George Garret: A Stoker with Punch

Writing On The Wall
Saturday 24th May 2014
Central Library, Liverpool

Reviewed by John Owen

The afternoon kicked off with a slide show featuring contributions from author Frank Boyce and one of Garret’s grandsons followed by audience questions. A pioneer of the unemployment and hunger march movement, they attempted to occupy the Walker Art Gallery, demanding work or at least full relief. He was also – as his grandson pointed out – opposed to the official opposition to so-called “alien labour being used to take our jobs”.

A short film – with a narration by Alexi Sayle whose mother and father were family friends – gave a brief history of the story of the man. It featured warm family recollections to add to the anecdotal memories of Liverpool’s unsung hero, a man akin to Robert Tressell, although Charles Dickens was used as comparison.

Though largely forgotten for various reasons, the man was a very active fighter for Liverpool, in particular for the welfare of seamen and social justice in general. A talented short story writer who jumped ship at the early age of fifteen and sailed the seven seas, influenced by the likes of Eugene O’Neill, himself a strong socialist critic of capitalism in the USA.

He then embarked on a literary career of his own. Boarding with some future famous actors including Jackie Gleason and Victor McLaughlin. He eventually escaped the clutches of the US authorities and headed back home as war was declared.

He got stuck into local activity writing and reporting on current issues using his own life experience as biographical information for his works. His turn to acting and the theatre after his coming into contract with the literary left-wing in the states encouraged him to use culture as weapon for change, this included setting up the Unity Theatre along the way.

More is to come as the ongoing archive team, active since September last year, are discovering more and more. Luckily a lot of the recent find comes from two suitcases that may well have been skipped but luckily saved for posterity for the display in central library.

A life story biopic forms the basis of the play on at The Unity 28th May, 8pm.

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