Freedom Archives

Period (1886) 1904-1980
Total size   18 m.
Consultation Not restricted

History

Anarchist periodical started in 1886 by a group of friends around Peter Kropotkin after their separation from the English Anarchist Circle and The Anarchist edited by Henry Seymour; in addition to Freedom, the group eventually set up the Freedom Press, the main publisher of anarchist literature in England; first editors of Freedom were Charlotte M. Wilson 1886-1895, Alfred Marsh 1895-1912 and Thomas H. Keell 1912-1932; among the contributors to the periodical were George Bernard Shaw, Max Nettlau and Kropotkin; a rival Freedom was published by opponents of Th. Keell, including John Turner and Oscar Swede 1930-1936; ceased publication in favour of Spain and the World 1936-1938, edited by Vernon Richards, and changed its name to Revolt in 1939; this was continued as War Commentary, renamed Freedom in 1945, the publication of which continues still today.

Content

Daybooks, accountbooks, letterbooks and subscription lists 1889-1980; documents concerning administration, financial affairs and publications of Freedom and Freedom Press; manuscripts for, and letters to Freedom and Freedom Press (most complete for the period 1920-1938) from Guy Aldred, Ba Jin (Li Feigan), George Ballard (pseudonym Barrett), Alexander Berkman, Thomas Cantwell, Edward Carpenter, Varlaam and Frieda Cerkezov, Fred Charles, Clara Gilbert Cole, Ferdinand Domela Nieuwenhuis, Vera Figner, Henry Glasse, Emma Goldman, Marcus Graham, Jean Grave, Rudolf Grossmann, Auberon Herbert, George J. Holyoake, Mabel Hope, Henry M. Hyndman, Joseph Ishill, Harry Jones, Bernhard Kampffmeyer, Thomas H. Keell, Harry Kelly, Kotoku Sakae, Peter and Sophie Kropotkin, Jo Labadie, Gustav Landauer, John McAra, John Henry Mackay, Enrique Flores Magón, Errico Malatesta, Tom Mann, Saverio Merlino, Louise Michel, Leonard Motler, Erich Mühsam, Max Nettlau, William Owen, Joseph Presburg, Ben L. Reitman, John Beverly Robinson, Rudolf Rocker, Olivia Rossetti, Emil F. Ruedebausch, Alexander Schapiro, George Bernard Shaw, Mollie Steimer, Oscar Swede, James Tochatti, John Turner, Charlotte M. Wilson and others.

Arrangement

The archives were collected by Heiner Becker in the period 1978-2000; there are supplements te be expected in the near future; he also arranged the main part of the material; this list was made on the basis of his descriptions.

Because of the bad condition of the papers and packing materials the IISH decided to pack the papers in acid free covers, folders and boxes without changing anything in the order; the order of this list follows the order of the original stacks where the boxes were stored; the original boxes which were found in these stacks are mentioned (including the original inscriptions); followed by a description of the content which is re-packed; the numbers 1-271 were found in stacks 4420.1-2 - 4421.1-6; numbers 272-339 were found in stack 3459.1-6; numbers 340-532 were found in stacks 4434-4436.

Processing information

Preliminary list by Krista van Loon in 2009.