West Ham Anarchists

The West Ham Anarchists (WHA) appear to have been active between 1966 and 1969 in the east end of London. The earliest mention of the West Ham Anarchists located was in 1966 in the April issue of 'Direct Action', Syndicalist Workers Federation - and the last one in Freedom in 1969, p.2. See Direct Action, p.2. Freedom News, Vol. 30, Issue 2, Freedom News, 18 Jan 1969.  

During the run-up to the 1966 general election, they disrupted a hustings which was captured on film. In The Hecklers, a film by Joseph Strick, Nick Heath, aka Charles Mowbray, stated that the people interrupting a Conservative Party candidate in the 1966 General election were members of West Ham Anarchists. The group wrote about the action in Freedom News. Captured on film , at 37:09-41:00 min. Freedom News, Wilson shakes hands with Anarchy, Freedom Press, 26 Nov 1966.

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Beyond this, little is known about the group’s activities, although it did publish a newspaper named Black Mass in 1969. No archived copy of 'Black Mass' can be found, but there is a review of it on p.2 in:   Some further details are captured in HN326 'Doug Edwards' reporting. HN326 'Doug Edwards' HN326 ‘Doug Edwards’ was the cover name of an undercover police officer in the Special Demonstration Squad between November 1968 and May 1971. He infiltrated the Independent Labour Party and anarchist groups including the West Ham Anarchists. His real name has been restricted; he is referred to in the Undercover Policing Inquiry as HN326. Full page: HN326 'Doug Edwards'

Sources: HN326 'Doug Edwards' profile. HN326 'Doug Edwards' HN326 ‘Doug Edwards’ was the cover name of an undercover police officer in the Special Demonstration Squad between November 1968 and May 1971. He infiltrated the Independent Labour Party and anarchist groups including the West Ham Anarchists. His real name has been restricted; he is referred to in the Undercover Policing Inquiry as HN326. Full page: HN326 'Doug Edwards'