 |
Tom BellBritish communist.
Country:
 Great Britain |
Content:
- William Gallacher: A Trailblazing British Communist
- Political Activism
- In 1910, Gallacher married Lizzie Aitken.
- Founding the British Communist Party
- Soviet Connections
- Arrest and Imprisonment
- Later Life
- William Gallacher passed away in Glasgow on April 19, 1944.
William Gallacher: A Trailblazing British Communist
Early Life and EducationWilliam Gallacher was born into a working-class family in Glasgow, Scotland. He was the eldest of six children, including two younger brothers and two younger sisters. Gallacher's father was a stonemason.
From 1889 to 1904, Gallacher attended school while also working as a milk delivery boy. At the age of 15, he began working as an apprentice in a steel mill. Despite his long working hours, Gallacher pursued self-education, attending evening lectures at the Andersonian College in Glasgow.
Political Activism
In 1902, Gallacher joined the Independent Labour Party. He later transferred his allegiance to the Social Democratic Federation. After a split within the federation, Gallacher became a member of the breakaway Socialist Labour Party.
In 1910, Gallacher married Lizzie Aitken.
Role in the First World WarDuring World War I, Gallacher was a member of the Clyde Workers Committee. He represented shipyard strikers in negotiations with the Ministry of Munitions in London.
Founding the British Communist Party
In 1919, Gallacher was elected secretary of the Scottish Steelworkers' Union. He also played a key role in the Communist Unity Group, which sought to unify various communist groups in Britain.
When the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) was formed in 1920, Gallacher served as the party's national organizer.
Soviet Connections
In 1921, Gallacher traveled to Moscow and spent five months as a delegate to the Third Congress of the Communist International (Comintern). He was elected to the Comintern's Executive Committee.
In 1922, Gallacher and Arthur McManus represented the CPGB at the Fourth Congress of the Comintern. He remained in the Soviet Union until the end of 1922.
Arrest and Imprisonment
On August 4, 1925, Gallacher was arrested in Glasgow along with other communist leaders. He was convicted of sedition and incitement to insurrection and sentenced to six months in prison.
Later Life
In 1930, Gallacher joined the Friends of the Soviet Union and became its secretary in 1937. He also authored the book "History of the British Communist Party," which was published in 1937.
