Red Clydeside

Key political figures of the Red Clydeside period

William Gallacher and young adult friends

1908

Willie Gallacher's early life was typical of many young men growing up at the start of the twentieth century. Gallacher enjoyed an active social life and seized with relish the many opportunities for personal advancement that were available to a young skilled worker during this period. It is known that he joined several sporting and amateur dramatics clubs in his home town of Paisley.

During this period Gallacher also began to take an active interest in religion, attending Bible classes and joining several Paisley choirs. He also became active in the temperance movement, joining the Independent Order of Good Templars. His commitment to the temperance cause was so strong that it shaped his early political views. Although a card-carrying member of the Independent Labour Party, Gallacher choose to campaign on behalf of a Liberal candidate during the 1905 elections because the Labour candidate, Robert Smillie, was an active member of the Public House Trust, a pub landlord's association.

Gallacher's introduction to radical politics came from attending the many open-air Marxist and socialist meetings which were held throughout the industrial centres of Scotland at this time. Although he initially joined the ILP, he quickly became disillusioned with their reformist policies. At the same time, he was coming under the influence of John Maclean, the Marxist revolutionary, and it was through Maclean's influence that Gallacher decided to join the Social Democratic Federation in 1909. Maclean and Gallacher would remain good friends until a rift in their relationship developed over the establishment of the Communist Party of Great Britain in 1920.

Source: Maxton Collection, Paisley Museum and Art Galleries