Joe Thomas (communist)
Encyclopedia
Joe Thomas was a communist
activist in London
during the middle of the twentieth century.
Joe was born to Welsh parents in Cricklewood
, London
on 27 February 1912. His father was a shop-keeper in the leather trade and an active freemason. Joe attended Haberdashers' Aske's Hampstead School
, a local minor public school
, to which his father was a supplier. His interest in socialism
may have arisen in reaction to this establishment. He was active in the Young Communist League
, coming into contact with Tom Mann
, John Gollan
and John Ross Campbell
. By 1933 he was a junior clerical worker for ASLEF in Hampstead.
He visited Campbell in Paris in 1936 and met senior Russian members of the Comintern
. He was involved in the Workers' Olympic Committee
which planned to organise an alternative to the Nazi Berlin Olympics. The proposal was shelved because of the Spanish Civil War
.
In 1947 Joe joined the Oehlerite
Leninist League
set up by his old comrade Dennis Levine.
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
activist in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
during the middle of the twentieth century.
Joe was born to Welsh parents in Cricklewood
Cricklewood
Cricklewood is a district of North London, England whose northeastern part is in the London Borough of Barnet, western part is the London Borough of Brent and southeastern part is in London Borough of Camden.-History:...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 27 February 1912. His father was a shop-keeper in the leather trade and an active freemason. Joe attended Haberdashers' Aske's Hampstead School
Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School
The Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School is a British independent school for boys aged 4–19. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and of the Haileybury Group....
, a local minor public school
Independent school (UK)
An independent school is a school that is not financed through the taxation system by local or national government and is instead funded by private sources, predominantly in the form of tuition charges, gifts and long-term charitable endowments, and so is not subject to the conditions imposed by...
, to which his father was a supplier. His interest in socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
may have arisen in reaction to this establishment. He was active in the Young Communist League
Young Communist League
The Young Communist League was or is the name used by the youth wing of various Communist parties around the world. The name YCL of XXX was generally taken by all sections of the Communist Youth International.Examples of YCLs:...
, coming into contact with Tom Mann
Tom Mann
Tom Mann was a noted British trade unionist. Largely self-educated, Mann became a successful organiser and a popular public speaker in the labour movement.-Early years:...
, John Gollan
John Gollan
John Gollan was a leader of the Communist Party of Great Britain .Born in Edinburgh, Gollan joined the CPGB and the Young Communist League aged sixteen. He became a signwriter but was soon imprisoned for distributing an anti-militarist leaflet...
and John Ross Campbell
John Ross Campbell
John Ross "Johnny" Campbell , best known as "J.R. Campbell," was a British communist activist and newspaper editor. Campbell is best remembered as the principal in the so-called Campbell Case...
. By 1933 he was a junior clerical worker for ASLEF in Hampstead.
He visited Campbell in Paris in 1936 and met senior Russian members of the Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
. He was involved in the Workers' Olympic Committee
Spartakiad
Spartakiad initially was the name of an international sports event that the Soviet Union attempted to use to both oppose and supplement the Olympics...
which planned to organise an alternative to the Nazi Berlin Olympics. The proposal was shelved because of the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
.
In 1947 Joe joined the Oehlerite
Hugo Oehler
-Biography:An active trade unionist, Oehler joined the Communist Party USA in its early days, and by 1927 was a district organizer for the party in Kansas...
Leninist League
Leninist League (UK)
The Leninist League was Oehlerite organisation set up by Dennis Levin in Glasgow, Scotland in 1932, originally as the Glasgow Leninist League.August Thalheimer of the Communist Party Opposition sent regular reports to the Leninist League while he was in Spain, during the Spanish Revolution.During...
set up by his old comrade Dennis Levine.