Monday, January 12, 2009

Celebrating the Politics & Life of George Lansbury

I’ve mentioned the famous former leader of Poplar Council, local MP and leader of the Labour Party before here and here. I use to manage a building in Bow called “George Lansbury House. Which stand on the site of his former family home. His home was destroyed by German bombers a few months after his death. There is a memorial to him there with the words “A Great Servant of the People”.

I picked up this flyer in my local “Idea Store” (fancy new name for Library) this lunchtime.

There is a whole week of events celebrating the 150th anniversary of his birth. On Saturday 21st February there is a walking history tour of “Radical Bow”, Sunday 22nd a memorial Church service (with Bruce Kent), Wednesday 25th a panel discussion at the House of Lords “Party Rebel and Labour Party leader” (Roy Hattersley, Shirley Williams and Alun Michael MP) and Friday 27th February another panel in Bromley Hall (with Tony Benn) on “The Most Lovable Figure in modern Politics”.

A number of unions including UNISON are sponsoring the events.

Further information contact Nigel Whiskin on 01793 747 362 or whiskin06atbtinternetdotcom.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting about the panel discussion with Shirley Williams et al. Any talk delivered by Shirley is a great treat for the mind -- if you haven't seen her live, she is just one of those rare politicians who is able to explain complex ideas well and clearly, effortlessly. I heard her speak at Harvard when she served as a well-respected professor several times -- she often leaves crowds awed by her intelligence and approachablity, candor and humor.

Anonymous said...

his daughter in law (His son Edgar's wife) Minnie Lansbury (nee Glassman) born 1889 a school teacher was also a great socialist (Workers Socialist Federation with Sylvia Pankhurst)

As a Labour/Communist Poplar Councillor, she was sent to Holloway jail for her role in the Poplar revolt in 1921 (with five other women)

She died on 1st January 1922 of pneumonia as a direct result of prison treatment

She was buried in the Jewish cemetery in East Ham.

There is a Minnie Lansbury Memorial Clock on Electric House in Bow Road, Tower Hamlets

Edgar Lansbury remarried and his daughter is the the great actress Angela Lansbury.

Anonymous said...

i have always believed she regreted leaving the party

I felt sorry for her as she was no more right wing than TB and we are a very broad church

I am a independent marxist and she right wing Fabian but always felt are party should be as broad as possible

Its the Clarkes and the Milburns I cannot stand