AGS Press Release
Kelso Cochrane Memorial EventA ceremony to commemorate a victim of racism
Issued Monday 4 May 2009
For immediate release
In the early hours of Sunday the 17th of May 1959 Kelso Cochrane was making his way back to North Kensington from hospital. Kelso, a carpenter, had injured his hand at work and was going back to his girlfriend’s house. When he reached the corner of Southam St and Golborne Road Notting Hill in West London he was set upon by a group of white youths and murdered. Some youths were arrested but released and no one was ever charged.
Kelso Cochran’s funeral became a rallying point of opposition to racism and fascism and a platform for black and white unity. Hundreds lined Ladbroke Grove to see and follow the hearse to Kensal Green Cemetery. The grave is inscribed “From the Trades Council and his West Indian Friends”
On Saturday May 16th this year it will be the 50th anniversary of Kelso Cochrane’s murder. We live in a time of economic recession and political uncertainty. Bankers get bailed out and workers get the dole. Already fascists are trying to exploit the problems that workers are facing. It is important that the community resist this and show their unity by turning out for Kelso’s memorial event 12 noon on Saturday 16th May 09 by Kelso’s graveside in Kensal Green Cemetery London W10. And reaffirm the unity of black and white against the poison of racism.
This murder followed on from the previous years “Race Riots” and happened at a time when Sir Oswald Mosley, leader of the Fascists, was standing for parliament in the area's parliamentary constituency of North Kensington.
The Fascists, who prewar had targeted the Jewish community, had not dropped their anti Semitism but latched onto a more recognisable victims; the West-Indian immigrants who had started to come to Britain in numbers in the mid-fifties. Prior to this West Indians in Britain had been in numbers in the armed forces fighting to defeat Hitler and Fascism.
It seems that the riots were sparked off by a domestic dispute which was seized on by the Fascists and exploited around the questions of jobs, housing and inter-marriage the story was taken up by the national media and crowds of local people came onto the streets to see what was happening. There was an attempt by Fascists moving in the mainly passive crowds to stir up race hate and spread the disturbance. Opposition was slowly building up against the Fascists. The local Communist Party held a poster parade around the area the theme being “There is only one race - the human race” The 1959 election was a bitter disappointment for Mosley and his followers expecting to get a breakthrough. The Fascists got 2800 votes claiming they had been cheated. Mosley then went off to Paris in a sulk and never returned to Britain to live
Supported by Hammersmith, Ealing, Camden, Westminster, Brent Trades Councils, History Talk, Alliance for Green Socialism, Unite branches 1/684, 1/785 Advice and Legal Workers branches, Black & Asian Studies Assoc. INFO: Eddie Adams 020 8 964 9531
Email samstjohn2003@yahoo.co.uk
Enquiries to: Mike Davies, 07811 384888
email: enquiries@greensocialist.org.uk
web: http://www.greensocialist.org.uk
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