Freedom Press Defence Committee

The Freedom Press Defence Committee was formed in London because of the arrests on the 22nd of February 1945 of the editors of War Commentary: Marie Louise Berneri, Vernon Richards (the husband of Berneri), John Hewetson and Philip Sansom under Defence Regulation 39a for conspiring "to undermine the affections of members of His Majesty's Forces"^[1] Berneri, Richards and Hewetson were arrested in their homes and taken to Marylebone Police Court, where they were joined by Sansom, who had been taken from Brixton Prison, where he was serving a two-month sentence for ‘being in possession of an army waterproof coat and for failing to notify a change of address’^[2].^[3] The offices of Freedom Press were simultaneously raided but no-one was arrested there.

On 10th March War Commentary announced under the heading Freedom Press Defence Committee that a meeting had been held on the 3rd at which a decision was made to 'set up immediately a defence committee with three main objectives: '1. To defend the four anarchists arrested and charged under Defence Regulation 39A. 2. To protest against any attacks upon the freedom of speech and publication. 3. To organize a Defence Fund to cover the legal expenses of the accused and the Committee's own expenses.'^[4][5]

The committee was formed independently of the National Council for Civil Liberties which at the time was regarded as being a Communist front^[6] or 'Communist-dominated and only inclined to aid the politically correct’.^[7] Simon Watson Taylor, a Surrealist, organized it.^[8]

The announcement in War Commentary subsequently stated: 'Herbert Read agreed to become Chairman of the Committee' and Ethel Mannin, who was not able to be present, has since agreed to be Secretary. Vice-Chairmen include Fenner Brockway and Patrick Figgis. The treasurer is S. Watson Taylor.'^[9] The announcement went on to report that premises for the committee had been secured at 17 St George Square, Hanover Square, London W.1. Also it made two appeals, for volunteers to assist during the day at the office and for contributions towards the Defence Fund.^[10]

The committee duly raised funds for the defence of the editors, which were collected by the Simon Watson Taylor in his capacity as its treasurer.^[11]

The trial of the editors took place at the Old Bailey, the Central Criminal Court, on 27 April 1945. Marie Louise Berneri, was acquitted on the legal technicality that a wife could not be guilty of conspiracy with her husband.^[12] The other three defendants were convicted and sentenced to 9 months imprisonment.^[13] Herbert Read made a speech before the trial, which he followed with one after it,^[14] which the Committee published in the following June.^[15]

On 3 March 1945,^[16] after the defendants had served their imprisonments,^[17] the Freedom Press Defence Committee reconstituted itself as the Freedom Defence Committee, which was set up "to uphold the essential liberty of individuals and organisations, and to defend those who are persecuted for exercising their rights to freedom of speech, writing and action".^[18] Herbert Read served as the chair. Fenner Brockway and Patrick Figgis (a well-known church socialist) initially served as its vice-chairs. Other vice-chairs later included Richard Acland and George Orwell. Ethel Mannin initially served as its secretary, from whom George Woodcock later took over.^[19]

The Committee had sponsors. Initially they were A. E. Housman, Ethel Mannin, S. Vere Pearson and Reginald Reynolds, who had previously been members of the defunct Solidaridad Internacional Antifascista (in English International Antifascist Solidarity).^[20] They were subsequently joined by many well-known 'writers, artists and musicians',^[21] and politicians Aneurin Bevan and Michael Foot.^[22]

On 18 September 1948, the committee had published in the Socialist Leader its letter requesting urgent funds which was signed by Benjamin Britten, E. M. Forster, Augustus John, Orwell, Read and Osbert Sitwell.^[23] The situation which prompted the letter was that the accounts of the committee showed 'a deficit of over £145', and that it immediately needed 'at least £500' and thereafter 'a regular income of at least £1,000' if it was 'to carry on efficiently.'^[24]

The Committee was dissolved in 1949.^[25]

• Burgess, Glenn (2023). George Orwell’s perverse humanity Socialism and free speech. London: Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 978-1-5013-9466-9.
• Goodway, David (2012) [originally 2006]. Anarchist seeds beneath the snow. Oakland, California: PM Press. ISBN 978-1-60486-221-8.
• Honeywell, Carissa (2015). "Anarchism and the British warfare state: The prosecution of the War Commentary Anarchists, 1945" (PDF). International Review of Social History. 60 (2): 257–284. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
• Orwell, George (1968). Orwell, Sonia; Angus, Ian (eds.). The Collected Essays, Journalism and Letters of George Orwell In Front Of Your Nose IV. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. ISBN 0-15-618623-3.
• Read, Herbert (1945). Freedom Is It a Crime? The Strange Case of the Three Anarchists Jailed at the Old Bailey, April 1945. Two speeches (PDF). London: Freedom Press Defence Committe. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
• Richards, Vernon (1998). George Orwell at Home. London: Freedom Press. ISBN 0900384948.
• Sansom, Philip (1986). "Freedom Press and the anarchist movement in the '50s and '60s". Freedom. 47 (9): 32–35. ISSN 0016-0504.
• Ward, Colin (1995). "Witness for the prosecution". The Raven: Anarchist Quarterly. 29 (8 (1)): 57–60. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
• Ward, Colin; Goodway, David (2014). Talking anarchy. Oakland, California: PM Press. ISBN 978-1-60486-812-8.

• Freedom Defence Committee
• Freedom Defence Committee, Jul 1945 - July 1946
• Freedom Defence Committee brochure page 1
• Freedom Defence Committee brochure page 2
• The Freedom Press Newspaper Archive