Thursday, March 24, 2005
Chris Pallis
Chris Pallis, one of the founders of the libertarian group Solidarity died on March 10th. I attended his funeral last Sunday at Golders Green Crematorium. Present were other old members of Solidarity like Ken Weller, Bob Potter, Graham Jimpson, David Goodway and John Quail as well as people like John Rety, one-time editor of Freedom, and various members of the medical establishment. The latter testified to Chris's critical and non-hierarchical approach to his work. His long-time partner Jeanne, sitting in the front row of the chapel, seemed to be overwhelmed with grief for most of the remembrance. At the end the doors to the sombre chapel swung open on to the graveyard, which was showing the first signs of spring. In these days of hopelessness the message of hope that Chris Pallis brought to so many people, is still there as a dormant seed, ready to germinate. But when?
I first read Solidarity pamphlets when me and a couple of other friends of mine from YouthCND went round the flat of a guy called Mick Shrapnell. I was a bit put off by the sub-title of the magazine "For Workers Power". As a young anarchist, the word power seemed anathema to me, and it was only later that I fully understood what the Solidarity group meant. Over the next few years I read practically every Solidarity pamphlet and magazine. The group had a very important influence on British revolutionary politics (as well as abroad) . Solidarity was a featherweight punching like a heavyweight in reference to size and influence.
I reminisced with John Quail about the first time we met back in 1967. He was hitching one way on a motorway (near Hitchin!) and me the other . The road was quiet. I was with another anarchist, Richard Miller ( we co-founded the Brighton Anarchist Group) We wandered over to chat. We noticed his little badge inscribed with "Burn Baby Baby" and quickly discovered that we were of the same persuasion!
Chris Pallis, one of the founders of the libertarian group Solidarity died on March 10th. I attended his funeral last Sunday at Golders Green Crematorium. Present were other old members of Solidarity like Ken Weller, Bob Potter, Graham Jimpson, David Goodway and John Quail as well as people like John Rety, one-time editor of Freedom, and various members of the medical establishment. The latter testified to Chris's critical and non-hierarchical approach to his work. His long-time partner Jeanne, sitting in the front row of the chapel, seemed to be overwhelmed with grief for most of the remembrance. At the end the doors to the sombre chapel swung open on to the graveyard, which was showing the first signs of spring. In these days of hopelessness the message of hope that Chris Pallis brought to so many people, is still there as a dormant seed, ready to germinate. But when?
I first read Solidarity pamphlets when me and a couple of other friends of mine from YouthCND went round the flat of a guy called Mick Shrapnell. I was a bit put off by the sub-title of the magazine "For Workers Power". As a young anarchist, the word power seemed anathema to me, and it was only later that I fully understood what the Solidarity group meant. Over the next few years I read practically every Solidarity pamphlet and magazine. The group had a very important influence on British revolutionary politics (as well as abroad) . Solidarity was a featherweight punching like a heavyweight in reference to size and influence.
I reminisced with John Quail about the first time we met back in 1967. He was hitching one way on a motorway (near Hitchin!) and me the other . The road was quiet. I was with another anarchist, Richard Miller ( we co-founded the Brighton Anarchist Group) We wandered over to chat. We noticed his little badge inscribed with "Burn Baby Baby" and quickly discovered that we were of the same persuasion!
Labels: Chris Pallis, Libertarian socialism, Solidarity
