Communist Party of Great Britain Biographical Project - Helen Kay, 1999
TitleCommunist Party of Great Britain Biographical Project - Helen Kay, 1999
ReferenceTAPE/690
Date
10 Apr 1999
Production date 1999-04-10 - 1999-04-10
Scope and ContentThis is a copy of a tape held by the British Library, in their Sound Archives, as part of their CPGB Biographical Project. Details about the tape may be obtained from the British Library web site.
Helen was brought up in a mining community in Scotland. The ILP was very strong there, but although she attended their socials, she never became a member. After leaving school she worked for 2-3 years for the Civil Service, and then went out to New Zealand. Whilst there, she met John (See TAPE/691) whom she married, and they both joined the Communist Party, because she was actually asked to join and because "it was the vehicle for all the things she believed in”. They returned to Scotland, to Glasgow, where they were very active in the CPGB. Helen was also very active in the peace movement. She later became a teacher.
A digital recording of this tape is available to listen to at the library
There is a Word document giving a fuller synopsis of the interview.
Helen was brought up in a mining community in Scotland. The ILP was very strong there, but although she attended their socials, she never became a member. After leaving school she worked for 2-3 years for the Civil Service, and then went out to New Zealand. Whilst there, she met John (See TAPE/691) whom she married, and they both joined the Communist Party, because she was actually asked to join and because "it was the vehicle for all the things she believed in”. They returned to Scotland, to Glasgow, where they were very active in the CPGB. Helen was also very active in the peace movement. She later became a teacher.
A digital recording of this tape is available to listen to at the library
There is a Word document giving a fuller synopsis of the interview.
Extent1 side of a cassette tape and 1 digital recording
Physical descriptionDuration: 44 min.
LanguageEnglish
Archival historyThe Communist Party of Great Britain Biographical Project, part-funded by the Economic and Social Research Council covers the full period of the party's existence (1920-1991) and deals with all aspects of its work including industrial work, educational and cultural activities as well as local and international campaigns. The audio recordings of more than 150 interviews with members and former members of the Communist Party of Great Britain, conducted between October 1999 and September 2001 by a group of historians based at Manchester University have now been deposited in the British Library Sound Archive.
Persons keywordKay, Helen (1930-), Communist Party of Great Britain, British Library National Sound Archive
SubjectCommunism, Peace movements, Mining
Conditions governing accessOpen
Levelfile
Normal locationZ (Room 24)