RIP, I remember when first looking up Anarchism the story of a young Scottish lad who went to Spain to kill Franco despite not speaking any Spanish was one the first things that came up. He's been on radar ever since and its staggering how much of UK and European Anarchist history and events he was at least tangentially related to.
I also appreciated his mammoth film archive and his very cheap E-book store. Both appear to still be up though there is no announcement on its homepage.
i never had the chance to meet Stuart face to face, but we corresponded from time to time, and i'm happy to say that i was able to contribute/suggest a few things to the Anarchist Film Archive. he was a tireless proponent of The Idea, and even though he and i didn't always see eye-to-eye on various topics, there was always mutual respect and real camaraderie. his legacy will remain strong as long as there are anarchists. rest in power.
One bit of trivia that might be worth including is the section from the Christie/Meltzer "Floodgates of Anarchy" that was used on the back sleeve of the Clash's "White Riot" single. It is a brilliant bit of writing that, I still find myself reminded of it on a regular basis.
Tribute from Joan Busquets:
"His death has robbed me of a comrade, a co-worker upon whom I could always rely. Let me say that Stuart spent his entire life championing the memory of the maquis, in which he was an indefatigable pioneer." https://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/tb2t62
We have just posted translations of tributes from:
Octavio Alberola
"René’s answer stopped me in my tracks, because even though Stuart had told me a week before that the cancer had left him still hoarse and that the findings of his medical tests were none too encouraging, it never at any moment occurred to me that he would be taken so quickly. I am surrounded by several male and female comrades – more or less of my own age – who are in none too rude health and at my age (due to turn 93 shortly) the thought that one’s days are numbered is just “normal”.
But in Stuart’s case, how could this be when he was eighteen years my junior? Besides, we had both been working on joint projects and both had been determined to plough ahead with our battles with the world of authority and exploitation. "
You can read all of it at https://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/d51dns
Frank Mintz
"Stuart has left us at a point when, his homeland, and the capitalist system in general (whether private capitalism, statist, marxist-leninist or religious) is in the throes of a crisis; so the continuity and gravitas and determination that were the mainstays of Stuart’s life continue to make a sound contribution to activists, current and future. His is an honest and active legacy, mirroring his sensibilities which were always linked to reality and to a rejection of social exploitation in every sphere of life.
Last night on BBC radio 4 “Last Word”, gave Stuart an obituary. Unfortunate the presenter was very ignorant. It is on BBC web thingy.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000ltsd
Alt
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000ltsd
Stuart Christie's segment is at the end at 20 minutes in. It asked me to make an account to listen to it, I've noticed the BBC is increasingly putting hoops in to make sure only patriotic fee paying Brits can enjoy its output.
Its a bit typical, not much is new for people who already knew him or knew about him, a few brief snippets from his daughter, and the rest is about the attempt to kill Franco and the Angry Brigade.
The older BBC interview with Christie on the same subject is here https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00wbjpj
I've made a video version if any internationals have trouble accessing that, https://youtu.be/0rBAVn-Vlpc
Footage comes from Christie's short film Kill Franco!
https://christiebooks.co.uk/anarchist_films/kill-franco-2008-christie-magoogan/
Thanks, RT. Beautiful:
"What I would describe in my work as ‘transnational networks of anarchists’, he would simply call ‘friendships’. He did not consider himself a specimen for study. He lived his politics."
The following article aims to act as a roundup of some of the outpouring of tributes which have followed Christie’s death after a struggle with lung cancer.
Thinking of, and sending our deepest sympathies to, Stuart Christie's family on this day we say our goodbyes. This photo represents just a sliver of the work and impact Stuart had in editing, publishing and writing on the histories and ideas of anarchism. We could fill a room with it. Stuart's work was a monumental achievement that both allowed us to learn about the unknowns who brought anarchism to life as well as enabled us to redefine what anarchism was and could be. You are sorely missed, mate. Abrazos.
"Stuart was a loyal fellow, loyal to an ideal, a cause and to his friends and comrades. But allow us to highlight something else from Stuart’s curriculum vitae. Above all else, this dyed-in-the-wool Scottish anarchist, was a kindly person, with a great sense of humour. Affable and approachable, fond of hearing and lending an ear. Who never hesitated to put a question when there was something he did not understand and who was constantly learning.
"The international anarchist movement has lost a great stalwart. And the loss of the man, the activist and the intellectual will be sorely felt."
Chris Ealham and Julián Vadillo Muñoz https://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/jq2dg8
One bit of trivia that might be worth including is the section from the Christie/Meltzer "Floodgates of Anarchy" that was used on the back sleeve of the Clash's "White Riot" single. It is a brilliant bit of writing that, I still find myself reminded of it on a regular basis.
There's an interview with Christie from around the time of "Towards a Citizen's Militia" here: https://libcom.org/library/north-american-anarchist-vol-1-no-7-octobernovember-1980
https://archive.org/details/StuartChristieBBC1980
Brian Barr reports on the background of anarchist Stuart Christie, who now lives on Sanday, Orkney. Gives a brief biography of Stuart Christie, why he moved to Orkney and what he thinks of the place. Christie discusses anarchism, Cienfuegos Press and the reason for publishing 'Towards a Citizens Militia'. The local alternative paper 'The Free Winged Eagle' is also mentioned. (Original broadcast BBC Current Account programme, 28 October 1980).
Jess Thorne joins us to discuss the life and passing of Stuart Christie, one of the UK's most famous anarchists who is perhaps best known for participating in a plot to assassinate Franco in 1964.
We also discuss the radical prisoner support group which Christie refounded, the memorial archive and the value of past struggles in informing our politics today.
I can't remember where Reddebrek was asking about if there's plans to save the Christie film archive, but that's covered in the interview at a bit past the 35-minute mark - short answer is that the plan is to have it hosted on the Mayday Rooms server.
I can't remember where Reddebrek was asking about if there's plans to save the Christie film archive, but that's covered in the interview at a bit past the 35-minute mark - short answer is that the plan is to have it hosted on the Mayday Rooms server.
Thanks, that's good news, the interview was good too. I was worried about the archive going, I was slowly copying stuff to the internet archive and sticking a few I though might get past the copyright police on youtube, and someone else has been adding the films alphabetically onto Kolektiva.
We have posted a handful of Stuart's writings to mark the anniversary of his death. Also, we've been working on A Life for Anarchy: A Stuart Christie Reader (out later this year).
‘We hope this book will give you a sense of the richness and complexity of his life. We also hope it will act as a memorial, given that we haven’t been able to meet up and celebrate his life. […]
‘We know that this is not the final word on Stuart’s life. Seeing the materials that people are sharing with us and the Stuart Christie Memorial Archive, we feel as though we are constantly learning more. We hope this reader gives you a sense of the breadth of his experiences, and celebrates his humanity, his morality and his intuitive grasp of anarchism.’ (from the introduction)
Damn. RIP to a true
Damn. RIP to a true inspiration.
RIP, I remember when first
RIP, I remember when first looking up Anarchism the story of a young Scottish lad who went to Spain to kill Franco despite not speaking any Spanish was one the first things that came up. He's been on radar ever since and its staggering how much of UK and European Anarchist history and events he was at least tangentially related to.
I also appreciated his mammoth film archive and his very cheap E-book store. Both appear to still be up though there is no announcement on its homepage.
https://christiebooks.co.uk/
Damn. Just saw this on
Damn. Just saw this on Freedom Press Facebook
Very sad news, rest in power.
Very sad news, rest in power.
An incredible character. A
An incredible character. A brave and influential person. Proper anarchist.
I first read about Stuart Christie in the NME when I was a teenager:
https://standupandspit.wordpress.com/2018/08/16/anarchist-in-the-uk/
There are some really good photographs of him as well as some of his writing on the Kate Sharpely Library website.
https://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/4b8h4d
Orkney. 1980.
Libcom have documents and texts by Stuart Christie:
https://libcom.org/tags/stuart-christie
Stuart Christie 1946-2020
Stuart Christie 1946-2020 Anarchist activist, writer and publisher https://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/rjdhgk
i never had the chance to
i never had the chance to meet Stuart face to face, but we corresponded from time to time, and i'm happy to say that i was able to contribute/suggest a few things to the Anarchist Film Archive. he was a tireless proponent of The Idea, and even though he and i didn't always see eye-to-eye on various topics, there was always mutual respect and real camaraderie. his legacy will remain strong as long as there are anarchists. rest in power.
xxxx
xxxx
If you have memories of
If you have memories of Stuart, please send them to us. We'd like to try and write something longer about his life.
One bit of trivia that might
One bit of trivia that might be worth including is the section from the Christie/Meltzer "Floodgates of Anarchy" that was used on the back sleeve of the Clash's "White Riot" single. It is a brilliant bit of writing that, I still find myself reminded of it on a regular basis.
Rest in power, Stuart.
Rest in power, Stuart.
An obituary of Stuart by
An obituary of Stuart by Duncan Campbell has been published in the Guardian, 17 August 2020 https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/aug/17/stuart-christie-obituary
Tribute from Joan
Tribute from Joan Busquets:
"His death has robbed me of a comrade, a co-worker upon whom I could always rely. Let me say that Stuart spent his entire life championing the memory of the maquis, in which he was an indefatigable pioneer."
https://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/tb2t62
We have just posted
We have just posted translations of tributes from:
Octavio Alberola
"René’s answer stopped me in my tracks, because even though Stuart had told me a week before that the cancer had left him still hoarse and that the findings of his medical tests were none too encouraging, it never at any moment occurred to me that he would be taken so quickly. I am surrounded by several male and female comrades – more or less of my own age – who are in none too rude health and at my age (due to turn 93 shortly) the thought that one’s days are numbered is just “normal”.
But in Stuart’s case, how could this be when he was eighteen years my junior? Besides, we had both been working on joint projects and both had been determined to plough ahead with our battles with the world of authority and exploitation. "
You can read all of it at https://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/d51dns
Frank Mintz
"Stuart has left us at a point when, his homeland, and the capitalist system in general (whether private capitalism, statist, marxist-leninist or religious) is in the throes of a crisis; so the continuity and gravitas and determination that were the mainstays of Stuart’s life continue to make a sound contribution to activists, current and future. His is an honest and active legacy, mirroring his sensibilities which were always linked to reality and to a rejection of social exploitation in every sphere of life.
May the earth sit lightly on you, Stuart."
https://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/w3r3xf
ACG obituary
ACG obituary https://www.anarchistcommunism.org/2020/08/20/obituary-stuart-christie-1946-2020/
Was there any comment in the
Was there any comment in the Spanish press?
There's been a bit yeah Muere
There's been a bit yeah
Muere a los 74 años Stuart Christie, el anarquista escocés que intentó matar a Franco
S’ha mort Stuart Christie, l’anarquista escocès que va intentar d’atemptar contra Franco
He was also mentioned in El
He was also mentioned in El País, a popular daily newspaper.
https://elpais.com/cultura/2020-08-18/un-escoces-de-la-fai.html
Last night on BBC radio 4
Last night on BBC radio 4 “Last Word”, gave Stuart an obituary. Unfortunate the presenter was very ignorant. It is on BBC web thingy.
Auld-bod wrote: Last night on
Auld-bod
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000ltsd
Alt
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000ltsd
Stuart Christie's segment is at the end at 20 minutes in. It asked me to make an account to listen to it, I've noticed the BBC is increasingly putting hoops in to make sure only patriotic fee paying Brits can enjoy its output.
Its a bit typical, not much is new for people who already knew him or knew about him, a few brief snippets from his daughter, and the rest is about the attempt to kill Franco and the Angry Brigade.
The older BBC interview with Christie on the same subject is here https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00wbjpj
I've made a video version if any internationals have trouble accessing that, https://youtu.be/0rBAVn-Vlpc
Footage comes from Christie's short film Kill Franco!
https://christiebooks.co.uk/anarchist_films/kill-franco-2008-christie-magoogan/
A nice, relatively long,
A nice, relatively long, write-up here: https://maydayrooms.org/stuart_christie/
Thanks, RT. Beautiful: "What
Thanks, RT. Beautiful:
"What I would describe in my work as ‘transnational networks of anarchists’, he would simply call ‘friendships’. He did not consider himself a specimen for study. He lived his politics."
Another one: Stuart Christie, the Eternal Young Rebel Always in the Fight for Life by Xavier Montanyà
https://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/kprstj
Freedom Press has produced an
Freedom Press has produced an excellent article:
https://freedomnews.org.uk/stuart-christie-obituaries/
https://www.todoporhacer.org/
https://www.todoporhacer.org/stuart-christie/?fbclid=IwAR2jWkv31RvCEdQFy6H5gAZOeB4cPirh91HjSHpdQRagZ8mvn4b5ShtQPCU
https://noticiasanarquistas.n
https://noticiasanarquistas.noblogs.org/post/2020/09/01/franca-in-memoriam-stuart-christie-10-de-julho-de-1946-15-de-agosto-de-2020/
Thinking of, and sending our
Thinking of, and sending our deepest sympathies to, Stuart Christie's family on this day we say our goodbyes. This photo represents just a sliver of the work and impact Stuart had in editing, publishing and writing on the histories and ideas of anarchism. We could fill a room with it. Stuart's work was a monumental achievement that both allowed us to learn about the unknowns who brought anarchism to life as well as enabled us to redefine what anarchism was and could be. You are sorely missed, mate. Abrazos.
"Stuart was a loyal fellow,
"Stuart was a loyal fellow, loyal to an ideal, a cause and to his friends and comrades. But allow us to highlight something else from Stuart’s curriculum vitae. Above all else, this dyed-in-the-wool Scottish anarchist, was a kindly person, with a great sense of humour. Affable and approachable, fond of hearing and lending an ear. Who never hesitated to put a question when there was something he did not understand and who was constantly learning.
"The international anarchist movement has lost a great stalwart. And the loss of the man, the activist and the intellectual will be sorely felt."
Chris Ealham and Julián Vadillo Muñoz https://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/jq2dg8
R Totale wrote: One bit of
R Totale
Shame the cringeworthy Clash didn’t read it.
I'd rather get no obituary
I'd rather get no obituary than a positive one from the Guardian. Weren't even polite enough to do a hatchet job on him.
There's an interview with
There's an interview with Christie from around the time of "Towards a Citizen's Militia" here: https://libcom.org/library/north-american-anarchist-vol-1-no-7-octobernovember-1980
MayDay Rooms have posted a
MayDay Rooms have posted a personal tribute written by John Barker https://maydayrooms.org/stuart_chrisite_john_barker/
https://archive.org/details/S
https://archive.org/details/StuartChristieBBC1980
Brian Barr reports on the background of anarchist Stuart Christie, who now lives on Sanday, Orkney. Gives a brief biography of Stuart Christie, why he moved to Orkney and what he thinks of the place. Christie discusses anarchism, Cienfuegos Press and the reason for publishing 'Towards a Citizens Militia'. The local alternative paper 'The Free Winged Eagle' is also mentioned. (Original broadcast BBC Current Account programme, 28 October 1980).
Of the Book and the Deed: A
Of the Book and the Deed: A Tribute to Stuart Christie
by Nathaniel Hong (from Fifth Estate # 408, Winter, 2021 )
You can read it at:
https://www.fifthestate.org/archive/408-winter-2021/of-the-book-and-the-deed/
Stuart Christie Memorial
Stuart Christie Memorial Archive Fundraiser
The fundraiser has reached
The fundraiser has reached its target (but don't let that stop you). The organiser says "Thank you all. It's going to be epic."
Stuart Christie's Life and
Stuart Christie's Life and Legacy w/ The Stuart Christ Memorial Archive https://soundcloud.com/12rulesforwhat/34-stuart-christies-life-and-legacy
Jess Thorne joins us to discuss the life and passing of Stuart Christie, one of the UK's most famous anarchists who is perhaps best known for participating in a plot to assassinate Franco in 1964.
We also discuss the radical prisoner support group which Christie refounded, the memorial archive and the value of past struggles in informing our politics today.
Jess’s obituary of Christie: maydayrooms.org/stuart_christie/
You can give money to the archive fundraiser here:
uk.gofundme.com/f/stuart-christie-memorial-archive
I can't remember where
I can't remember where Reddebrek was asking about if there's plans to save the Christie film archive, but that's covered in the interview at a bit past the 35-minute mark - short answer is that the plan is to have it hosted on the Mayday Rooms server.
Yup and I assume the website
Yup and I assume the website stuff is also covered, so that's good. It was an interesting interview I thought...
R Totale wrote: I can't
R Totale
Thanks, that's good news, the interview was good too. I was worried about the archive going, I was slowly copying stuff to the internet archive and sticking a few I though might get past the copyright police on youtube, and someone else has been adding the films alphabetically onto Kolektiva.
The full film archive is now
The full film archive is now hosted on Kolekitva here:
https://kolektiva.media/video-channels/stuartchristiearchive/videos
We have posted a handful of
We have posted a handful of Stuart's writings to mark the anniversary of his death. Also, we've been working on A Life for Anarchy: A Stuart Christie Reader (out later this year).
‘We hope this book will give you a sense of the richness and complexity of his life. We also hope it will act as a memorial, given that we haven’t been able to meet up and celebrate his life. […]
‘We know that this is not the final word on Stuart’s life. Seeing the materials that people are sharing with us and the Stuart Christie Memorial Archive, we feel as though we are constantly learning more. We hope this reader gives you a sense of the breadth of his experiences, and celebrates his humanity, his morality and his intuitive grasp of anarchism.’ (from the introduction)
More details https://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/k0p4c3
Quite a decent article in…
Quite a decent article in the Observer on Sunday about Christie's life and the forthcoming archive:
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jun/12/anarchist-publisher-would-be-assassin-exhibition-documents-life-of-stuart-christie
The archive at Mayday Rooms…
The archive at Mayday Rooms is live now and has an online presence which includes some cool scans.
https://stuartchristie.maydayrooms.org/