Modern Records Centre Mss.172
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MODERN RECORDS CENTRE MSS.172. REG GROVES PAPERS 1904-1987 Born in 1908, Reg Groves' early work experience included a variety of jobs, for example messenger boy, temporary railway porter and Post Office engineering trainee, and he did not become a professional journalist until 1934. He was well known as a pioneering member of the British Section of the International Left Opposition, as a Labour party candidate, and as the author of a number of books on socialist history. He died in 1988. One of Groves' works was a biography of the Christian Socialist, Rev. Conrad Noel (1869- 1942). Ordained in the Church of England in 1894, from 1907 Noel was the organising secretary of the Church Socialist League. He also founded the Catholic Crusade in 1918. A writer of several books, including 'The Battle of the Flags' (1922) and 'Jesus the Heretic' (1939), he was vicar at Thaxted in Essex from 1910. Minutes, correspondence and printed matter re the formation of the British Left Opposition, 1929-33; correspondence, addresses and cuttings as Labour parliamentary candidate, 1938- 59; manuscript and printed writings by Groves, with related correspondence and collected materials re various aspects of British socialist and labour history, 1910-76, and Groves' published biography of Rev. Conrad Noel. 0.416 cu. m. [A file of correspondence between Groves and Revd St John B. Groser was reunited with the Groser Papers in Lambeth Palace Library]. - 1 - MODERN RECORDS CENTRE MSS.172. Contents MSS.172/BG The Balham Group (Left Opposition). 1927-1937 MSS.172/BE Beveridge Report. 1936-1952 MSS.172/CS Christian Socialism. 1906-1985 MSS.172/DG Daisy Groves. Undated MSS.172/GS The General Strike. 1919-1976 MSS.172/GO Victor Gollancz. 1940, 1944 MSS.172/IS International Socialists. 1973 MSS.172/LP/A Labour Party: Aylesbury Constituency. 1930s-1950s MSS.172/LP/E Labour Party: Eastbourne Constituency. 1949-1959 MSS.172/LP/I Labour Party: North Ilford Constituency. 1954-1955 MSS.172/LP/P Labour Party publicity material. 1918-1920s MSS.172/LP/S Labour Party, Saffron Walden Constituency. 1950-1952 MSS.172/LA Labour Party: additional papers. 1918-1972 MSS.172/MI Miscellaneous. [1914]-1970s MSS.172/M Miscellaneous (additional). 1917-1987 MSS.172/NC No Conscription League. c1939 MSS.172/NU National Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers. 1948-1981 MSS.172/RG Reg Groves’ writings and film work. 1928-1975 MSS.172/SL Socialist League and Trotskyism. MSS.172/TH Thaxted Movement: Reg Groves’ study of. 1904-1973 MSS.172/TC Trades Councils. 1926-1930s MSS.172/VG Victor Grayson MP: Reg Groves’ study of. 1908-1976 MSS.172/V Victor Grayson MP: additional papers. 1975,undated MSS.172/VS Victory for Socialism. c1943-1944 MSS.172/W War and opposition to war. 1913-1944 MSS.172/WA Socialist Anti-War Front. c1940 - 2 - MODERN RECORDS CENTRE MSS.172. MSS.172/BG Material relating to the Balham Group. 1927-1937 Much of it is source material for R. Groves, 'The Balham Group. How British Trotskyism began' (Pluto Press, 1974). Page references included in the descriptions, e.g. [p.34], refer to that work. [MSS.172/BG/9-22: Miscellaneous Left Opposition and related items]. MSS.172/BG/1 Communist Party of Great Britain Nine Apr 1931- Elms Rail Group: manuscript minute book. Jun 1932 Balham Group from 26 Nov 1931 [p.34]. MSS.172/BG/2 Contents of original file ''I'' re Balham 1928-1933 Group. MSS.172/BG/2/1 Typescript carbon copy text of article by Feb 1928 Groves, 'The British ''Trade Revival'' and the Workers'. MSS.172/BG/2/2 R. Palme Dutt [to Groves?]. 27 Nov 1929 Long letter on issues facing the Communist Party of Great Britain. MSS.172/BG/2/3 G. Renshaw, Bethnal Green Organiser, to 24 Dec 1929 Communist Party of Great Britain Organising Department. Criticises Groves' position. MSS.172/BG/2/4 Communist Party of Great Britain Secretariat 30 Jan 1930 to Groves. Enclosing MSS.172/BG/2/3 for comments. MSS.172/BG/2/5 Copy of Groves' reply to MSS.172/BG/2/4. [26 Feb 1930] MSS.172/BG/2/6 Copy letter, Battersea Local Party Committee Undated to Editor, 'Daily Worker'. Defending their record of activity. MSS.172/BG/2/7 Manuscript notes about local discussion of Undated issues discussed in MSS.172/BG/2/6. - 3 - MODERN RECORDS CENTRE MSS.172. MSS.172/BG/2/8-9 Communist Party of Great Britain and 'Daily 10 Mar 1930 Worker' to A. Sentinella, Balham. Relating to policy in dropping daily posters. MSS.172/BG/2/10-11 Communist Party of Great Britain and 'Daily 12, 24 Mar Worker'. 1930 Replies to MSS.172/BG/2/5. MSS.172/BG/2/12 Marx-Engels Institutute, Moscow. 30 Mar 1930 Offer Groves a post in the English Cabinet. MSS.172/BG/2/13 Copy letter, Groves to Communist Party of 22 Apr 1930 Great Britain Secretariat. Protest at suppression and contradiction of his 'Daily Worker' feature, 'Workers notebook' [p.29]. MSS.172/BG/2/14 Marx-Engels Institutute, Moscow. 26 Apr 1930 Follow up to MSS.172/BG/2/12. MSS.172/BG/2/15 Manuscript draft [by Purkis, acc. to Groves] of Undated letter from Groves. It follows the Communist Party of Great Britain Secretariat's refusal of permission for him to go to Moscow. MSS.172/BG/2/16 Copy letter, Groves to Communist Party of [14 May Great Britain. 1930] Relates to difference of opinion over nature of Indian nationalism. MSS.172/BG/2/17 Communist Party of Great Britain: 14 May 1930 acknowledgement of MSS.172/BG/2/16. MSS.172/BG/2/18-19 Copy letters, Groves to 'Daily Worker' and 30 May 1930 Communist Party of Great Britain. Criticism of paper's policy. MSS.172/BG/2/20-23 Further exchange of letters with 'Daily Worker' Jun 1930 and Communist Party of Great Britain. Relates again to their treatment of Groves' copy and his decision not to write features. - 4 - MODERN RECORDS CENTRE MSS.172. MSS.172/BG/2/24/1-2 Battersea Local Party Committee. Undated Drafts of objections to levy for 'Daily Worker'. MSS.172/BG/2/25 Copy letter to 'Labour Monthly' committee. 17 Jun 1930 Discussing its weaknesses. Page 1 only. MSS.172/BG/2/26 'Daily Worker': termination of correspondence 22 Jun 1930 with Groves. MSS.172/BG/2/27 Copy letter, Groves to Communist Party of 27 Aug 1931 Great Britain. In defence of his views in an unpublished letter. [Copy also in MSS.172/BG/4]. MSS.172/BG/2/28 Duplicate statement from members of the 18 Apr 1933 1931-1933 Committee of the British Group of the Left Opposition. MSS.172/BG/3 Contents of original file ''II'' re Balham 1932-1933 Group. Duplicated broadsheets, unless otherwise stated. MSS.172/BG/3/1 'To our comrades in the Communist Party from [Aug 1932] the ''liquidated'' Balham Group'. MSS.172/BG/3/2 'To the delegates to the Party Congress 7 Nov 1932 Battersea, November 1932'. MSS.172/BG/3/3 'Leon Trotsky's preface to the new Polish Undated edition of Lenin's ''Left Communism: an infantile disorder'''. MSS.172/BG/3/4 'Even now they blunder!'. Undated MSS.172/BG/3/5 'Of those who forget their A.B.C.'. 20 Dec 1932 MSS.172/BG/3/6 'To all comrades of the Independent Labour 19 Mar 1933 Party'. From Kernot et al, Hackney ILP, and Gibbs, Clapham ILP. - 5 - MODERN RECORDS CENTRE MSS.172. MSS.172/BG/3/7 'Statement from members of the Committee of 9 Apr 1933 the British Group of the Left Opposition'. MSS.172/BG/3/8 'To members of the Hackney Local and the Jun 1933 Communist Party'. From W. Graham. MSS.172/BG/3/9 'To our comrades of the Independent Labour [Jun 1933] Party'. MSS.172/BG/3/10 Copy letter from Hugo Dewar, secretary of 11 Jul 1933 Balham Group. Suggesting local, monthly, open discussion meetings. MSS.172/BG/3/11 'To all members of the Wandsworth trade Undated union, labour and co-operative movement'. MSS.172/BG/3/12 'An appeal to Congress delegates from the Undated Balham Group'. MSS.172/BG/3/13 'On the Anti-War Congress at Geneva'. Undated MSS.172/BG/3/14 'The eleven points [of International Left Undated Opposition]'. MSS.172/BG/3/15 'Towards the new International!'. Undated A document of the Paris Conference. MSS.172/BG/3/16 S-W London Youth Unity Committee: printed Undated handbill 'Close the ranks!'. Verso: manuscript notes (political analysis). MSS.172/BG/3/17 'Letter to a social-democratic worker Undated concerning the united front of defence'. By L.D. Trotsky. MSS.172/BG/3/18 Communist League of America (Opposition), Jul 1932 National Committee: 'Internal Bulletin' No.2. i + 31pp. - 6 - MODERN RECORDS CENTRE MSS.172. MSS.172/BG/3/19 Communist League of America (Opposition): 1 Nov 1932 circular to branches. Summarising recent experiences. 4 pp. MSS.172/BG/3/20 Typescript copy of discussion introduction by 18 Aug 1932 Trotsky on 'Business cycle perspectives and the tasks of the Comintern'. MSS.172/BG/3/21 Typescript interpretation of world economic 18 Aug 1932 situation by ''B.J. Field''. MSS.172/BG/4 Contents of original file ''IV'' re Balham 1930-1936 Group. MSS.172/BG/4/1 Communist Party of Great Britain to Groves. 8 Jul 1930 Relates to his and Purkis' views on the role of a Communist Party journalist. MSS.172/BG/4/2 Copy letter, Groves to Communist Party of 25 Aug 1931 Great Britain Secretariat.