Mark Ashton Collection

This material is held atLabour History Archive and Study Centre

Scope and Content

Collection of material created by Mark Ashton, or by the trust set-up following his deeath and in memory of him.

Administrative / Biographical History

Mark Ashton was born in Oldham, Lancashire in 1960, before moving with his family to Portrush in Northern Ireland where he grew up. Mark was a prominent gay activist, member of C.N.D, General Secretary of the Young Communist League, Red Wedge volunteer, and one of the first to understand the need for gay activists needed to form alliances with other groups. Alongside Mike Jackson, he formed Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners campaign group, which was active during the Miners' Strike in 1984-1985. The group provided particular support to miners and their families in Dulais, South Wales and the 2014 feature film "Pride" was based on the activities of the group. Following his untimely death aged just 26 in February 1987 from AIDS-related pneumonia, a London-based trust was established in Mark's name to honour his life and his memory through raising money for the care of people with Aids and Aids related complexities.

Arrangement

The collection has been arranged into three series: ASH/1 Publications and written pieces; ASH/2 Mark Ashton Trust; ASH/3 Mark Ashton's death and remembrance

Access Information

Open

Acquisition Information

The collection was donated to the People's History Museum in 2016.

Accruals

No accruals are expected.

Related Material

LGSM Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners Collection: CP/YCL/16/12 - YCL and gay questions (Mark Ashton's correspondence etc.: CP/CENT/IND/03/01 - AIDS - correspondence between Pete Carter and Jez Vanes of Sandwell, draft motion on AIDS for TU conferences, materials on AIDS and the Mark Ashton Trust, other items: CP/ORG/MISC/2/6 - Leaflets and misc. duplicated materials of LGSM and other solidarity groups with a few photocopied press cuttings; CP/ORG/MISC/2/4 - Copy correspondence of LGSM secretary Mike Jackson, mainly with other solidarity groups; CP/ORG/MISC/2/5 - Sketch pad used as scrapbook with cuttings and copy correspondence of LGSM secretary Mike Jackson: material also in the People's History Museum collection.