An ACG member writes:
Ron Marsden, born around 1940 in Preston, was active for many decades as an anarcho-syndicalist. He joined the Syndicalist Workers Federation (SWF) in 1963/1964 and moved to Manchester to be active in the Manchester Anarchist Group there, attempting, along with the late Alan Barlow, to win it over completely to class struggle anarchism. He continued to be active in the SWF, in its Manchester branch and on its National Committee.
He and his first wife Jan were active in the Anarchist Federation of Britain in the late 1960s, regularly attending its conferences. Shortly after I joined the Organisation of Revolutionary Anarchists (ORA)in 1972, Ron decided to join with a few other Manchester comrades, but it was to prove to be only for a short time as he soon returned to the SWF. But the SWF was going through hard times, with only the Manchester branch in existence at the end of the 1970s. Ron was also active in the Libertarian Industrial Network(LIN), in which anarchists active in their workplaces attempted to liaise.
The SWF worked with the London Workers Group, which developed out of the LIN, in which militants like Dave Morris and Joe Thomas were active. Together they formed the Direct Action Movement (DAM), which started out as a loose network, but soon transformed itself into a formal organisation. Ron remained active in the DAM until it morphed into the Solidarity Federation, and he remained active in it until his death a few days ago.
Ron was always friendly and comradely whenever I met him over the years and I began to have long phone conversations with him over the last couple of decades, addressing subjects like the malignant activities of the late Brian Bamford, the activities of Albert Meltzer and Stuart Christie, and so forth. He was an undaunted anarchist militant and determined class fighter. In his last years, he had to take care of his ailing second partner, Clare Debenham.
Another ACG member remarks: I knew Ron personally from my time at Manchester Solfed. I’m sure people might have known other sides of Ron too, but the Ron I knew was a kind militant anarchist till his late age and an inspiration for younger members that were fortunate to have known him. He really never stopped fighting for what he believed in. He will be missed.
The ACG sends condolences to Ron’s family, friends and comrades.