ETHEL MACDONALD, 1909 1960.
Ethel MacDonald was born in Motherwell, a town just outside Glasgow on the 24 th of February 1909. She was part of a large Bellshill family one of nine children. Leaving home at sixteen she became active in women’s movements and the rights of the working class. From an early age Ethel was an active socialist, still only sixteen she joined the Bellshill, Independent Labour Party, (ILP). She worked as waitress and shop assistant, in 1931 she came in contact with Guy Aldred who asked her to become his secretary. Ethel left the ILP and joined Guy Aldred in the Anti-Parliamentary Communist Federation, (APCF). Three years later in 1934 the APCF split over the issue of the nature of its opposition to Labour Parliamentarianism. Guy Aldred lead the splinter group and Ethel MacDonald joined him. The splinter group formed a new organisation, the Workers Open Forum. The Workers Open Forum had a very short life, months in fact, the ILP had split from the Labour Party and its support was being sought by the Communists to create a United Front and by Trotsky to form a Fourth International. Guy Aldred supported the Trotskyists and was successful in getting the Glasgow, Townhead Branch of the ILP to join with him and form a new organisation, in June 1934 the United Socialist Movement, (USM) was born. Ethel remained a member of the USM and a close comrade of Guy Aldred until her death in 1960. Ethel MacDonald stated that her first encounter with Guy Aldred was the moment which determined for future.Via Metafilter
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