Obituaries

The 15 people whose deaths Socialist Organiser marked between 1981 and 1984, from the hunger striker Micky Devine to the folk singer Luke Kelly: comrades of the movement, enemies of it, and musicians. In order of death.

Found by reading every article on this site, not only those headed as obituaries; several were set inside a neighbouring story and are filed under its headline, which is noted. Dates of death are from the obituary itself where it gives one, otherwise from the record. A political obituary, written for someone still living, is marked as one. The obituaries of every Red Mole archive are together at archives.redmole.org/obituaries/.

• Micky Devinedied 20 August 1981
  Micky Devine 1954-1981 must be smashed" in Socialist Organiser no. 50, 27 August 1981 · the tenth hunger striker to die, after 60 days
• Anwar Sadatdied 6 October 1981
  Sadat: the death of a stooge in Socialist Organiser no. 56, 8 October 1981 · a hostile obituary, on the front page
• Cornelius Cardewdied 13 December 1981
  Music to Serve in Socialist Organiser no. 84, 13 May 1982 · killed in a road accident at 45; written for a memorial concert
• Mikhail Suslovdied 25 January 1982
  Suslov: bloodstained creature of Stalinism in Socialist Organiser no. 71, 4 February 1982 · set inside the page filed as “Resistance to price increases” · a hostile obituary
• Sam Gordondied 12 March 1982
  Sam Gordon 1910-1982: death of a pioneer Trotskyist in Socialist Organiser no. 77, 18 March 1982 · set inside the page filed as “Engels Cap”
• Joe Gormleypolitical obituary, June 1982
  Gormley: prop for state in Socialist Organiser no. 89, 17 June 1982 · a political obituary on his peerage; he died in 1993
• Albert Spanswickdied 27 April 1983
  AST MS conterence Broad Left to Jenkins in Socialist Organiser no. 130, 5 May 1983 · set inside this page, among other items · general secretary of COHSE; a hostile notice
• Muddy Watersdied 30 April 1983
  Andrew Hornung looks back on the music of blues artist Mudd Waters, who died last week City blues rooted in the Delta sour in Socialist Organiser no. 131, 12 May 1983 · Andrew Hornung on his music
• Harry Jamesdied 5 July 1983
  SPOTLIGER Roosevelt Sykes, Harry Jam Farewell blues in Socialist Organiser no. 142, 4 August 1983 · one piece on both; it says they died in late July, but James died on 5 July
• Roosevelt Sykesdied 17 July 1983
  SPOTLIGER Roosevelt Sykes, Harry Jam Farewell blues in Socialist Organiser no. 142, 4 August 1983 · one piece on both
• Jonathan Hammonddied 17 August 1983
  On their knees to Tebbit in Socialist Organiser no. 144, 1 September 1983 · set inside this page, among other items · NUJ president 1982 and chair of the Socialist Organiser Alliance
  [ANDREW WIARD, REPORT JONATHAN • Hammond, last year's…] in Socialist Organiser no. 149, 6 October 1983 · report of his memorial meeting, by Martin Thomas
• Peter Sedgwickdied 8 September 1983
  Tribute to Peter Sedgwick in Socialist Organiser no. 157, 1 December 1983 · his Leeds memorial meeting of 19 November
• Peng Shuzhidied 28 November 1983
  Veteran revolutionary dies in Socialist Organiser no. 160, 5 January 1984 · printed as Peng Shu-tse
• Harry Selbydied 8 January 1984
  Harry Selby in Socialist Organiser no. 161, 12 January 1984 · Labour MP for Govan 1974-79
• Luke Kellydied 30 January 1984
  [CIENCE TWENTY years agoın Montreai a crackpot psychiatrist…] in Socialist Organiser no. 165, 9 February 1984 · set inside this page, among other items · of the Dubliners

Something wrong on this page? Tell us →