Remembering those who died – and their words…
The point, however, is to change it
Over many decades I have visited Highgate cemetery existing since 1839, near Hampstead Heath, & particularly the east section which tends to contain graves of many radical people. Yet the only time I had attended the cemetery as part of a large funeral procession was when Raphael Samuel was buried here after his death in December 1996. Here was a a small band of almost Scottish players leading us towards a new grave in the eastern section near Karl Marx. Here was a friend and colleague often seen as a social historian, a socialist, a former CP member, a Ruskin College tutor and, more recently, the husband of Alison Light. The grave words would reflect these aspects as ‘historian, beloved, husband, friend, comrade.’
The words are still there but almost declining over decades
At that time I wasn’t surprised that the location – opposite Karl Marx – was chosen, with Marx’s words displayed, as ‘The philosopher only interpreted the world in various ways.The point however is to change it.’ Ironically, when I recently went I noted that although Raphael was situated not far from the Marx’s memorial he apparently almost turned away – not personally engaging with the remarks…
Words chosen from Shelley’s ‘Mask of Anarchy’
Physically closer to Marx’s words is the memorial of Paul Foot described in 2004 as a ‘writer and revolutionary’ , but also known to many, not primarily as the nephew of LP leader Michael Foot, but as a leading light in the Socialist Workers’ Party. The word ‘comrade’ is not used here but the words of Shelley from ‘The Mask of Anarchy’ asserting ‘Ye are many – they are few’.
‘Injustice’ still evident today…
Not far away, on Hampstead Heath, stands a different radical memorial. This time it’s a wooden bench where every night & day people can sit & rest – or remember Irene Bruegel. She died in Autumn 2008 . In her lifetime she engaged in many politically important activities (still relevant today…) Here she was described as a ‘socialist, feminist, and fighter against injustice’ and ‘much loved’.
The three people mentioned – Raphael Samuel, Paul Foot and Irene Bruegel – were not close friends & not necessarily totally committed to identical causes. Yet, at this late time of year we often remember many who have died. To use such ‘grave’ words as ‘comrade’, ‘they are few’, and ‘fighter against injustice’ might still be relevant ‘to change’ the current time as we are about to start 2026…
PLEASE CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGES – THE WORDS ARE STILL THERE!
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