Red Clydeside: A history of the labour movement in Glasgow 1910-1932

People

Magazine article entitled ' Weirie Weir' by Willie Gallacher, 13 May 1926

William Gallacher was at the forefront of radical socialist politics on Clydeside from 1914 until his death in 1965. Gallacher joined the Social Democratic Federation in 1906 and as chairman of the Clyde Workers' Committee during the period 1914-1919 was heavily involved in all of the major social and industrial disputes on the Clyde.

Gallacher was one of the founder members of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) in 1920-1921, becoming chairman in 1943 and then President of the CPGB in 1956. Willie was elected Communist MP for West Dunfermline in 1935 and served this constituency until 1950.

The target of Gallacher in this article for The Communist magazine was the then Secretary of State for Air Forces, Sir William Weir, a fellow Scot and also the owner of the large engineering works in Glasgow, Weirs of Cathcart.

Source: Gallacher Memorial Library, Glasgow Caledonian University Special Collections and Archives