Leeds [Report from the Free Commune Group February 1899]

Since our last report we have been busy. Our weekly group meetings at the Central Club have been well attended, some 26 to 30 comrades usually present. Several discussions have been held, notably with the Brotherhood Group; Kenworthy, Ferriss and Eliza Picard being specially prominent. In spite of wintry weather, our outdoor meetings at Vicar’s Croft have been kept up, Drake and MacQueen being the usual speakers; collections have been taken and a fair quantity of literature sold. 

MacQueen has lectured in Yeadon, near Leeds, twice, on ‘Socialism, Communism and Anarchism’ and on ‘Anarchy and its methods.’ Good discussions resulted and several local men supported the new ideas. W. F. Barnard has been with us and lectured in the Central Club and in Vicar’s Croft. All comrades were well pleased with him; other groups would do well to engage him. 

Our printing group goes on well; of course, we are only amateurs, but will improve; anyway, it finds comrades a means of active work that otherwise they could not get. We expect big things of it. We have been hard at work during the past three months and are glad that our work has had some very good effect. 

Our plans for the coming season include vigorous outdoor propaganda, sale of literature and distribution of our own leaflets – in fact, if our dreams and our energies only come to something, we shall have a Social Revolution all ‘on our own.’ 

FREE COMMUNE GROUP. 

Freedom : A Journal of Anarchist Communism, February 1899