University Archives
People's Convention
A People's Vigilance Committee was set up by the Hammersmith Labour Party and Trades Council in July 1940, led by DN Pritt. It campaigned for an eight point programme which combined practical demands (such as improved air raid shelters) with more general political aims (such as a people’s government and a people’s peace). It had links with the Communist Party and promoted the need for friendship with the Soviet Union.
The high point of the campaign was the People’s Convention, held in London on 12 January 1941 with over 2000 delegates, including Rev. Stanley Evans and Cdr. Edgar Young, who were both leading members. There are five files of material collected by Evans and one file amongst Young’s papers. The files include correspondence, papers for delegates to the Convention, accounts, reports, minutes of the Working Committee, National Committee, Propaganda Sub Committee, and the London Council of the Convention, pamphlets, flyers, speakers’ notes, speeches and bulletins, with drafts, and papers about the outbreak of war between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, and the consequent winding up of the organisation in January 1942. [DEV/1/21 & DYO/2/31]