MEMORIES

The 30^th May is a day of reminiscences. Forty years ago today on the 30^th May 1972, the trial of Regina -v- Jim Greenfield, John Barker, Hilary Creek, Anna Mendleson, Stuart Christie, Angela Weir, Chris Bott and Kate McLean opened in Court 1 at the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, London. The defendants were allegedly members of the Angry Brigade. At the time I was working as an outdoor clerk (the lowest form of paralegal) for the solicitors representing Angela Weir. She was eventually acquitted along with Christie, Bott and McLean after a trial lasting just over 27 weeks.

There were a number of unprecedented features about the trial and in particular about the pre-trial preparations. At the time, the defendants were allowed to hold joint conferences. The prison authorities provide the facilities and the defendants and their lawyers met around tables in a very crowded room. The defence had been provided with a list of the potential jurors who might be called for the trial. At that time in 1972 each defendant had up to seven challenges. That meant a total of 56 challenges. Going through the list of names was a completely arbitrary exercise and opinions were expressed about juror’s belief’s based on what neighbourhood they lived in and their occupation. At lease it provided some amusement. I think everyone knew it was a useless exercise, but it was an attempt by the prosecution to appear to be scrupulously fair in its dealings with the defendants. On the whole I cannot recall that the meetings were of any real use, save that it allowed for a degree of social intercourse between the defendants who were in custody.

I also recall various attempts at finding sureties for potential bail applications for the defendants in custody. I had a meeting with union activist Jack Dash, long involved with London dock strikes, as to whether any of the ‘brothers’ would be willing and able to stand as surety for those in custody. I knew him because Jack had met my parents on some holiday in East Germany. When they came for a visit to London, Jack took us all to the Good Friends Chinese Restaurant in Stepney around the corner from his tower block flat. After the discussion about sureties, Jack gave me signed of copy of his autobiography Good Morning Brothers. No sureties were forthcoming.

Anna Mendleson

As to the defendants, they were quite an interesting group, although, from my point of view, Barker and Mendleson stood out. There was something about Anna Mendleson that made one take notice. She is unfortunately no longer with us. Although I didn’t know her except as one of a group of legal hangers on, she had presence. She was not someone one could overlook. I have always felt that had it not been for the situation she found herself in in 1972, she would have been a very influential person. Perhaps she was in any event. I, for one, will never forget her smile.

Except for a few striking moments, the memories are all a bit vague now, but I still have images of sitting at the Bailey watching the movements of bomb squad officers D.C.S. Roy Habershon and Commander Ernest Bond. Habershon, in particular, seemed to be loving every minute of it. So much whispering in each other’s ears and so many plots in intrigues.

There was a café across the street from the Bailey at the time and I remember having coffee with one of the defence solicitors, Michael Seifert. He was taking some sort of prescription for some malady or other and we were and discussing the problems of getting older and having to take twice the dose for it to have any effect. I was 29 going on 30 and he was 30 going on 31. What on earth did we know?

Forty years on it’s surprising the silly things one remembers about what were considered momentous events of our times. Everybody has moved on and a number have passed on. That’s the thing really, people move.

Also on the 30^th May 1431 in Rouen, France, 19-year-old Joan of Arc is burned at the stake by an English-dominated tribunal. Because of this the Catholic Church remember this day as the celebration of Saint Joan of Arc.