Happy Christmas from Radical Luton 1975

From 'Luton Street Press' (December 1975), an alternative take on the 12 days of Christmas:

 the 12th day of Christmas  we wish that we could see

12 nurseries playing

11 troops deserting

10 streets for squatting

9 lanes for cycling

8 food co-ops sharing

7 adventure playgrounds growing

6 workers' factories

5 free schools

4 fare-less buses

3 veggie caffs

2 street theatres

and a free pardon for Ronnie Lee'

'Luton Street Press' was published by people around Partisan Books, a mid-1970s radical bookshop at 34 Dallow Road, Luton. The list reflects things that those involved were actually trying to make happen - they set up a food co-op, claimants union, a Dallow Hills Adventure Playground, and organised childcare through their Luton Women's Action Group and Luton Men Against Sexism. 

Ronnie Lee was one of  14 peace activists acquitted of charges in 1975 under the Incitement to Disaffection Act 1934  for distributing leaflets produced by the British Withdrawal from Northern Ireland Campaign (BWNIC) encouraging soldiers not to serve in the army there. Lee had been involved in the Luton bookshop, and indeed lived upstairs there for a while, but at this point was in prison for taking parts in an an animal rights raid on  Oxford Laboratory Animal Colonies in Bicester. Upon release he set up the Animal Liberation Front.

Listings from Luton Street Press, December 1975. These include jam sessions at Farley Hill community centre organised by Refleks, who were involved in setting up the 33 Arts Centre in the town. Anybody recongise the bands? I believe 'English Assassins' included Ian Gibbons who was in later line ups of the Kinks.

(I have written about Partisan Books in Luton here before. I recently met up with Brian Douieb and Liz Curtis - aka Liz Durkin-  who set up the bookshop and they told me some more stories as well as sharing some great printed materials from the time, so will be writing up some more about this. They have the first three copies of Luton Street Press, does anybody know if there were any more?)