Acknowledgements

This text would have been impossible to write without the help of many people with special knowledge whose brains I have mercilessly picked. I suspect that some of them will strongly disagree with my approach but their unstinting aid has made my task infinitely easier. Among those to whom I am especially grateful are: Bert Atkinson, John Archer, Bob Barltrop, Bernard Beacham, Dick Beech, Sam Bornstein, l\lonica Bruce-Wallace, Moira Clark, Eva Ebury, Bob Edwards, Doris Faulkner, Bill Fishman, Peter Fryer, Len Gibson, Dave Goodway, Walter Kendall, Oonagh and Sheila Lahr, Amy Lake, A. L. and Vivien l\lorton, Brian Pearce, Guff Putowsky,John Quail, Sarah Reeks. Betty Reid, Victor Rose, Sheila Rowbotham, A. E. Smith, Gladys Stone, George Tasker, Katherine Tudor-Pole, Nick Walter, Miss J.M. Waumsley and Andrew Whitehead.

I would also like to thank those participants in the events herein whom I have tracked down. 'Without the mass of information which they have provided this piece would be a hollow shell. Among those who have helped me are: George Albon,J. M. Alexander. A. M. Barker. W. S. Barrett, Albert Cullington, Albert Edwards, Harold Edwards, Reg Groves, E. Hardcastle, Ted Hennem, Albert Irons, "Vill Nimmo, I. Renson, Frank Ridley, Elsie Smith, Albert and Minnie Vandome. Harry Wicks and Harry Young.

I would also like to acknowledge the contribution of my son Owen without whom this text would have been finished about two years ago.

I have included all major references in the footnotes to the main text; however I would like to make a special reference to the files of the Islington Gazette and the Islington and Holloway Press which provided essential background information. I would also like to thank all those librarians who have been continually helpful, in particular those at the reference section of Islington Central Library, Marx Memorial Library and the National Museum of Labour History. Last but not least I would like to thank Stuart Hathaway and Liz Willis for reading this text, correcting my abominable syntax, grammar and spelling, and for making numerous other valuable suggestions.

As far as I am concerned this text is simply a first shot at the subject; I would consequently be very interested to hear from readers who have criticisms, corrections or additional information. I am engaged in a long term project to write the history of Islington's socialist and radical movement and I hope that anyone who knows the whereabouts of early documentation, minute books and similar material will get in touch with me.