'Socialist Vanguard', Socialist Commentary Publications Limited and Friends of 'Socialist Commentary'

This collection contains: minutes, 1952-1981; records concerning finances and management, 1955-1981; various correspondence and papers, 1941-1973; published editions, 1934-1975.

This was the official organ of the Socialist Vanguard Group until October 1947, when it was relaunched by the International Publishing Company with the aim of reaching a wider audience of Labour Party thinkers and activists (see MSS.173/4/1/9). It was closely associated with the Socialist Union, the successor of the Socialist Vanguard Group which was formed in 1951, and it continued to be published after the winding up of Socialist Union in 1959.

Reference: Mary Saran, 'Never give up', London, 1976 (copy in Modern Records Centre searchroom); R M Douglas, 'No Friend of Democracy: The Socialist Vanguard Group, 1941–50', Contemporary British History, 16: 4, 51 — 86 (2002).

The reference codes of the records in MSS.173 have been determined by their physical order rather than their catalogue order.

This collection is available to researchers by appointment at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick. See https://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/using/

These records were deposited by Dr Rene Saran, Mary Saran's daughter, in November 1977 and Feburary 2013.

Link to full catalogue: https://mrc-catalogue.warwick.ac.uk/records/SOY

These records were in the custody of Mary Saran (1897-1976) following the closure of the 'Socialist Commentary' offices in 1975. Between 1941 and 1955, Mary Saran was editor, then joint editor with Dr Rita Hinden, of 'Socialist Vanguard/'Socialist Commentary'.

The Modern Records Centre also holds records of: the Socialist Vanguard Group (SVG); Socialist Union, the successor of the SVG; the Society for the Furtherance of Critical Philosopy; Walter Fliess, member of the ISK and the Socialist Union.