Published: Thursday, 30th April, 2009 2:00pm

Retro: Spanish history lesson

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WHILST sorting out some bits and pieces to add to our collection of ephemera, I came across this handbill, and could hardly believe my eyes.

It is a survival from the 1930s, the time of the Spanish Civil War. The book by Mike Cooper, a former colleague of mine, We Cannot Park on Both Sides, tells the story of Reading"s reaction to that conflict, during which three Reading men were killed.

The handbill advertises a public meeting, and reads: 'Spain. How did Reading respond to the Spanish Medical Aid Appeal? - Come to the Labour Hall [Minster Street] on Sunday, May 2nd. At 7 p.m....Speakers will include a member of the International Brigade...'

If you read the local papers to find out how Reading responded, you will find that the cheque was for £70, and that a great deal appeared to be happening in May, 1937.

Margaret Bondfield, the prospective Labour parliamentary candidate for Reading, had opened the 15th Reading Labour Party May Day Bazaar in the Town Hall the previous day.

It was she who handed the cheque to a representative of the Medical Aid Committee, and those present on the Sunday obviously thought that £70 was a bit disappointing.

The member of the International Brigades, on leave from the Madrid front, was Mr A F Francis. He described conditions at the front.

The main thrust of the speech of Mr D N Pritt, MP for North Hammersmith, was to encourage those present to go to a counter-demonstration in a fortnight"s time, when Sir Oswald Mosley was due to speak in Reading.

'When Mosley is holding his meeting, I hope you will have the biggest meeting you have ever had in the open air,' he said.

When it came to it, the Labour Party"s counter-demonstration was in St. Mary"s Butts, and Mosley"s meeting was in the Pavilion Cinema - later the Gaumont, and now the Riley Snooker Centre - in Oxford Road, so there was no great confrontation.

Sir Oswald appeared in 'a well-worn double-breasted jacket, over a black shirt, with which he wore a white tie,' according to the report in the Reading Standard.

Between the two meetings, there was the official inspection of the new King"s Bridge, the replacement for the 1830s Factory Bridge in King"s Road, the opening of the new offices of Huntley and Palmers next to it, and the Coronation of King George VI - an interesting month!