Papers of Jimmy Deane (1921-2002), Trotskyist

This material is held atModern Records Centre, University of Warwick

  • Reference
    • GB 152 DEA
  • Former Reference
    • GB 152 DEA
  • Dates of Creation
    • [1916?]-1975
  • Name of Creator
  • Language of Material
    • English
  • Physical Description
    • 100 boxes

Scope and Content

Workers' International League / Revolutionary Communist Party minutes, including reports and conference documents; approximately 3,000 letters, 1940-65; miscellaneous publications.

The collection was catalogued by staff at All Saints Library, Manchester Metropolitan University.

Administrative / Biographical History

Jimmy Deane was born in Liverpool in 1921. He joined the Militant Group in 1937 and was the co-founder of the Liverpool branch of the Workers' International League in 1939. By 1945, Jimmy Deane had joined the editorial board of the 'Socialist Appeal', the journal of the Revolutionary Communist Party. The next year, Jimmy Deane was the British delegate to the International Secretariat of the Fourth International. He was one of the founders of the Revolutionary Socialist League in 1956 and was appointed as its first General Secretary. Jimmy Deane left Britain for India in 1965 and subsequently spent a few years in Fiji. Although he returned to Britain he did not resume his active role in the Trotskyist movement: he remained loyal to his political beliefs, however. Jimmy Deane died in August 2002.

Reference: Obituary by John McIlroy, 'Revolutionary History' (volume 8, number 3).

Access Information

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

Acquisition Information

The collection was transferred to the Centre, from All Saints Library, Manchester Metropolitan University, in 1993, on indefinite loan.

Other Finding Aids

Link to full catalogue: http://mrc-catalogue.warwick.ac.uk/records/DEA

Appraisal Information

This collection has not been weeded for duplicates.

Accruals

Further deposits are not expected.

Related Material

The Centre also holds the Tarbuck papers (MSS.75), which include archives of the Socialist Review Group and Revolutionary Communist Party. Records of International Socialists/International Socialism Group members Richard Hyman (MSS.84), Steve Jefferys (MSS.244), Richard Kuper (MSS.250), Alistair Mutch (MSS.284) and Stirling Smith (MSS.205) have been deposited at the Centre. In addition the Colin Barker papers (MSS.152) and the Tony Cliff papers (MSS.459) have also been deposited at the Centre.

The University of Hull holds the papers of Jock Haston (reference DJH). The Glasgow Caledonian University holds Trotskyist archives including material relating to the Socialist Labour League and the Workers' Revolutionary Party.