ALEXANDER ANDERSON

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ALEXANDER ANDERSON (1877-1926)

Alexander was born on 21 May 1877 in Ormiston, which is 7 miles outside Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland. Unfortunately I have been unable to find anything about his birth family or youth.

By 1911 he was married to Margaret Pearson, from Fife. They had married in 1901 and had five children:  Margaret 8, Lenora 6, Charlotte 4, Alex 2, Annie 7 months and were living in Tottenham at No.2 and 11 Flat, South Witham, Mount Pleasant Road.  Both parents were very politically active, having both been involved in the founding of the Socialist Party of Great Britain (see note at end);  Alexander had stood in 1910 as a local election candidate in St. Ann’s Ward, Tottenham, and he was well-known as a public speaker.

Alexander changed jobs many times and seems to have taken whatever he could to earn enough to support his family. In 1911 he worked for a mineral water factory and by 1916 he was a Foreman Packer for Lime Juice Merchants (Alexander Riddle and Co. Ltd, who supplied the forces) and earned £2 5s a week.   The family was then living at 49 Downhills Park Road, Tottenham.

On 22^nd June 1916 Alexander applies to Tottenham Tribunal for exemption from military service on grounds of conscience based on the Socialist Ideal of Brotherhood.  He also applies on numerous other grounds:  work (supplying the forces), a young family who would suffer hardship, his own health issues: rheumatism, bad knee, bad teeth, etc. and says:“I cannot violate my conscience by killing my fellows nor betray 21 years public life and work for the Socialist ideal of human brotherhood as I understand it.”   He was given exemption provided he continued in his present employment.

At some point between then and 31 January 1917 Alexander seems to have appeared before the Middlesex Appeal Tribunal – his file contains a letter to Robert Young Construction Co. Ltd. saying Alex was granted exemption conditional upon being employed by them on war work.  Robert Young were aircraft component manufacturers but at what point did Alex leave his former employment?

The following May his certificate of exemption is withdrawn after application from the Military Rep to the Tribunal. Alexander appeals against this claiming  “Serious domestic and financial hardship would fall on my 6 dependents and others and my conscience violated were I to accept Military Service.  The Local Tribunal, in reviewing my case seemed quite unable, or unwilling, to weigh evidence of appreciate facts.”

 On 14 June 1917 the Middlesex Appeal Tribunal hears his appeal to renew his certificate. Alex is now 40 years old and on 18th June 1917 his certificate of exemption is renewed to 30^th September conditional on staying in his present employment – with Riddles.  There is a supporting letter from Riddles (Lime Juice Manufacturers) at this hearing.  This seems to contradict the 31st January reference to Robert Young.   It is not easy to make sense of all of Alexander’s records!

On 24th September Alex writes to the Tribunal requesting a further extension and sends another supporting letter from Riddles.   A month later the Tribunal grants a further extension, not to continue working at Riddles, but providing Alex joins the Special Constabulary.

On 13th November a letter is sent to the Tribunal from Commander of ‘N’ Division of the Metropolitan Police (Stoke Newington), referring to the fact that Alex had been granted 3 months exemption conditional on joining the Special Constabulary.  The Commander states:

“I am unable to accept him in the Service. He is a well-known Socialist street-corner orator and his presence in our ranks would cause considerable dismay among the respectable public.  That there is a conviction against him on the books of obstructing the Police at Harrow two years ago also make his chance of joining the Force hopeless.”   After receiving this, Middlesex Tribunal. contact Alex telling him that “we desire that you shall join the Volunteer Force in lieu of joining the Special Constabulary.”

On 24th November Alex writes in answer to the above request asking if they have forgotten that he has a bad knee and was graded C2 as discussed at the Tribunal hearing on 24^th October?   Could he instead work voluntarily in the Food Controller’s Office, otherwise he will do as they ask.

When asked about dependants other than wife and children, he tells them of “Mrs. Grace Pearson, aged 73, wife’s mother is provided with a home otherwise would go to the workhouse.”   It is not clear which, if either, of the above options is allowed to Alexander.

In January 1918 he writes to the Middlesex Tribunal reminding them his period of three months’ exemption is almost up, asking for an appeal form and on 30th January 1918 his renewed appeal is heard. Three days later they exempt Alex subject to being in full-time work with Robert Young Construction.  No time limit seems to be attached to this exemption.

That is all we know from his records.   He died in Tottenham on 16^th September 1926 aged 48.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM ONLINE SOURCES:

From Wikipedia:

Alexander Anderson (c. 1878–1926) was a British socialist who helped found the Socialist Party of Great Britain.Like most SPGB founder members Anderson had previously been in the Social Democratic Federation, however it was another individual of the same name who held various posts in that party. He was a member of the May 1904 Provisional Committee which led to the formation of the SPGB in June. .Anderson was one of the Party’s top speakers in the period before the First World War and was also active as an administrator, being an Executive Committee member from 1904 to 1922 and Party Organiser from 1909 to 1915. He was briefly Acting General Secretary in 1905 (August to October) and stood as a local election candidate in St. Ann’s Ward, Tottenham in 1910.Anderson was a house painter by trade but was more usually out of work. He married another founder member, Margaret Pearson. He died on 16 September 1926 of arterial sclerosis, aged 48.

THE DEATH OF COMRADE ALEXANDER ANDERSON (1926)

Obituary from the October 1926 issue of the Socialist Standard

It is with profound regret we have to inform our readers that, after a long and distressing illness, our old comrade, Alexander Anderson, died on September 16th, at the age of 48. He was one of that determined few who in 1904 made history by founding the Socialist Party of Great Britain. During the twenty-two years of our existence his loyalty to the Party and to the working class has been steadfast and unwavering. A born orator, he was never happier than when on the platform, expounding our position, or riddling that of our opponents. Hundreds attended the funeral at Tottenham Cemetery, and a short address was made on behalf of the Party. To those who did not know our comrade, a pen portrait would convey little, and to those who knew him it would be sadly inadequate. It is at intimate, human moments such as these that we realise how much is embraced in the term “Comrade.” There is an old and hackneyed saying that in death all men are equal. It is our late comrade’s chiefest glory that his life-long efforts were directed towards the achievement by mankind of equality in life. He died a member of the Party he helped to found. We tender to his wife and children the warmest sympathy of the whole Party.

IWM/PR

NA/MH47

Jennifer Bell