“Dare to be Free” – a continual desire and struggle for many – especially creative types. And setting up spoken word website listenupnorth.com is perhaps my way of challenging the system and creating an outlet and opportunity to put my own and other writer’s work out to an audience.
But throughout history to “Dare to be Free” could be a dangerous thing, especially if it was a challenge to the authorities and the status quo that kept them in power.
Such was the case of Thomas Spence (1750-1814). Utopian writer, a pioneer of people’s rights, pamphleteer and poet who was born on Newcastle’s Quayside. A man who was prepared to go to prison for his principles of grass roots freedom, community and democracy for the human rights of men and women all over the world. It was Spence who coined the phrase ‘The Rights of Man’ and chalked it on a cave wall at Marsden Grotto. Thank goodness for another free spirit, poet Keith Armstrong, and his friends who formed the Thomas Spence Trust and campaigned for Spence’s recognition thereby ensuring that this man’s great endeavours were not forgotten.
The culmination of this was the unveiling of a plaque to Thomas Spence in Broad Garth, just off Newcastle’s Quayside last Monday, the site of Spence’s school room and debating society. No doubt Spence, who was jailed in London for 6 months without trial for the sale of seditious books, would have been amused to find the Mayor of Newcastle unveiling a plaque in his honour by releasing a large black and white rosette.
Keith read one of Spence’s poems and Gary Miller, singer-songwriter of NE Band ‘The Whisky Priests’, performed Keith’s poem ‘Folksong for Thomas Spence’ set to Gary’s music.
We adjourned to the Red House, an ancient pub along the Quayside - fittingly as it was in tavern such as this in Newcastle and London that Spence mobilised politically. Keith and Gary performed a tribute to Thomas Spence and two eminent professors told further of the life and times of Thomas Spence. Thank you to Keith and his friends for keeping the light of Thomas Spence burning for future generations. As Keith summed up: ‘This plaque puts Thomas Spence on the map for all of those pilgrims who hold human rights and political freedoms dear. It does not trap his free spirit – rather it gives his life and work fresh wings’.
There will be a display of Thomas Spence’s work on the 6th Floor of Newcastle City Library from Monday 21st June to Monday 5th July.
Thanks to Tony Whittle for all the professional looking photos on this post – the rest are by me!
