New Online Resources for Radical Historians (2)

Up Against the Law: Towards a Rounded View of Convicts’ Lives

"Digital Panopticon: An experimental interface"

In the context of prison history, the original Panopticon was a type of architecture designed to enable constant surveillance of the prisoners by those in authority over them, a significant part of the "great incarceration" story. The Digital Panopticon focuses on prisoners, using multiple sets of historical records to uncover their largely hidden history, from trial onwards,  "determining what impact crime and punishment had on their lives." Emissaries from the project have been running workshops; if a notice appears in a library near you headed something like "Trace & Explore Convicts' Lives", it's well worth checking it out.

This is an endeavour clearly very relevant to radical historians, and we have the chance not only to benefit from the research that has already gone into it but to help take it further. (There are stated "research themes" although users will no doubt develop their own as they go along.) The website is free to search, and to register in case you want to add links to someone's "life archive" if you find they turn up in more than one dataset, or in the same one more than once. Beginning by trying to follow the stories of the 90,000 people sentenced at The Old Bailey between 1780 and 1875, the data available already exceed these limits.

Some Examples of links recently added, with radical connections:

1790s

JOHN FROST in Criminal Register, June & September 1793

"For uttering Seditions words at the Percy Coffee house"

19th century

RICHARD CARLILE in 1831 and 1834, in Old Bailey Proceedings

"indicted for a libel" and "for a nuisance." [more on this to follow]

Newport Rising: (a different) John Frost and Zephaniah Williams (previously noted)

20th century

Suffragettes: EMMELINE PANKHURST in Old Bailey Proceedings, 1912 AND 1913

 "were tried upon an indictment charging them with conspiring together and with one Christabel Pankhurst to unlawfully and maliciously damage and inciting others to unlawfully and maliciously damage certain property, to wit, glass windows, the property of the liege subjects of our Lord the King. The 54 counts of the indictment are referred to in the legal argument on May 21." AND ", feloniously procuring and inciting a person or persons unknown to commit felony; unlawfully soliciting and inciting persons unknown to commit felony and certain misdemeanours."

The 1912 conspiracy trial is described in: E. Sylvia Pankhurst, The Suffragette Movement: An Intimate Account of Persons and Ideals. (1931). Virago pbk. 1977. Bk.III, Ch. II, pp.386-392.

Often there is a lot of fascinating detail, and many records can be viewed in full.

The different sets of records - searchable singly or in combination - are, more or less:

Old Bailey Proceedings The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, 1674-1913

·     

Founders & Survivors (male and female):  "a partnership between historians, genealogists, demographers and population health researchers. It seeks to record and study the founding population of 73,000 men women and children who were transported to Tasmania. Many survived their convict experience and went on to help build a new society." 

Transportation Register: The British Convict transportation registers 1787-1867, "database compiled from the British Home Office (HO) records which are available on microfilm at all Australian State Libraries. You can find details for over 123 000 of the estimated 160 000 convicts transported to Australia in the 18th and 19th centuries - names, term of years, transport ships and more." 

Criminal Indent Convict records — State Records NSW Convict Indents list the convicts transported to New South Wales...

Bridewell Court of Governers [sic] Minute Books of the Court of Governors of Bridewell/St ... 

Coroners Inquest Records of inquests carried out by the coroner in England and Wales where a sudden, accidental, suspicious or unnatural death occurred...

/·          

Prison License [sic] (male and female): "Home Office and Prison Commission Licences... began to be issued in 1853 when the 1853 Penal Servitude Act officially substituted terms of transportation for terms of imprisonment. Licences granted convicts undertaking penal servitude freedom before the expiration of their sentence in a system closely modelled on the Australian ‘Ticket-of-Leave’. The licence system remained in place well into the twentieth century."

Memorial on Millbank commemorating transportees

Criminal Register [not sure about direct link for this]

Old Newgate

another BRAND NEW PAMPHLET from PAST TENSE

oh yes...

"CUNNING PLANS" - 
Tommy Atkins’ hidden tactics to avoid combat on the Western Front in WW1
or
Why ‘Blackadder Goes Forth’ could have been a lot funnier (and more subversive)

By Roger Ball

Mass refusals, mutinies, disobedience, strikes and out-right rebellion were all part of the British armed forces’ experience in World War 1. But on a day-to-day level, many soldiers were also actively constantly resisting the war effort - shirking, skulking, and avoiding combat. Though by its nature, these practices are usually clandestine and hard to document, ‘Cunning Plans’ briefly lifts the lid on this hidden resistance...

ISBN: 978-0-9932762-0-0

Price: £2.50

Available from the publications page on website: www.past-tense.org.uk
 (payment by paypal)

or by post, from
Past Tense c/o 56a Infoshop 56 Crampton Street, London SE17 3AE

(enclosing a cheque payable to Past Tense Publications, for £4.50 inc P&P).

Previous WW1-series pamphlets from Past Tense are also available.
..........................................
http://past-tense.org.uk
https://www.facebook.com/pasttensehistories
http://twitter.com/@_pasttense_

Two Book Launches at Housmans

On successive evenings next week, these interesting events:

BOOK LAUNCH
‘Red Rosa: A Graphic Biography of Rosa Luxemburg’
with Kate Evans
Tuesday 1st December, 7pm
Entry £3, redeemable against any purchase

A giant of the political left, Rosa Luxemburg is one of the foremost minds in the canon of revolutionary socialist thought. To Marx’s biographer Franz Mehring, no one came as close to the towering intellect of Marx himself.
But she was much more than just a thinker. She made herself heard in a world inimical to the voices of strong-willed women. She overcame physical infirmity and the prejudice she faced as a Jew to become an active revolutionary whose philosophy enriched every corner of an incredibly productive and creative life – her many friendships, her sexual intimacies, and her love of science, nature and art.
Always opposed to the First World War, when others on the German left were swept up on a tide of nationalism, she was imprisoned and murdered in 1919 fighting for a revolution she knew to be doomed.
Red Rosa gives Luxemburg her due as a radical and human being. In this beautifully drawn work of graphic biography, writer and artist Kate Evans has opened up her subject’s intellectual world to a new audience, grounding Luxemburg’s ideas in the realities of an inspirational and deeply affecting life.
Paperback, 224 pages
ISBN: 9781784780999
£9.99

BOOK LAUNCH
'Render the Chartists Defenceless' with Les James

Wednesday 2nd December, 7pm
Entry £3, redeemable against any purchase

Newport publishers Three Impostors announce the release of a new book revealing an explosive new twist in the story of the Newport Rising which was the last large-scale armed rebellion against authority in Great Britain when, on the 4th November 1839, somewhere between 1,000 and 5,000 Chartist sympathisers, led by John Frost, marched on the town of Newport, Monmouthshire.

Newport–born Hollywood actor Michael Sheen introduces the book, in which historian Les James describes the previously untold story of the voyage of Frost, Zephaniah Williams and William Jones to Van Diemen’s Land in 1840, to start their sentence of transportation for life for treason.*

Lulled at first by the kindness of those in authority on board the convict ship Mandarin, the prisoners gradually became aware of the web of intrigue and surveillance around them, and suspicious of the possibility of government spies watching their every move. Were these suspicions correct?

Les James is a former Museum Education Officer for Gwent, and Senior Lecturer at the University of Wales, Newport, with a long-standing research interest in south Wales Chartism. 

Three Impostors is a small publisher established in Newport in 2012 with the aim of producing high quality, scholarly versions of rare and out-of-print books, along with other related new writing. Their first book was a commemorative edition of 'Far Off Things' by Arthur Machen, published in 2013 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of his death.

*[RaHN note] Data newly available from the Digital Panopticon project (more on this to follow):

Transportation Register  24th February 1840

 John Frost  colony Van Diemen's Land  term 21 years  ship Mandarin

tried Monmouth Special Gaol Delivery  register text - 

"Convicted at Monmouth Special Gaol Delivery for a term of life."

Founders & Survivors  30th June 1840  John Frost age 55  b 1785  height 67  term 99 years

tried Special Gaol Delivery  trial date 10th December 1839  vdl departure date 25th February 1840

vdl arrival date 30th June 1840  ship vdl Mandarin  place of birth "Newport"

offence report "High Treason"  gaol report - 

"Convicted and imprisoned before for a Libel, otherwise his Character very good"

hulk report "Good"

Founders & Survivors   30th June 1840  Zephaniah Williams  age 44  b 1796  height 67

term 99 years  tried Special Gaol Delivery  trial date 10th December 1839

vdl departure date 25th February 1840  vdl arrival date 30th June 1840

ship vdl Mandarin  offence report "High Treason"  gaol report - 

"very good previous to this affair and former Mutiny"  hulk report "Good"

Transportation Register   24th February 1840  Zephaniah Williams  colony Van Diemen's Land

term 21 years  ship Mandarin  tried Monmouth Special Gaol Delivery

register text - "Convicted at Monmouth Special Gaol Delivery for a term of life."

(William Jones is more difficult to locate/identify in these records).

New Online Resources for Radical Historians (1)

1. Appeals Against Conscription in Scotland, First World War

Some Military Service Appeals Tribunal records are now available on ScotlandsPeople, as follows:

"Now available to search are 7,977 index entries relating to the Appeal cases of 5,820 men seeking exemption from military service between 1916 and 1918. Fully searchable by name, address, grounds, and occupation, the index is FREE* to search, offering access to a little-known series of records which are of importance to family and military historians alike. Each record is a full colour facsimile of the Appeal case documents, and for an introductory period, are only 10 credits (2.33GBP) to view. Find out more about the Military Service Appeals Tribunal Records.

*Index for Military Service Appeals Tribunal Records is free to search. Images are chargeable and can be viewed for 10 credits per document until 3 December 2015, and will cost 20 credits per document thereafter. "

[Unlike the Middlesex Appeal Tribunal records, these are unfortunately not free to download. Credits can be purchased on the website in batches of 30 for £7.]

"The Military Service Tribunal system was set up under the Military Service Act 1916, which set down the terms for mandatory military service and came into force on 2 March 1916. The new Military Service Act required all adult males, aged 18-41, to register for military service unless they were married, widowed with children, serving in the Royal Navy, a minister of religion, or working in a reserved occupation. From 1916, volunteers and conscripted men seeking exemption from military service could apply to Tribunals for temporary, conditional or permanent exemption. The Military Service Appeals Tribunal Records cover the Local Tribunal areas of Edinburgh, the Lothians and the Borders. Other chance survivals exist, including papers from the Ross, Cromarty and Sutherland (Lewis Section) Appeal Tribunal, which are preserved as part of Stornoway Sheriff Court records."

"Each set of case papers should include an appeal form, local tribunal application form and a notice of decision form which confirms the final decision of the Appeal Tribunal. The appeal application form gives the address, age and occupation in most cases. Some appeals papers include additional correspondence in support of the appeal. For some entries the appeal papers themselves do not survive, but related applications for medical re-examination have survived. This will be indicated in the relevant index entries. Applications for medical re-examination include the name of a person, address, occupation, age and the result of the examination."

"A minority of the cases were appeals made by conscientious objectors..."

Among the sample case studies presented on the website, one or two are of particular interest in relation to other material on this blog, on opposition to the war:-

 Robert Logan, a 21 year old coalminer from Tranent, was a conscientious objector. Applications on the ground of Conscientious Objection had to be supported with proof of ‘genuine conscientious conviction’ as set out in an official form. (Robert Logan, HH30/28/1/20)

In support of his appeal, Robert Logan wrote:

“In claiming exemption from Military Service I do so because as an International Socialist I believed it is immoral for man to take from his fellow man that which he cannot replace or return & as this presently applies to all human life I regard all such life as sacred & war immoral in the extreme. I believe in International Brotherhood not as an idle dream but as a social ideal possible of achievement. The workers of the world are bound by all the ties that bind kindred & more. They have the same aspirations & the same ideals & co-operate together with one another to add to the worlds store of happiness. No matter how perfidious Governments or our iniquitous press may disguise these facts & no matter how successful they may be in temporarily for their own material motives (Witness the "Secret Treaties" published by the Russian Bolshevik Government) in persuading certain groups of workers to hate one another & to act viciously towards one another & to act viciously towards one another I will not be a party to their crime against humanity.”

 This passionate expression of his ethics was effective. The Tribunal were unanimous that his convictions were sincere and he was granted exemption from combatant service on 11 May 1918. He died in Tranent in 1943, aged 49. 

[Robert Logan does not show up on the Pearce Register online]

Thirty-six year old Malcolm Martin was originally from Stornoway but by 1916 was working as a shepherd in Punta Arenas, South America. A temporary holiday back to the Isle of Lewis led to Malcolm’s appeal submitted 25 February 1916. (Malcolm Martin, SC33/62/1/34) 

“The appellant is a shepherd who came to Lewis on a visit shortly before the outbreak of the present war. He was not therefore ‘ordinarily resident’ in Great Britain on August 15 last and the Military Service Act does not apply to him. Further, he was engaged in his occupation as a Shepherd at Punta Arenas, South America and when making said visit to Lewis his intention was and is to return to Punta Arenas where he has a troop of horses and other property – all his property and interests are situated there and Some are now requiring Appellants personal attention”.

As he was not ordinarily resident and his business remained in Argentina, Malcolm applied for absolute exemption on grounds of serious hardship. His appeal was refused on 31 March 1916 “in respect that applicant doesn’t come within the exceptions specified in the first schedule to the Military Service Act 1916”.

Martin’s appeal was unsuccessful and he subsequently drowned with many other returning soldiers* when HMY Iolaire sank in The Minch, close to its destination, Stornoway, off the north-western coast of Scotland on 1 January 1919.

[*In fact most of the men lost were sailors who had been serving in the Royal Naval Reserve.]

Case studies as above are accompanied by images of extracts from the relevant documents.

Permanent Play Preferable to Patriotism

MY MOTTO

Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori

But not being patriotic, I’m afraid I don’t agree.

For if I had a motto I am sure that it would be

Melius et dulcius est – semper ludere.

13-year-old schoolgirl in the Nicolson Institute Annual (Stornoway, Isle of Lewis) 1961.
(Latin: melius = better; dulcius = sweeter; semper = always; ludere = to play)

Alan Woodward: Research / Archives Catalogue at the Bishopsgate Institute Library

(Alan was one of the Radical History Network convenors, Tottenham resident & activist)  

Now open for visits to view his collection of writings related to local actions, protests and strikes, minutes of local meetings, pamphlets, notes and more. See below and pdf here for more detail of contents. The contents are stored in boxes, available to view in the library on request. They are not yet fully archived, which is a very extensive and specialist process which the library hope to undertake in the future.

Opening hours Mon - Fri, 10am-5.30pm  - Bishopsgate Institute, 230 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 4QH 
http://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/Library/Library-and-Archive-Collections/Labour-and-Socialist-History/Woodward_Alan - sorry, this doesn't seem to work (Nov. 2018) Try -
http://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/LibraryCatalogue.aspx


ALAN WOODWARD Tottenham resident & activist (1939-2012)

Administrative/Biographical History:

Alan Woodward was born in London but was evacuated during the second world war. His extended family eventually settled in Broadstairs, Kent. He began to rebel during his national service, joining the tiny Socialist Review Group (later becoming the International Socialists, and then becoming the Socialist Workers Party) while training to be a teacher and remained a member for 40 years. While living in Tottenham, north London, in 1964, Woodward was the driving force in a campaign which set up tenants' associations across the borough to combat rent increases. He later moved to Coventry, where he took an MA at Warwick University and became a trade-union studies tutor, a role he continued until retirement, training hundreds of shop stewards.In the 1980s he returned to Tottenham and remained there for the rest of his life. In the early 1990s he was involved in protests against the British National Party and in 2002 he stood for Haringey council as a Socialist Alliance candidate.

After leaving the SWP and reconsidering his political outlook, Woodward became a "libertarian socialist", drawing on Marxism and anarchism. He was the industrial organiser of Haringey Trade Union Council, for which he edited news bulletins and three small volumes called Fragments, containing life stories of local militants. He was involved with numerous local organisations, was the convenor of the Radical History Network of North-East London, and wrote a number of self-published pamphlets on working-class history and an autobiography. In 2009, workers at the Visteon car parts factory in Enfield occupied the plant after being summarily dismissed. Woodward was there from the beginning and spent a week in the factory, sleeping on the floor. 

Scope and Content: 

Papers of socialist, writer and activist Alan Woodward (1939-2012), including:

·  minutes, papers, accounts, annual reports and papers of Haringey Trades Council, 1969-2011.

·  engagement diaries, letters, photographs and papers collected for the writing of Woodward's autobiography 'An Actor for Freedom', with drafts of the finished work, 1958-2007. 

·  drafts, research materials and papers gathered for writings on workers' socialism, the International Shop Steward Movement, anarchism, Joe Thomas, workers' councils, Joe Jacobs, 1921-2011. 

·  papers, minutes, ephemera and promotional material of the Radical History Network of NE London (RaHN), 1982-2010. 

·  minutes, papers and other records of Haringey Solidarity Group, 2000-2010. 

·  papers and records of Defend Council Housing and local activities in Haringey, 1995-2008. 

·  papers, minutes and other records concerning Woodward's involvement with the International Socialists, 1967-1971. 

·  papers and ephemera regarding miscellaneous strikes and campaigns, including anti-Poll Tax, the Wapping dispute, rail, postal, fire fighters and dock strikes, anti-terror legisation, anti trade union legislation, the Liverpool Dock Strike, the Arnaouti Bakery Workers' Strike, health and safety at work, LGBT rights, 1948-2011. 

·  papers, records and minutes of Haringey Against Privatisation, 1998-2004. 

·  papers and ephemera of the London Socialist Historians Group, 1996-2009. 

·  papers, minutes and records regarding local and radical history in Haringey, including papers of the Haringey Local History Forum, 2001-2006. 

·  papers and records regarding the Red Readers' Project, 1989-1990. 

·  papers and records of the Socialist Workers' League, 1937-1956.

Quantity: 62 Boxes


Sample entries, from many more:-

WOODWARD/84

Radical History Network of NE London

2006-2009

Radical History Network of NE London: papers and ephemera regarding events and speakers, promotional material and information on kindred groups, 2006-2009.

OPEN

WOODWARD/95

Radical History Network of NE London

1982-2010

Radical History Network of NE London: minutes, papers regarding events and speakers, promotional material, research material and information on kindred groups, 1982-2010.

OPEN

The 2016 London Rebel History Calendar

That Time of Year Again, Again...

Presented by Past Tense

Spanking new and all inky off the press...

The 2016 London Rebel History Calendar

Past Tense's third annual calendar, commemorating our selection of the radical, rebellious, subversive and occasionally downright surreal anniversaries, which inspire us, provoke debate and hopefully spread knowledge and enjoyment. We do it because we love it. If you find it useful, makes you think, leads you to something you didn't know, or just makes you laugh and dance with the joy of defiance - that's what we were aiming for... 

A date from London history for every day of 2016: strikes and riots; rowdy parties and occupations; births (no marriages) and deaths. And much more...

Written and designed by angry amateur hysterians, and printed in several colours by artisans in South London.

Yours for just £5.00... Plus £2.00 Postage & Packing

Available from the publications page on our website:
www.past-tense.org.uk

(payment by paypal)

or by post, from
Past Tense
c/o 56a Infoshop
56 Crampton Street,
London
SE17 3AE

enclosing a cheque for £7.00, payable to Past Tense Publications.

UPDATE:
Copies of the London Rebel History Calendar are running out fast...
If you are interested in a copy and want to order one from past tense direct, it might be best to order it relatively soon... [see above]

It's only £5 plus P&P...

The Calendar is also available from the following London bookshops:

Central London

Bookmarks Bookshop - http://www.bookmarksbookshop.co.uk
Bookart Bookshop - http://www.bookartbookshop.com
Atlantis Bookshop - 49a Museum Street, London, WC1A 1LY
ICA Bookshop - https://www.ica.org.uk/shop

North London

Housmans - http://housmans.com
Muswell Hill Bookshop - http://muswellhillbookshop.com
Stoke Newington Bookshop - http://www.stokenewingtonbookshop.co.uk New
Beacon Bookshop - http://www.georgepadmoreinstitute.org
Ti-pi-tin - http://www.tipitin.com

East London

Freedom Bookshop - http://www.freedombooks.co.uk
Newham Bookshop - http://www.newhambooks.co.uk
Brick Lane Bookshop - http://www.bricklanebookshop.org
Broadway Bookshop - http://www.broadwaybookshophackney.com
X Marks the Bokship - http://www.bokship.org
Black Cat Cafe - http://blackcatcafe.co.uk

South London

56a Info Shop - http://www.56a.org.uk
Electric elephant Cafe - http://electricelephantcafe.co.uk
Bookseller Crow - http://booksellercrow.co.uk
Review Bookshop - http://www.reviewbookshop.co.uk
Calder Books - http://calderbookshop.com/index.html
Clapham Bookshop - http://www.claphambooks.com
Herne Hill Bookshop - http://hernehillbooks.com
Vanilla & Black Coffee Books - 306-308 Kennington Road, London SE11 4LD
Kirkdale Bookshop - http://kirkdalebookshop.com

and these distributors

AK Distribution - http://akuk.com

Active Distribution - http://www.activedistributionshop.org

---------------------------------------------------------
Spread the Word!

Little Rebels Award for Radical Fiction

IAs in previous years, submissions are being invited for the Little Rebels Award for Radical Fiction. The award is run by Letterbox Library on behalf of the Alliance of Radical Booksellers. 

Little Rebels is now in its 4th year and organisers are "delighted that, even while the award and its administration are entirely unfunded, interest in it just keeps growing." 

To sign up to the posts about this go to the wordpress site. "This is the easiest way to stay up to date about the award. Updates are very modest so your inbox honestly won't get inundated. Meantime do also keep an eye on any #littlerebels twitterings..."

The Little Rebels Award wordpress site has been updated now with the tweaked submissions guidelines https://littlerebelsaward.wordpress.com/submitting-a-book/  And they have also updated the Judges section to introduce the new addition to the panel author Catherine Johnson

  , .

(The news section of the site is to be updated shortly with 1) 'we have a new judge!' and 2) 'submissions now open!' announcements.)

Letterbox Library

a not-for-profit social enterprise

Unit 151 Stratford Workshops

Burford Road

Stratford

London

E15 2SP

Tel: 0208 5347502 / Fax: 0208 555 7880

Email: info@letterboxlibrary.com

Web: www.letterboxlibrary.com

Subscribe to our newsletter  

************

Press Release in full:

11.11.15 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Author to Join Judging Panel for Little Rebels Award

for Radical Children’s Fiction

The Alliance of Radical Booksellers (ARB) is thrilled to announce that the Little Rebels Children’s Book Award for radical children’s fiction is back for its 4^th year. The Little Rebels Award recognises children’s fiction which promotes social justice and social equality. The award is given by the Alliance of Radical Booksellers (ARB) and is administered by specialist children’s booksellers, Letterbox Library. The closing date for nominations is January 11^th 2016.

This year, author Catherine Johnson will be joining the Little Rebels Award judges. Speaking about the award, Catherine said, “I am so looking forward to being on the judging panel. Of course there are more and more awards and more and more books every year but there is something completely different and very important about Little Rebels. The books shortlisted are all incredibly special books that encourage radical ideas as well as fabulous storytelling. Stories that aren’t afraid of topics that might include race and sex and class. Important and wonderful books. I cannot wait”.

Catherine Johnson is the author of 14 novels for children and young adults. In 2013, she won the Young Quills Best Historical Fiction prize for Sawbones (Walker 2013) and her latest novel, The Curious Tale of the Lady Caraboo (Corgi Books/Random House UK 2015), has been nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2016. Catherine also writes for screen and TV, including the drama Bullet Boy (2004) and Holby City.

Catherine Johnson was one of the speakers on The Diversity Manifesto panel at the Stoke Newington Literary Festival in June this year. Nor is she new to the world of radical children’s literature. Attending a panel at the London Radical Bookfair back in 2014, she said, “I think the best children’s literature always has a bit of radical about it- from Dr Seuss and Philip Pullman to Malorie Blackman- the best stories are always pushing at the boundaries”.

Catherine Johnson will be joined by last year’s Little Rebels Award judges: award-winning children’s author, Elizabeth Laird, who is also one of IBBY’s current nominations for the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award; Bookstart co-founder, editor and Eleanor Farjeon Award recipient (2006), Wendy Cooling; Professor of Children’s Literature at Newcastle University and author of Radical Children’s Literature (Palgrave MacMillan: 2010), Kim Reynolds.

The Little Rebels Children’s Book Award is a sister award to the Bread & Roses Award, which recognises radical adult non-fiction published in the UK. Both awards are the inspiration of the Alliance of Radical Booksellers, a network of radical booksellers in the UK. Both prizes will be presented at the 4^th London Radical Bookfair on Saturday May 7^th 2016.

Publishers are being invited to submit children’s fiction for readers aged 0-12 which promote social justice and which were first published in 2015. Full submission guidelines can be found at www.littlerebelsaward.wordpress.com.

***

ENDS

Contact:

Fen Coles

info@letterboxlibrary.com

Letterbox Library

Unit 151 Stratford Workshops

Burford Road

Stratford E15 2SP

Tel: 020 8534 7502

Further Information

About Letterbox Library

Letterbox Library is a 32-year-old, not-for-profit, children’s booksellers and social enterprise. They specialise in children’s books which celebrate diversity, equality & inclusion. Further information can be found at www.letterboxlibrary.com.

About the Alliance of Radical Booksellers (ARB)

The ARB is a supportive community for the UK’s radical booksellers; www.radicalbooksellers.co.uk. Members of the ARB include Housmans Bookshop, Gay’s The Word, News from Nowhere, Freedom Bookshop and Letterbox Library. The ARB runs the Bread & Roses Award for Radical Publishing, administered by Housmans Bookshop. This independent prize for adult non-fiction ran for the first time in 2011. For more information go to www.bread-and-roses.co.uk .

About the Little Rebels Children’s Book Award

Full details of the award, including the shortlist and prize giving ceremony for previous years, can be found at:  www.littlerebelsaward.wordpress.com .

About the London Radical Bookfair

Hosted by the ARB, this fair was run for the first time on May 11^th  2013. The fair is now run in partnership with the Alternative Press Takeover 2014; full details at: www.londonradicalbookfair.com .

Significant dates

The closing date for nominations for the Little Rebels Award is Jan 11^th 2016; the shortlist will be announced in April 2016; the winner will be announced at the ARB’s London Radical Bookfair on Saturday May 7^th 2016.