George Williamson, 'Scots Against War' (SAW) and Secretary of the Scottish Committee of 100.
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George Williamson, 'Scots Against War' (SAW) and Secretary of the Scottish Committee of 100.
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"Another of the many 'events' organised by the Scottish Committee of 100 in July 1963 was a two-month march from Glasgow to London via Dunfermline on the Firth of Forth, carrying a 24-foot long cardboard model of a Polaris rocket, which had been made in Josh Macrae’s basement. It was an anti-nuclear re-run of the Jarrow March of the 1930s.
As a Glasgow police inspector drily observed to George Williamson, the organiser of the march, ‘Ah canny help but note that this march tae London is heading due north. Is therr somethin’ ahm missin’ here?’
Of the 35 people who started out, I believe only 5 completed the march all the way on foot, in early September. One of those was Bill Beveridge, but I can’t remember who the others were. George Williamson usually went ahead by bus (to organise accommodation and refreshments at the next stop; a feature of the trip, which was celebrated in a commemorative song at the time).
‘On the Glasgow march to London
There were 24 of us
Twenty-three were marching
And George was on the bus.’
Personally, I didn’t make it beyond Falkirk, the first night’s stop, as I had to be back at work on the Monday. Our arrival in the town had been heralded by the press, and among those waiting to meet us were the local female ‘beatniks’, with beehive hairdos, stiletto heels, pencil skirts and black PVC shortie coats.
On one occasion, in the autumn of 1963 I think it was, I went out to Hamilton to look for George for some reason to do with the 'Scots Against War'. George wasn’t at home; he had gone off to the Locarno dance hall that night in search of 'executive and cultural relief' from the organisational and emotional demands made on him by the Glasgow Committee of 100.
George’s mum, Annie, a rather douce and proper West of Scotland lady who did not entirely approve of George’s activities, invited me in for a cup of tea and a chat. Apparently I made such an impression on her — one so young going on so seriously about Spain and Franco — she said ‘Dae ye no’ think ye’d be better aff at the dancin’, son?’
George told me later that after the news broke of my arrest in Spain she gave a deep sigh and said: ‘Ah wish tae Gawd that wee boy hud taken ma advice and gawn tae the dancin’ an’ fun’ a nice wee girl instead!"
Stuart Christie, July 2011
As a Glasgow police inspector drily observed to George Williamson, the organiser of the march, ‘Ah canny help but note that this march tae London is heading due north. Is therr somethin’ ahm missin’ here?’
Of the 35 people who started out, I believe only 5 completed the march all the way on foot, in early September. One of those was Bill Beveridge, but I can’t remember who the others were. George Williamson usually went ahead by bus (to organise accommodation and refreshments at the next stop; a feature of the trip, which was celebrated in a commemorative song at the time).
‘On the Glasgow march to London
There were 24 of us
Twenty-three were marching
And George was on the bus.’
Personally, I didn’t make it beyond Falkirk, the first night’s stop, as I had to be back at work on the Monday. Our arrival in the town had been heralded by the press, and among those waiting to meet us were the local female ‘beatniks’, with beehive hairdos, stiletto heels, pencil skirts and black PVC shortie coats.
On one occasion, in the autumn of 1963 I think it was, I went out to Hamilton to look for George for some reason to do with the 'Scots Against War'. George wasn’t at home; he had gone off to the Locarno dance hall that night in search of 'executive and cultural relief' from the organisational and emotional demands made on him by the Glasgow Committee of 100.
George’s mum, Annie, a rather douce and proper West of Scotland lady who did not entirely approve of George’s activities, invited me in for a cup of tea and a chat. Apparently I made such an impression on her — one so young going on so seriously about Spain and Franco — she said ‘Dae ye no’ think ye’d be better aff at the dancin’, son?’
George told me later that after the news broke of my arrest in Spain she gave a deep sigh and said: ‘Ah wish tae Gawd that wee boy hud taken ma advice and gawn tae the dancin’ an’ fun’ a nice wee girl instead!"
Stuart Christie, July 2011
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Stuart Christie
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Stuart Christie, “George Williamson, 'Scots Against War' (SAW) and Secretary of the Scottish Committee of 100.,” Stuart Christie Memorial Archive, accessed November 21, 2024, https://stuartchristie.maydayrooms.org/items/show/319.