Ray Barron-Woolford is a life-time community activist, broadcaster, playright, and author. His most recent play is Liberty about Kath Duncan’s role in establishing the LGBTQ and civil rights movement in 1930’s Britain, laying the groundwork for The National Council Civil Liberties. Reviews Many women have been written out of the male-dominated history books. For every Amazonian queen, rebel girl, scandalous mistress, militant suffragette or persistent female pioneer that we now know about, there are hundreds more “hidden her stories” of extraordinary women which go totally uncelebrated. Ray Woolford’s fascinating new book shines the spotlight on an unsung political heroine whom many will be unfamiliar with. Kath Duncan was one of the most important activists of the last century. She had connections with major politicians like Winston Churchill and George Lansbury, she stood for Parliament, made inspiring speeches and dedicated her entire life to the causes she believed in to the detriment of her own health. However, her leading role in left-wing and communist politics, her working class Scottish background and her gender, have all led to her story being marginalized. Her important contribution to the civil rights movement has been buried by the establishment since her death in 1954, at the height of the Cold War. Woolford’s book tells how Kath Duncan was a highly significant champion of the poor and the unemployed. She was a tireless campaigner for workers’ rights and spent two jail terms in Holloway prison for making political speeches. The National Council for Civil Liberties supported her in a landmark court case on the freedom of speech but not many history books will tell you that fact. Duncan also opposed Fascism, took part in the Battle of Cable Street and was central to the Aid to Spain movement in the 1930s. She was a key player in these things – so by rights she should be a household name or have a memorial or statue erected somewhere. Woolford’s very well researched biography defiantly places Kath Duncan’s story right back into the public eye where it belongs, and restores her to her rightful position as one of the leading civil- rights activists of our time. Her political campaigning can be linked to several of the most significant moments in 20th century British history and has relevance to many of the social and political issues we have today. In a year when we are celebrating 100 years of some women getting the vote in the UK – it is vital that we also recognise and acknowledge the life and work of Kath Duncan – a working class woman who played just as significant a role in politics as the Pankhursts, Nancy Astor or Barbara Castle. In a world where we constantly strive for more equality this book has an important message about how society deals with freedom of speech and civil liberty. Kath Duncan’s story has finally been uncovered by Woolford and all of us really ought to read it. Chrissy Hamlin (www.chrissyhamlin.blogspot.co.uk) The Hidden Herstories Blog and #WomensHistoryHour on twitter The Last Queen of Scotland is a veritable banquet of forgotten history mixed with Woolford’s own love story for one of the greatest women most people have never heard of. Immediately accessible, the author has crafted an important and pertinent public record of a figure who encapsulates so many of today’s struggles. The banishing of the mists of time from Kath Duncan’s life could well stand as one of Woolford’s finest achievements. Steve Topple, activist, broadcaster, political commentator and writer for The Canary I must be honest, I had heard very little about Kath until Ray introduced me to her, and I’m so thankful that he did. He takes you on the journey of Kath’s life, starting from her childhood and later her friendships with several people including Churchill. Ray describes everything with such clarity and precision which made me feel like I know Kath and that I can certainly relate to her. I was shocked to have found that the little that I had previously read about Kath was inaccurate and Ray has gone to great lengths to correct this, and quite rightly so. Kath was a truly amazing woman, fierce but kind, fair and understanding. She is an inspiration to all women worldwide. I give this book a 5-star rating because it doesn’t get better than this and I fully recommend this book to people of all ages. Thank you, Ray. Charlotte Hughes writes for The Morning Star and The Guardian and writes a very high profile blog The Poor Side of Life There is no doubt that the most important period for ordinary people in Scotland and England was between the Wars especially after the Russian Revolution, the First World War and the start of the Second and whilst today many commentators talk about the similarities from the 1930s to the present age of Trump and the rise of Fascism again across Europe the 1930s is an era we should all be reading up on. This extraordinary, extensively researched book puts at its core the true story of Kath Duncan who was very different from the other Scot from Kirkcaldy who is still celebrated across the globe today, the economist Adam Smith. Kath Duncan was probably the most important Scottish and UK civil rights activist over the past 100 years, whose imprisonment laid the ground work for The National Council of Civil Liberties (which these days is called Liberty), which is also the title of another must-read book about Kath Duncan who, until this book, you probably knew nothing about. Kath Duncan – leader, suffragette, LGBT, civil rights campaigner, leader of Hunger Marches, anti-war, anti-fascist, activist against the Spanish Civil War, supporter of Gandhi and Indian workers for union recognition, as well as taking on the utility companies, the King, Parliament and the entire legal system. Kath Duncan may have been so small she needed a soap box to become her stage, but her glamour, courage and inspiration for many in 30s Britain led many to call her the people’s Queen. In the year we celebrate 100 years of Women’s activism is it not time we bring Kath Duncan out of the shadows and let her shine with the stars? This book screams period drama. Make me a movie, but most of all raises one crucial question we should all be asking, especially those in education and in the position to make statues and put up plaques. Why do we celebrate Kings, Queens, tyrants and the children of the elite who became activists, but selectively erase working class heroes especially women like Kath Duncan whose activism won us all the freedoms we all enjoy today? You don’t have to love history or politics to enjoy this book. The Last Queen of Scotland takes you on a ride through the world in the 1930s, through the life of Kath and puts the case why she is the most important Scot and UK civil rights activist in the past 100 years from Kirkcaldy to Hackney to Deptford and back. I rate this book 5 stars; everyone should read this book and ensure she becomes the household name she deserves to be! Who will be first to erect a Statue to remember and give thanks to such a great activist of inspiration and courage – Kirkcaldy, Scotland, London, Hackney, Camden, Deptford, and Lewisham? The London Economic This book is dedicated to working-class heroes, especially women like Kath Duncan who were, for far too long, left in the shadow of history. I hope through this work to bring them out of the shadows to walk with the stars. Ray Barron-Woolford T HE L AST Q UEEN OF S COTLAND AUST N M AC AULEY P UBLISHERStm London Cambr idge New Yor k Shar jah Copyright © Ray Barron-Woolford (2019) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher. Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. Ordering Information: Quantity sales: special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the address below. Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication data Barron-Woolford, Ray The Last Queen of Scotland ISBN 9781643782690 (Paperback) ISBN 9781643782706 (Hardback) ISBN 9781643782713 (Kindle e-book) ISBN 9781645363576 (ePub e-book) Library of Congress Control Number: 2019935776 The main category of the book — History / Europe / Great Britain / Scotland www.austinmacauley.com/us First Published (2019) Austin Macauley Publishers LLC 40 Wall Street, 28th Floor New York, NY 10005 USA [email protected] +1 (646) 5125767 Table of Contents Introduction ............................................................................ 13 A Strong Woman vs. A Woman of Strength ............................ 19 Chapter 1 ................................................................................ 20 Winston Churchill’s Apprentice .............................................. Chapter 2 ................................................................................ 30 Love and a New Life in London ............................................... Chapter 3 ................................................................................ 39 The Hunger Marches ..............................................................