Photographs From The Re-Dedication of the ILP Plaque

80th Anniversary of the Spanish Civil War Commemoration
‘Remembering Orwell and his fellow British and Irish Volunteers who fought Fascism in Spain’

Held Saturday September 24th September at the Working Class Movement Library, Salford.

On September 24th at the Working Class Movement Library, in Salford, Manchester, England a ceremony was held to re-dedicate a plaque to the volunteers who formed the Independent Labour Party group who fought Fascism as part of the POUM militia in Spain in 1936/37. Songs by the Clarion Choir and speeches about the ILP and the Aragon Front were heard. Also unveiled were relief sculptures by Frank Casey to John Cornford and Bob Smillie – both of whom died in Spain. Amongst those present: Richard Blair (George Orwell’s son: 3rd Left), Quentin Kopp (son of POUM commander Georges Kopp: Left), Dolores Long (daughter of Sam Wild Commander of the British Battalion), Barry Winter of the ILP and Chris Hall (author of the ‘In Spain with Orwell). Also present were relatives of ILP volunteers including three generations of ILP volunteer Bob Edwards’ family.

Also unveiled were relief sculptures by Frank Casey to John Cornford and Bob Smillie – both of whom died in Spain.

Bottom photograph: Dolores Long nee Wilde and Quentin Kopp

Thanks to Marshall Mateer for the photographs