Name Glossary

Bell, Herbie (1895-1978) – Left wing agitator in the First World War. Joined the ILP, became a councillor in Wallsend and Northumberland. He was a despatch rider in the 1926 General Strike. In 1944 joined the RCP and stood as the RCP candidate in Wallsend in 1945. Rejoined the Trotskyist movement in the 1960s and was active in the Labour Party.

Bornstein, Sam (1920-1990) – Joined the WIL shortly before the war, becoming active in the Stepney branch. Supported the majority position against Healy in the RCP. Leading figure in the Open Party faction. Linked up again with Ted Grant during the mid-50s for a period. Later worked with Al Richardson in the writing of two histories of British Trotskyism as well as helping to establish the journal Revolutionary History.

Brockway, Fenner (1888-1988) – Author and Humanist, he was a leading member of the ILP during the 1930s after its split from the Labour Party (he had been a Labour MP from 1929-31) serving as General Secretary in 1928 and from 1933 up to 1939. He strongly opposed Trotsky’s call for a Fourth International. Rejoined the LP later becoming a Labour MP in 1950 and from 1964 a Labour Peer.

Cannon, James P (1890-1974) – American Trotskyist leader. Came to prominence as an organiser for the IWW and as a member of Eugene Debs’ Socialist Party. A founding member of the Communist Labour Party in 1919, he rose to a leading position in that organisation, attending many important conferences including the Communist International in 1928 where, already in conflict with the leadership of the US party, he came into contact with Trotsky’s opposition to Stalin. Breaking with the Communist Party he helped lead the Left Opposition in the USA, subsequently becoming National Secretary of the American SWP. Books include History of American Trotskyism and Struggle For a Proletarian Party (1943). The transcript of his testimony at the 1941 trial of twenty-eight members of the SWP under the Smith Act was published in book form as Socialism on Trial (1942).

Cliff, Tony (Ygael Gluckstein) (1917-2000) – Moved to Britain from Israel after the war having been influenced by Trotsky’s ideas. Joining the RCP, he later became a leading exponent of the theory of ‘state capitalism’. Helped form the Socialist Review Group in 1950, subsequently becoming the leading theoretician of the International Socialists and then the SWP (UK).

Collins, Sam – Member of the Marxist Group working in the ILP. Interviewed Trotsky in 1936 in Norway whilst on holiday (see Trotsky’s Writings On Britain) but left politics after the war.

Deane, Arthur (1922-2012) – One of the younger layer of activists in the WIL and RCP, supported an Open Party position in 1949. Brother of Jimmy and Brian. Participated with Ted Grant in the launching the International Socialist (1952), Socialist Fight (1958), and then Militant (1964).

Deane, Gertie (1894-1989) – Father was in the SDF and first Labour councillor in Liverpool. Introduced to James Larkin, James Connolly and Victor Grayson. Was a Suffragette, and later convinced of Trotskyism by her sons, Jimmy, Arthur and Brian. Member of the WIL and RCP, and later with the Grant Tendency.

Deane, Jimmy (1921-2002) – Recruited in Merseyside in the 1930s into the Militant Group. Along with Ted Grant and Jock Haston he played a leading role in the RCP. Close collaborator of Ted Grant throughout the 1950s and first half of the 1960s, but became politically inactive. He continued to give our tendency moral and political support throughout his life.

Dewar, Hugo (1908-1980) – At first member of the ILP, joined the CP becoming a member of the Balham Group. Expelled from CP in August 1932. Refused with Groves to join the Trotskyists in the ILP. Later joined the RSL in 1938 and remained semi-active thereafter, writing both historical material and poetry.

Frank, Pierre (1905-1984) – Joined the CP in 1925. Joined the Left Opposition in 1927, later serving as Trotsky’s secretary whilst he was at Prinkipo in 1932-3. A member of the International Secretariat of the Left Opposition during the 1930s, he broke with this organisation as part of the Molinier Group. In the 1940s rejoined the Trotskyists and subsequently rose to become a leading member of the various post-war formations of the ‘United Secretariat of the Fourth International’. Published a potted history of the Fourth International in 1969, The Fourth International: The Long March Of The Trotskyists.

Frost, Sid (Max Basch) – One of the Johannesburg group of Trotskyists in South Africa, he travelled with Ted Grant to Europe in 1934 (changing his name to Sid Frost), joining the ILP in Britain.

Fryer, Peter (1927-2006) – As a correspondent for the paper of the British Communist Party the Daily Worker, Fryer reported on the uprising of the workers in Hungary 1956, subsequently available in book form as The Hungarian Tragedy (1997). These reports were censored at the time and led to Fryer breaking with Stalinism. He later joined the Healyite organisation and edited the Newsletter, but later resigned. He wrote extensively on the struggles of Black workers.

Groves, Reg (1908-1988) – Like Hugo Dewar, joined first the ILP and then the CP, being expelled from that organisation in 1932 for his part in the Balham Group. Joined the Labour Party in 1935, standing as a parliamentary candidate in several elections. Became a leading member of the Socialist League and defended the policies of the POUM. Later became a writer and journalist. Published a history of The Balham Group in 1973 covering the period in which he was involved in Trotskyist politics.

Harber, Denzil Dean (1909-1966) – Joined the Communist League in 1932, splitting off with the minority in 1933 to enter the ILP, forming the Marxist Group. Later belonged to the Bolshevik-Leninist group that worked in the Labour Party and attended as a delegate the first International Conference for The Fourth International in 1936. Ended up leading one of the three factions in the RSL in 1940. Dropped out of politics after 1950.

Haston, Jock (1913-1986) – A member of the same Paddington branch of the Militant Group as Ted Grant. Later became a leading organiser of the Workers’ International League. He subsequently became General Secretary of the RCP and one of its most able organisers. Parliamentary candidate for the RCP at the 1945 Neath by-election. Left the movement in 1951 becoming a lecturer for the National Council Of Labour Colleges and subsequently an educational director for the Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union.

Healy, Gerry (1913-1989) – Moved to England from Ireland in 1928, becoming a Communist soon after. Following an encounter with Jock Haston in Hyde Park Corner he was won over to Trotskyism, joining the Militant Group. Active within the WIL (where he was expelled and readmitted several times) and then the RCP, he subsequently helped launch the left-reformist Socialist Outlook in 1948. Organised around ‘The Club’, he later formed the Socialist Labour League in 1959 which subsequently became the Workers Revolutionary Party. Expelled in 1985, he was involved with a series of subsequent splits.

Hamilton, Betty (1904-1994) – Became active in the French CP and joined the Left Opposition in 1929. On moving to England, joined the Militant group. Later belonged to first the WIL and the RCP. Later sided with Gerry Healy, remaining with his group until the 1980s, briefly supporting the Lambertists.

Hillman, Ellis (1928-1995) – Joined the RCP in 1946, remaining active in the Labour League of Youth after the collapse of the RCP in 1949. Briefly a member of the Healy group, ‘The Club’, he remained active thereafter in the Labour Party, serving both as a member of the LCC and its successor the GLC. He was a founding member of the editorial board of the Militant.

Jackson, E Starkey (1909-1943) – Active member of the Labour League of Youth Birmingham, visited Russia in 1926, joining the YCL soon after. Expelled in 1929 and soon after linked up with Harber, becoming an organiser of the Young Militant Group. Worked with Harber in the Marxist Group and later on the Bolshevik-Leninist Group in the Labour Party and then the Militant Group. Became secretary of the RSL, until called up for military service. Died at sea.

James, Cyril Lionel Robert (1901-1989) – Born in Trinidad, he came to Britain in 1932 where his writing skills on cricket earned him a job as assistant to Neville Cardus on the Manchester Guardian. His first book, The Life of Captain Cipriani (1932), earned him a reputation as a serious commentator on Black nationalism. Having read Trotsky’s History of the Russian Revolution, he joined the Marxist Group in 1934, later becoming an editor of the journal Fight, working alongside Arthur Ballard and Hilda Lane. Invited by Cannon to visit the USA, he moved to that country in 1938 but subsequently broke with the SWP, joining the Workers Party where he later became part of the Johnson-Forrest tendency, first in the WP and then the SWP, where he argued for a version of the theory of state capitalism. Having broken with Trotskyism, he returned to Britain in 1953 where he became a leading radical writer on African and West-Indian affairs. His many books include The Black Jacobins (1938) and World Revolution (1937).

Lawrence, John (1915-2002) – A leading member of the RSL where he led a right-wing faction which rejected opposition to Trotsky’s Proletarian Military Policy, he subsequently became a full time organiser for the RCP despite usually being in opposition to the leadership. Later went with Healy and became editor of the Socialist Outlook. Later joined the CP.

Lee, Heaton (1915-1978) – South African Trotskyist (no relation to Ralph or Millie Lee) who came to Britain in 1937 joining the Militant Group. Imprisoned in 1944 for supporting an illegal apprentices’ strike. Remained active until the collapse of the RCP.

Lee, Millie (née Kahn) (1913-2002) – One of the original Johannesburg group of Trotskyists. Married Raff Lee in 1933. Subsequently came to Britain in 1937 where she joined the Militant Group. Later active in the leadership of the WIL and then the RCP. Became the wife of Jock Haston and left the Trotskyist movement in 1950, but remained within the Labour Party.

Lee, Ralph (Raphael Levy) (c. 1908-1965) – Born in South Africa, he joined the CP in 1922, but was expelled. Introduced Ted Grant to Marxist ideas. Organised a small group in Johannesburg to which Ted and Max Basch belonged, and subsequently followed Ted to Britain in 1937 where he joined the Militant Group and later the WIL, where he played a leading role. Returned to South Africa in 1940 and established the Workers’ International League.

Levy, Sam (1921-1995) – Joined the ILP youth section in 1938 and came into contact with members of the WIL. As a member of the RCP, he became a leading member of the Open Party faction. Briefly linked to Healy he later became part of the group led by Ted Grant and Jimmy Deane who published the International Socialist during the early 1950s. Later helped produce the journal Socialist Current. He was a leading supporter of Revolutionary History.

Mandel, Ernest (Ernst Germain) (1923-1995) – Belgian Trotskyist, elected to the International Secretariat. Moved the expulsion of Ted Grant at the Fourth International’s World Congress of 1951. Played a leading role in the Fourth International in the 1950s and in the USFI after 1963. Writer of numerous books on economics. Keen supporter of Castroism, studentism and guerrillaism.

Mangan, Sherry (Terence Phelan) (1904-1961) – Leading American Trotskyist. He participated in the discussions around the formation of the RCP on behalf of the American leadership. Served on European Secretariat during last years of war and then on the IS.

Matlow, Albert – Joined ILP in 1920s and helped form the Marxist Group in the ILP. In 1936 advocated joining the Labour Party and chaired the founding conference of the Militant Labour League in 1937. Remained active thereafter in the Labour Party.

Morrow, Felix (1906-1988) – Leading American Trotskyist. Together with Albert Goldman (1897-1960) he developed differences with Cannon over the perspectives for post war Europe. Convicted and imprisoned with seventeen others under the Smith ‘Gag’ Act. His 1938 account of the Spanish revolution, Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Spain, remains a classic account of that struggle. Expelled from the SWP in 1946.

Pablo, Michel (Gabriel Raptis) (1911-1996) – A leading member of the post war Fourth International whose name would be used to describe the general tendency towards revisionism in that organisation. A leader of the International Secretariat from 1953 onwards following the split with the Fourth International. Became part of the United Secretariat in 1963 but was subsequently expelled. Later formed the AMR which rejected Trotskyism, although that did not stop it from joining the USFI in the 1990s.

Reade, Arthur (1902-1971) – Oxford graduate and lawyer. Joined the CP in the early 1920s. 1924-25 member of London District committee of CPGB and business manager of Labour Monthly. One of the first defenders of Trotsky in the British Communist Party in early 1925, but, isolated, did not remain politically active.

Ridley, Frank (1897-1994) – Became active in the ILP during the 1920s, although he did not actually join until just before the Second World War. Established the Marxian League in 1929 but argued with Trotsky over perspectives for Britain (1931), later leaving Trotskyist politics, becoming an adviser to the ILP. Author of The Assassins (1938) and the anti-Trotskyist At the Crossroads of History (1935).

Rosmer, Alfred (1877-1964) – Joined the French CP from a syndicalist background and served on the Executive Committee of the Communist International during the early 1920s. Known as a supporter of Trotsky rather than Trotskyism, he was expelled from the CP in 1924. Remained a friend and helper of Trotsky for the rest of his life, but played little role in Trotskyist politics as such. Author of Lenin’s Moscow (1953).

Rowe, Frank (1928-1994) – One of the young layer of Trotskyists who participated in the RCP having originally been member of the YCL. Left the RCP before its demise but linked up again with Ted Grant during the early 1950s. Later supported the group around Socialist Current and remained active in East End community politics until his death.

Roy, Ajit Kumar Mukherji – Born in Bengal and moved to Britain in 1931 to study. Joined CP, then Marxist Group with CLR James. Joined WIL. Elected to the Central Committee and Political Bureau of RCP until 1947. Returned to India; elected to the Central Committee of the Bolshevik Leninist Party of India, then executive of Socialist Party. Withdrew from politics in the 1950s but remained a Trotskist sympathiser.

Sara, Henry (1886-1953) – Former syndicalist who visited Russia in 1921, joining the CP in 1922. One of the Balham Group who first came into opposition with the British CP in support of Trotsky. He was chairman of the ‘Unity Conference’ in 1938.

Sastry, Vellala Srikantaya Seshagiri (1912 – c.1982) – Born in Andhra Pradesh, went to Britain to train as a journalist. Joined CP. Secretary of the Indian Workers Association, 1943. Central Committee member of RCP 1944-46, then returned to India and joined Bolshevik Leninist Party of India. Elected to its Central Committee and Political Bureau, then entered the Socialist Party.

Shachtmann, Max (1903-1972) – Leading member of the CP in the USA and then a founding member of the Left Opposition. Attended a meeting in London in 1931 to establish the Left Opposition in Britain. Broke with Trotskyism in 1940, joining the Workers Party. Later joined the Socialist Party in 1958.

Taaffe, Peter (1942-2025) – Born in Birkenhead, he joined the RSL in 1960. Became editor of Militant in 1964 and then General Secretary after Jimmy Deane’s departure. Member of the IS of the CWI. Expelled from the Labour Party in 1983, along with other Editorial Board members. Led the majority faction against Ted Grant and Alan Woods in 1991. Founded Militant Labour, then the Socialist Party. Stood down as General Secretary of the party in 2020.

Tearse, Rawling (Roy) (1919-1986) – Joined the WIL from the ILP, subsequently becoming Scottish Organiser and then Industrial Organiser during the Second World War. Jailed in 1944 for his part in the illegal apprentices’ strike. Expelled by Healy from ‘The Club’ in 1950, he left the movement.

Wall, Pat (1933-1990) – Joined the Labour Party and then Ted Grant’s group in 1950. Liverpool Trades Council 1951-64. Active in the apprentices movement in Merseyside in 1960. Played an important role in launching and building both Socialist Fight (1958-63) and Militant (1964 onwards) as well as a Marxist youth journal Rally which was produced by Walton Labour Youth League during the 1950s. President of Bradford trades council 1972-87. Fought Bradford North for Labour in 1983, but vote split by SDP defector. Won the seat in 1987. Frequent delegate and speaker at Labour Party Conference.

Wicks, Harry (1905-1989) – Born in London, became an active trade unionist on the railways. Joined the YCL and later visited Russia where he attended the Lenin School for several years. Becoming aware on his return to Britain of the Stalinist consolidation in the British CP, he spoke out and was expelled in 1932 for Trotskyism. Helped to form the Marxist League, publishing The Red Flag. Remained active in various groups up until his death.