2020 BOB CROW MEMORIAL

Dear ALL,

Bob’s family have agreed for us to distribute our album today as we remember not only the sad loss of Bob but also smile at the memories that we have of the man and his life.

This is the tribute made on behalf of our union as our tribute to him and I truly hope that we would have made him proud. This is not the work of any one individual, but the work of us all that follow in his footsteps.

We will be making 4 special copies of the Album, for the union, our branch, to accompany the banner and Bob’s family. We will also make some additional copies for those that contributed. We are toying with the idea of making some more for general sale in aid of Bob’s Charity, the British Heart Foundation, but we will see. We also hope that the RMT buys Bob’s Banner as his family have agreed the money will also donated to his charity.

Firstly, to Ed Hall, who made the banner in a very short time to enable us to premier it at the 2019 May Day March in London.

We thank Nicola Hoarau for giving us permission, on behalf of Bob’s family, to change our branch name to the Bob Crow Branch and also to the National Executive and General Secretary for allowing this to happen. Also, for her marvellous efforts to finally get Bob onto the stage at Tolpuddle, something that sadly did not occur during Bob’s life-time.

We thank Bob’s work colleagues, Sean Fahey, Terry ‘the Tamper’ Gipps, Chris Newell, Eddie Norton and Doug Hammersley for their memories of Bob during his working days.

We would like to thank those that have spent time to write such wonderful and heartfelt tributes to Bob to accompany the photographs in this album. Karen Mitchell, Barry West, Mick Cash, Andy Gilchrist, Mick Lynch, John Leach, John Reid, Glen Hart, Glenroy Watson, Andy Littlechild, Sean Hoyle, Michelle Rogers, Peter Skelly and Alan Pottage

Our most sincere thanks to Stephen Guy of the Durham Miners, who not only made us welcome, but also organised a special blessing of our Banner, outside Durham Cathedral. A unique tribute that is usually only allowed for Miners’ Banners.

We would like to thank LU Engineering Branch and RMT Members for their love and support in ensuring that Bob’s legacy has endured and continues to thrive. It was symbolic of this that ‘Bob’s Banner on Tour’ was met with such respect and support as we travelled the country in the name of class solidarity and determination to honour the giant of a man that was our Bob.

Our gratitude also, to the staff of the RMT Communication’s Team for their proof reading and formatting of our album, who have helped finish this work that we all worked so hard to create.

Lastly, we would like to thank Bob’s family, for allowing us to share him with them, for an all too brief moment in time.