Prior to joining British Union, Tommy had been an active member of the
Labour Movement and for some time had served as Branch Secretary for Newcastle
West. In July 1933 disillusioned with Labour, he was won over to Fascism. Whilst
reading of and researching Tommy`s early days in the movement, there has been
three separate incidents that I have found particularly memorable.
Firstly, a Sunderland Echo report from December 13th 1933
As a sequel to a fight between
Fascists and J**s in a Newcastle dance hall. Thomas Patrick Moran, engineer, of
22 Budle Street, Newcastle, was fined a total of £7 with two guineas costs at
the City police court today.
Moran pleaded guilty to being
drunk and disorderly, assaulting two attendants, Sydney Park and William
Gilbert and to assaulting Police Sergeant Watt.
Park said that at 12.30 am today
he saw a man in Fascist uniform arguing with a J**. He ordered both men to
leave the hall and Moran intervened. There was a fight. Moran was very violent
and struck him.
William Gilbert said Moran
struck him in the face and had to be held down until a policeman arrived.
P.C. Swan said Moran was mad
drunk and struggled violently. At the police station he had to be handcuffed
before he could be got into the cells.
Moran said it was the first time
he had been in trouble. He had been celebrating his birthday. “Some J**s were
setting about our chaps and I went to their assistance.” He said. “I took what
was coming to me, and other people took what was going to them. I was drunk.”
Moran asked for time to pay.
Replying to Supt. T. Dale, he
admitted he was a professional boxer, but said he was not boxing now.
The second, and to me, my favourite Tommy anecdote of that period, a report from The
Blackshirt
C/O Moran has been doing some very
useful work in South Shields. On Sunday January 21, a certain individual addressed
a gathering in the Labour Hall on Fascism. This man claimed to be au fait with the knowledge of the
"thuggery" and brutality of Fascists. C/O Moran entered the hall
unaccompanied whereon the said individual "dried up".
A policeman was sent for, but as
no disturbance had or was likely to take place, the precaution was unnecessary,
which fact the policeman placed on record. That one Fascist could cow a hall full
of anti-Fascists without any threats or attempts at violence speaks well for
the respect in which our men are held.
.JPG)
Cowen`s Monument, October 2014
Lastly, an incident at Cowen`s Monument, again reported in The
Blackshirt
The Blackshirt meeting at Cowen's
Monument every Sunday evening has become a feature of Newcastle life. Meetings
held there have always been lively, but of late there has been a tendency for
the opposition to become rougher than usual and to show signs of organised
hooliganism.
On Sunday April 29, the usual
heckling developed into systematic shouting and singing. Suddenly a concerted
rush was made for the platform. Almost overwhelmed by the weight of the crowd,
the stewards were forced back. The speaker had to vacate the platform, which
was smashed. Encouraged by this apparent success, the “Reds” went further and
several of our men were struck.
C/O Moran had relied upon
conciliatory methods, but seeing our men go down he gave the order to fight
back. The one constable present was of course unable to cope with the
crowd.
Sticks, pieces of platform,
boots were all used upon the Blackshirts and many were kicked and rendered
unconscious. One Fascist who was being carried away from the struggle by
sympathisers was kicked into unconsciousness.
On the arrival of the police
reinforcements, the stewards were reformed and marched back to their
headquarters to an accompanying barrage of whelk and winkle shells.
