political action. He then declared the hall open. It would be place where they could know each other. The moment the slaves of Rome began to know and count each other they learned their strength, and were able to overthrow their masters. A young Frenchman named Mollett next addressed the meeting in his own tongue, his remarks being subsequently translated by Coulon. He especially insisted on the necessity for enlisting the sympathies of the young. They must make their minds that tears should no longer flow from the eyes of children. Let them inculcate their ideas among the soldiers in particular who at the demand of the Government might he called to shoot down their fellows. Men were not their enemies because they were born of another Another speaker, named Headley, of Yarmouth, said in that town they were just advocating a no rent campaign, and one comrade was already £5 or £6 in arrears. Superstition and Parliamentary action were their two greatest enemies. counselled mothers to bring their children without any re sped for authority, human or divine. Mr. Poyntz next addressed the meeting, and several songs were given by various members.

Norfolk Chronicle, October 3rd, 1891

The notorious Communist Louise Michel visited Norwich on Sunday, and addressed a meeting of “Anarchists" in their hall, Pitt Street. A preliminary meeting was held in the Market Place in the afternoon, whereat an address was delivered by Dr. Merlino, who was recently expelled from the Berlin Congress.

Commonweal, A Revolutionary Journal of Anarchist Communism, Oct 10, 1891

"LOUISE MICHEL AT NORWICH.
OUR comrade Louise Michel visited Norwich with Dr. Merlino on Sunday September 28th and addressed two large and enthusiastic meetings. One in the Market place in the afternoon and a still more successful gathering in the Anarchist Hall, Pitt Street in the evening.

The local papers give good reports of the speeches of both our comrades.

A capitalist paper thus describes the scene in the Hall:

"The motto "Liberty" was exhibited over the platform, and above the entrance was a large blood-red banner bearing an inscription referring to the "Chicago Martyrs," and concluding with the words, "Hurrah for Anarchy." On the panels of the door was a printed cartoon representing three figures beneath the sentiment "Vive la Commune." On the left a workman in a Phrygian cap kneels upon a pile of money and a general assortment of booty, holding aloft a flaming torch. On the opposite side of the picture a man with pickaxe and shovel on his shoulder waved his hat in the air. Between them is a female figure with arms uplifted. LOUISE MICHEL, at the call of the chairman, Mr. Poyntz, ascended the platform amid great applause."

We quote the account of our comrade’s speech from the same paper. She said:

"There was no doubt about the possibilities of revolution; but if they were not prepared for it they would, after its accomplishment, fall into the same mistakes which had come about after all revolutions. It was in order to prevent this, and to help bring about the new system of society that she and her comrades engaged in the work. They were prepared to advance their cause, which be it remembered was for the good of the people at large, at the risk of their liberty and their lives. (Applause.) It was no good hoping to get the beneficial changes which she advocated through existing government, because that lived only to grind down the people. Their efforts must rather be against government. (Hear, hear.) Every good cause was corrupted by power. But the lessons of the past would be profitable in the future, and if ever there was a time when they ought to make up their minds upon this question it was now. (Applause.)) Men's destinies were in their own hands. Anarchism was justice and the overthrow of capital and government. Both had the same end in view-the keeping of the population in slavery. Every slave must strive to end his slavery."

(Interestingly, the cartoon referred to was a poster by Walter Crane. The Radical Teatowel Company have reproduced this on a teatowel).

The Hall was located at 65 Pitt Street. It looks like it was not possible to maintain the Hall, as I have found no references to it after the above mentions. Poyntz is George Poyntz, very active in the Norwich Socialist League.

Nick Heath