295:
134:
374:
from the area. The police would commit multiple violent attacks against peaceful Indian demonstrators in
England who campaigned for the Meerut prisoners. These campaigns were highly successful in publicising the plight of Indian republicans and raising public opposition to the sentencing Bradley and his fellow prisoners.
31:
222:, in January 1898. His father was a "time-keeper" at a motorworks and a night-watchman at a warehouse. Bradley's parents had 8 children, two of which died in infancy. In 1914 at the age of 16, Bradley left school to work as an engineer's apprentice. After briefly serving with the British Navy during
459:
Bradley's papers are considered by historians to be an indispensable source for the study of the Meerut
Conspiracy Trial, including an extensive prison correspondence, documents from the trial, and records of the international campaigns of solidarity with the defendants. They also contain his notes
373:
During his imprisonment, campaigns were started demanding the release of
Bradley and his fellow prisoners. In April 1929, communist led protesters held a demonstration at the Marble Arch to Victoria Station in London, which the British police responded to by forcefully removing all ethnic Indians
362:. Bradley, Spratt, and many other communists and trade union leaders were charged under section 121A of the Indian Penal Code with "conspiracy to deprive the King-Emperor of the Sovereignty of British India". This trial, which began at the end of January 1930, became known as the
370:. The trial, which had no jury, ended in August 1932 and was followed by 5 months of "judicial deliberations". Bradley was found guilty and sentenced to 10 years in prison, but was released in November 1933 and returned to the UK 2 months later.
197:. His imprisonment in 1929 provoked an enormous outcry, and in Britain, according to Stephen Howe, "probably inspired more left-wing pamphlet literature than any other colonial issue between the wars". He was also a key member of the
846:
894:
246:
area where he worked supervising a large workshop. He was troubled by the terrible working conditions and low pay that the workers received. Once he returned to
Britain in early 1923, he joined the
402:. Bradley eventually became the secretary of the British section, a position he held until the organisation was dissolved in 1937, after which he returned to working as an engineer.
421:
was experiencing a large increase in membership, Bradley played a central role in the day to day running of the party, working closely alongside fellow communist leaders including
456:
Benjamin
Francis Bradley died on 1 January 1957. His funeral was attended by over 300 people, including official representatives from the governments of China and India.
394:. Saklatvala had been key to fighting for the release of the Meerut Conspiracy prisoners, and established the Meerut Prisoners' Defence Fund. Bradley then teamed up with
838:
581:
358:
In March 1929, both
Bradley and Spratt were arrested as a part of attacks by the British colonial occupation against trade unionism, communism, and the
1213:
193:
and trade unionist who was accused of attempting to overthrow the
British colonial authorities in India, leading to him being sentenced in the
895:"A part of British Colonial Oppression, the Meerut Conspiracy Case furthered the Indian Anticolonial struggle through Insurgent Resistance"
250:, and became a trade union activist and a shop steward in an engineering works. He once led a successful labour strike shortly before the
1092:
439:
In 1944, Bradley's wife Joy gave birth to a daughter named
Josephine. Shortly into their marriage, Joy became terminally ill and died.
286:) which reached a membership of 50,000 by the end of 1928. He also held additional roles in trade unions dedicated to railway workers.
1153:
1123:
776:
Unpacking 'Chauvinism': The
Interrelationship of Race, Internationalism, and Anti-Imperialism amongst Marxists in Britain, 1899-1933
705:
242:
In 1921, Bradley signed up to work as an engineer in India under a two-year contract. During his time in India he worked in the
999:
928:
757:
671:
405:
In 1940, Bradley was again arrested and jailed for 3 months for supporting Indian independence, after he made a speech at an
608:
279:
259:
251:
143:
1069:
443:
418:
247:
198:
138:
868:
275:
80:
227:
74:
774:
283:
230:
from its foundation in 1920. Bradley was also active within the
National Unimployed Workers Movement led by
633:
573:
359:
226:
between 1916 and 1918, he returned to working in Britain as an engineer until 1921. He was a member of the
1198:
464:
399:
807:
609:"Ben Bradley papers - Communist Party of Great Britain archive from Microform Academic Publishers"
383:
101:
802:
535:
363:
194:
436:, an informational leaflet published by the CPGB dedicated to supporting Indian independence.
390:, a leading British communist and the first ethnically Indian person to serve as an MP of the
448:
in 1946, and then became the National Organiser of the Britain-China Friendship Association.
1176:
1208:
1203:
1145:
1084:
8:
550:
460:
for a projected autobiography and materials relating to his later political activities.
387:
366:. Bradley and his fellow accused were represented by the future Prime Minister of India,
347:
1115:
697:
820:
395:
319:
995:
924:
824:
753:
667:
391:
335:
307:
294:
262:, Bradley returned to India in Autumn of 1927, travelling with fellow CPGB activist
812:
442:
After the war, Bradley became the circulation manager for the CPGB's newspaper the
410:
367:
327:
326:, Gopen Chakravarti, Kishori Lal Ghosh, L. R. Kadam, D. R. Thengdi, Goura Shanker,
323:
303:
839:"Indian Communists and Trade Unionists on Trial: The Meerut Conspiracy, 1929-1933"
1042:
1019:
945:
472:
426:
35:
Photograph of Benjamin Francis Bradley, also known as Ben Bradley, taken in 1943
816:
343:
339:
331:
311:
231:
1192:
545:
530:
525:
315:
274:). Soon afterwards, Bradley became an Executive Committee member of both the
263:
30:
255:
302:
prisoners taken outside the jail. Back row (left to right): K. N. Sehgal,
540:
351:
223:
215:
110:
468:
422:
406:
243:
190:
106:
463:
Archival sources concerning Bradley's life can be found at both the
214:
Benjamin Francis Bradley, later known as "Ben Bradley", was born in
55:
282:, and the Vice-President of a newly formed mill-workers' union (
793:
Chandra, Bipan (2008). "P.C. Joshi and the National Politics".
476:
299:
271:
267:
219:
51:
923:. UK: Manifesto Press Cooperative Limited. pp. 15–16.
417:
called 'Inside the Empire. During the early 1940s when the
409:
event calling for the independence of India. During the
994:. UK: Manifesto Press Cooperative Limited. p. 16.
752:. UK: Manifesto Press Cooperative Limited. p. 15.
702:
Graham Stevenson: Encyclopedia of Communist Biographies
666:. UK: Manifesto Press Cooperative Limited. p. 14.
86:
Member of the presidium of the Communist International.
342:. Front row: M. G. Desai, D. Goswami, R. S. Nimbkar,
154:
Conspiracy to overthrow British colonialism in India
992:
Red Lives: Communists and the Struggle for Socialism
921:
Red Lives: Communists and the Struggle for Socialism
750:
Red Lives: Communists and the Struggle for Socialism
664:
Red Lives: Communists and the Struggle for Socialism
382:Upon his return to Britain, Bradley was greeted at
258:to train Indian communist leaders belonging to the
662:Meddick, Simon; Payne, Simon; Katz, Phil (2020).
398:in London to help run the British section of the
254:. As a part of joint efforts by the CPGB and the
1190:
989:
918:
747:
661:
990:Meddick, Simon; Payne, Liz; Katz, Phil (2020).
919:Meddick, Simon; Payne, Liz; Katz, Phil (2020).
748:Meddick, Simon; Payne, Liz; Katz, Phil (2020).
1146:"On the Eve of the Indian National Congress"
782:. UK: University of Manchester. p. 201.
413:, he helped to produce a regular newsletter
1181:. London: Communist Party of Great Britain.
1113:
1116:"Anti-Imperialist People's Front in India"
631:
501:On the Eve of the Indian National Congress
234:, and the Metalworkers Minority Movement.
29:
806:
289:
1214:Prisoners and detainees of British India
495:Anti-Imperialist People's Front in India
293:
164:10 year prison sentence (released early)
1174:
1082:
1063:
1040:
1017:
943:
792:
772:
419:Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB)
248:Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB)
237:
199:Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB)
139:Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB)
1191:
985:
983:
1114:Bradley, Ben; Dutt, R. Palme (1936).
1013:
1011:
981:
979:
977:
975:
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971:
969:
967:
965:
963:
892:
743:
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691:
689:
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657:
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603:
601:
599:
568:
566:
377:
90:Britain-China Friendship Association
451:
13:
1008:
960:
893:Gopal, Priyamvada (7 March 2020).
252:1926 United Kingdom general strike
189:(1898–1957) was a leading British
156:(found guilty in a juryless trial)
14:
1225:
720:
680:
642:
638:. University of California Press.
596:
563:
1070:Communist Party of Great Britain
1043:"The League Against Imperialism"
1020:"The League Against Imperialism"
946:"The League Against Imperialism"
613:www.communistpartyarchive.org.uk
132:
98:Support for Indian independence.
1168:
1156:from the original on 2011-11-24
1138:
1126:from the original on 2010-03-11
1107:
1095:from the original on 2010-03-11
1076:
1057:
1034:
1030:(15): 14 – via issuu.com.
956:(15): 25 – via issuu.com.
937:
912:
886:
861:
849:from the original on 2022-02-11
708:from the original on 2020-10-30
584:from the original on 2012-03-15
415:"Colonial Information Bulletin"
180:Josephine (daughter, born 1944)
1053:(15): 13 – via isuu.com.
873:Working Class Movement Library
831:
786:
766:
625:
276:All India Trade Union Congress
81:All India Trade Union Congress
1:
632:Windmiller, Marshall (1959).
556:
228:Amalgamated Engineering Union
209:
123:India: What we must do (1942)
75:Amalgamated Engineering Union
360:Indian independence movement
314:, B. F. Bradley, A. Prasad,
7:
519:
432:In 1942, Bradley published
88:League Against Imperialism.
10:
1230:
817:10.1177/025764300902400206
400:League Against Imperialism
280:Workers and Peasants Party
260:Workers and Peasants Party
144:Workers and Peasants Party
1178:India's famine: The facts
1085:"The Background in India"
513:India's famine: The facts
176:
168:
160:
150:
127:
117:
94:
70:
62:
40:
28:
21:
1150:Marxist Internet Archive
1120:Marxist Internet Archive
1089:Marxist Internet Archive
773:Edmonds, Daniel (2017).
482:
187:Benjamin Francis Bradley
45:Benjamin Francis Bradley
843:British Online Archives
489:The Background in India
465:People's History Museum
204:
195:Meerut Conspiracy Trial
102:Meerut Conspiracy Trial
1066:India: What we must do
1041:Ellison, John (2017).
1018:Ellison, John (2017).
944:Ellison, John (2017).
536:Meerut Conspiracy Case
507:India: What we must do
434:India: What we must do
364:Meerut Conspiracy Case
355:
298:Portrait of 25 of the
290:Meerut Conspiracy Case
1175:Bradley, Ben (1943).
1083:Bradley, Ben (1934).
1064:Bradley, Ben (1942).
297:
869:"Meerut - the trial"
238:Political activities
696:Stevenson, Graham.
578:The Open University
551:Shapurji Saklatvala
388:Shapurji Saklatvala
1199:British communists
795:Studies in History
635:Communism in India
396:Reginald Bridgeman
356:
284:Girni Kamgar Union
1001:978-1-907464-45-4
930:978-1-907464-45-4
759:978-1-907464-45-4
673:978-1-907464-45-4
429:, and Bill Rust.
378:Return to Britain
184:
183:
100:Convicted in the
16:British communist
1221:
1183:
1182:
1172:
1166:
1165:
1163:
1161:
1142:
1136:
1135:
1133:
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1104:
1102:
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1080:
1074:
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1055:
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1005:
987:
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941:
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770:
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640:
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629:
623:
622:
620:
619:
605:
594:
593:
591:
589:
570:
452:Death and legacy
411:Second World War
384:Victoria station
368:Jawaharlal Nehru
308:H. L. Hutchinson
161:Criminal penalty
151:Criminal charges
137:
136:
135:
120:
33:
19:
18:
1229:
1228:
1224:
1223:
1222:
1220:
1219:
1218:
1189:
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1173:
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1144:
1143:
1139:
1129:
1127:
1112:
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1098:
1096:
1081:
1077:
1062:
1058:
1039:
1035:
1016:
1009:
1002:
988:
961:
942:
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913:
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901:
891:
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875:
867:
866:
862:
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837:
836:
832:
808:10.1.1.982.8470
791:
787:
779:
771:
767:
760:
746:
721:
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694:
681:
674:
660:
643:
630:
626:
617:
615:
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597:
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572:
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559:
522:
485:
473:British Library
454:
427:Dave Springhall
380:
292:
240:
212:
207:
155:
142:
133:
131:
128:Political party
118:
105:
99:
89:
87:
84:
78:
71:Organization(s)
58:
49:
47:
46:
36:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1227:
1217:
1216:
1211:
1206:
1201:
1185:
1184:
1167:
1137:
1106:
1075:
1056:
1049:. New Series.
1033:
1026:. New Series.
1007:
1000:
959:
952:. New Series.
936:
929:
911:
885:
860:
830:
785:
765:
758:
719:
679:
672:
641:
624:
595:
561:
560:
558:
555:
554:
553:
548:
543:
538:
533:
528:
521:
518:
517:
516:
510:
504:
498:
492:
484:
481:
453:
450:
379:
376:
354:, Gopal Basak.
344:S. S. Mirajkar
340:Muzaffar Ahmad
332:K. N. Joglekar
322:. Middle row:
312:Shaukat Usmani
291:
288:
239:
236:
232:Wal Hannington
211:
208:
206:
203:
182:
181:
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166:
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162:
158:
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115:
114:
96:
95:Known for
92:
91:
72:
68:
67:
64:
60:
59:
50:
44:
42:
38:
37:
34:
26:
25:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1226:
1215:
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1207:
1205:
1202:
1200:
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1155:
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1147:
1141:
1125:
1121:
1117:
1110:
1094:
1090:
1086:
1079:
1071:
1067:
1060:
1052:
1048:
1044:
1037:
1029:
1025:
1021:
1014:
1012:
1003:
997:
993:
986:
984:
982:
980:
978:
976:
974:
972:
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968:
966:
964:
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951:
947:
940:
932:
926:
922:
915:
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870:
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848:
844:
840:
834:
826:
822:
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796:
789:
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777:
769:
761:
755:
751:
744:
742:
740:
738:
736:
734:
732:
730:
728:
726:
724:
707:
703:
699:
698:"Bradley Ben"
692:
690:
688:
686:
684:
675:
669:
665:
658:
656:
654:
652:
650:
648:
646:
637:
636:
628:
614:
610:
604:
602:
600:
583:
579:
575:
574:"Ben Bradley"
569:
567:
562:
552:
549:
547:
546:Claudia Jones
544:
542:
539:
537:
534:
532:
531:Harry Pollitt
529:
527:
526:R. Palme Dutt
524:
523:
514:
511:
508:
505:
502:
499:
496:
493:
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487:
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341:
337:
333:
329:
325:
321:
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
296:
287:
285:
281:
277:
273:
269:
265:
264:Philip Spratt
261:
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76:
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65:
61:
57:
53:
43:
39:
32:
27:
20:
1177:
1170:
1158:. Retrieved
1149:
1140:
1128:. Retrieved
1119:
1109:
1097:. Retrieved
1088:
1078:
1065:
1059:
1050:
1046:
1036:
1027:
1023:
991:
953:
949:
939:
920:
914:
902:. Retrieved
899:The Dispatch
898:
888:
876:. Retrieved
872:
863:
851:. Retrieved
842:
833:
798:
794:
788:
775:
768:
749:
710:. Retrieved
701:
663:
634:
627:
616:. Retrieved
612:
586:. Retrieved
577:
512:
506:
500:
494:
488:
462:
458:
455:
445:Daily Worker
444:
441:
438:
433:
431:
414:
404:
392:Labour Party
381:
372:
357:
328:S. Bannerjee
256:Soviet Union
241:
213:
186:
185:
119:Notable work
79:
48:January 1898
1209:1957 deaths
1204:1898 births
1047:Our History
1024:Our History
950:Our History
541:Udham Singh
352:S. V. Ghate
348:S. A. Dange
336:P. C. Joshi
324:R. R. Mitra
320:G. Adhikari
224:World War I
216:Walthamstow
111:imperialist
23:Ben Bradley
1193:Categories
1068:. London:
801:(2): 251.
618:2017-09-24
557:References
471:, and the
469:Manchester
423:Palme Dutt
407:Empire Day
304:S. S. Josh
244:Rawalpindi
210:Early life
172:Joy (wife)
825:145127761
803:CiteSeerX
316:P. Spratt
191:communist
109:and anti-
107:Communist
1160:23 March
1154:Archived
1152:. 1938.
1130:23 March
1124:Archived
1099:23 March
1093:Archived
904:24 March
878:23 March
853:23 March
847:Archived
712:23 March
706:Archived
588:23 March
582:Archived
520:See also
177:Children
113:beliefs.
56:England
998:
927:
823:
805:
756:
670:
515:(1943)
509:(1942)
503:(1938)
497:(1936)
491:(1934)
477:London
300:Meerut
278:, the
272:Mumbai
268:Bombay
220:London
169:Spouse
52:London
821:S2CID
780:(PDF)
483:Works
270:(now
1162:2021
1132:2021
1101:2021
996:ISBN
925:ISBN
906:2021
880:2021
855:2021
754:ISBN
714:2021
668:ISBN
590:2021
205:Life
66:1957
63:Died
41:Born
813:doi
475:in
467:in
386:by
266:to
1195::
1148:.
1122:.
1118:.
1091:.
1087:.
1045:.
1022:.
1010:^
962:^
948:.
897:.
871:.
845:.
841:.
819:.
811:.
799:24
797:.
722:^
704:.
700:.
682:^
644:^
611:.
598:^
580:.
576:.
565:^
479:.
425:,
350:,
346:,
338:,
334:,
330:,
318:,
310:,
306:,
218:,
201:.
54:,
1164:.
1134:.
1103:.
1072:.
1051:2
1028:2
1004:.
954:2
933:.
908:.
882:.
857:.
827:.
815::
762:.
716:.
676:.
621:.
592:.
146:.
141:.
104:.
83:.
77:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
