by Andy Beadle, South East London Socialist Party
At the end of last year, Socialist Party member Peter Redfarn passed away aged 86. We send our condolences to his sister, family, and all his friends.
A few years ago, at a South East London Socialist Party meeting, discussing the British government’s plan to bomb Syria, Peter made an important contribution to the discussion.
He talked about how, as a young man, his own disgust at war and all its consequences for ordinary people had led him first to join the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, then later the Labour Party Young Socialists.
His conclusion at our recent meeting was that we absolutely had to support this new generation getting organised against war, and support any school walkouts.
Having moved back to Merseyside in 1961, he met Peter Taaffe from Birkenhead Labour Party Young Socialists, and Ted Mooney from Liverpool, among a number of comrades who launched Militant in 1964, forerunner of the Socialist Party.
Peter Redfarn even had an article in the first issue of Militant about workers’ control, particularly around the technological developments in the car industry at that stage. Peter had moved south to become a research assistant at the London School of Economics. At one point, Peter was a union rep at the National Freight Corporation, before spending his later working years as a postie at Nine Elms.
In November 1975, he shared a flat in south London with two other Militant supporters. They were shocked to find themselves featured in a witch-hunting Sunday Express article, under the headline: “Why the secret of 13 Elsiemaud Road shocked Mrs Box” – the landlord. The reporter revealed they had a portrait of Karl Marx on the wall!
Peter fought to stay active in the Socialist Party for as long as his health would allow, continuing to attend Socialist Party meetings and events until recently. He will always be remembered as generous with his time and money.
Peter was thoughtful and patient. He strongly defended socialist ideas throughout his life. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
- Peter’s Funeral will be at 1pm, Wednesday 21 January, Hither Green Crematorium