Ken Weller (1935-2021), author of "Don't be a Soldier"

[Kate Sharpley]

Sad news, which you may not have heard:
News from Libcom Ken Weller RIP
Obituary from Nick Heath at the ACG Obituary: Ken Weller (1935-2021)
Nice piece from the Radical History Network in 2015 Comradely 80th Birthday Greetings to KEN WELLER
which includes, towards the end, an assessment of 'Don't be a soldier' from Cyril Pearce (and link):
"Possibly the first work to contradict the assertions that from 1914 to 1918 there had been a ‘national’ consensus in favour of war was Ken Weller’s ‘Don’t be a soldier!’ The Radical Anti-war Movement in North London, 1914–1918. It is an account of the anti-war movement in the North London boroughs of Islington, Hackney, Stoke Newington and parts of Middlesex […]Weller’s work has been influential in encouraging others to look more closely at their local war resisters. "
Writing about Britain’s 1914-18 War Resisters - Literature Review | Reviews in History

 

[butchersapron]

Very sorry to hear this. Some great work and a good life. I wonder how John Quail is getting on with his long mooted history of Solidarity.

 

[Benjamin F]

Very sorry to hear this. Some great work and a good life. I wonder how John Quail is getting on with his long mooted history of Solidarity.

Is that still going ahead? I've heard about this proposed volume for nearly 20 years - I hope it's out soon whilst some of the old Solidarity guard are still around to read it. So sorry to hear of Ken Weller's passing.

As Kate Sharpley's post indicates Ken and Solidarity more broadly have had a significant, if under-recognised, influence on aspects of British culture. From the TV drama The Monocled Mutineer (and the controversy surrounding it), to Class War to the format of medical training books for doctors...

 

[butchersapron]

Is that still going ahead? I've heard about this proposed volume for nearly 20 years - I hope it's out soon whilst some of the old Solidarity guard are still around to read it. So sorry to hear of Ken Weller's passing.

As Kate Sharpley's post indicates Ken and Solidarity more broadly have had a significant, if under-recognised, influence on aspects of British culture. From the TV drama The Monocled Mutineer (and the controversy surrounding it), to Class War to the format of medical training books for doctors...

The last i heard, which was maybe 5 or 6 years ago i think, in the socialist history society notes maybe - is that JQ aimed to get started when he retired. All the material has been amassed. Now retired - but i have no idea beyond that. Would love if this came to fruition or if the project became a wider collective one or something if JQ was unable to complete.

 

[Kate Sharpley]

Thoughts on 'Don't be a Soldier' from the KSL
" Have a read of Don’t be a Soldier! It’s a great work of uncovering radical history – and there’s still more to learn."
Ken Weller (1935-2021) and ‘Don’t be a Soldier!’

 

[imposs1904]

Very sorry to hear this. Some great work and a good life. I wonder how John Quail is getting on with his long mooted history of Solidarity.

He isn't. Apparently, he's passed on all his research on the proposed history onto the same people who are preparing a Ken Weller Reader for PM Press. He will be advising them. Looking at another 2/3 years before it might be out.

All the above info gleaned from Twatter.

 

[hitmouse]

Oh, I didn't realise there was a Ken Weller reader planned, that is nice to know.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Chris Spannos is I think one of the people involved with the Reader. He posted this amusing press cutting on twitter: