| Main Performers | Mr Victor Gollancz (Chairman),
Kingsley Amis,
Johnny Dankworth,
Arnold Wesker,
Ludovic Kennedy,
Lady Violet Bonham Carter,
The Bishop of Colchester,
Sydney Silverman MP,
Christopher Brasher,
Gerald Gardiner QC,
John Freeman - speakers |
| Orchestra or Band | Johnny Dankworth and His Band |
| Performance Notes | This was the first of a series of meetings scheduled to take place throughout Great Britain in an attempt to abolish capital punishment in the United Kingdom.
According to The Times (19 April 1961) the Albert Hall was so crowded that an overflow meeting was held in Kensington Town Hall, which also became full. There were a number of disruptions throughout the meeting, including unauthorised banners being displayed and an individual running onto the stage shouting slogans against then Prime Minister Harold Macmillan.
"5,000 AT RALLY TO RENEW ANTI-HANGING DRIVE.
ALBERT HALL INTERRUPTIONS.
The National Campaign for the Abolition of Capital Punishment rallied all its forces at the Albert Hall and Kensington Town Hall last night to start a renewed drive before the expected reconsideration of the Homocide Act next year.
About 5,000 people heard the Bishop of Colchester, the Rt. Rev. F D V Narborough, say that the Bible contained God's word that he who sheds man's blood, his blood should be shed in return. That word was given to a primitive people.
"They needed that word from God as the first step towards civilisation. We must not allow that word of God to hold us in the backwoods."
The League of Empire Loyalists had also rallied forces to air their own particular views. Ina third-tier box at the Albert Hall [second tier] boxat the Albert Hall they displayed a banner with the words. "Capital punishment for high treason."
"HANG HIM" CRY.
Leap on Platform.
A smartly dressed young man leapt on to the platform, seized a microphone and shouted: "Macmillan has betrayed Britain. Hang him." He was manhandled aside by Mr Frank Byers.
From elsewhere came a shout "Hang Macleod," and later "Hang Kenyatta." In spite of the regular interruptions most of the speeches followed their predicatable way.
There was loud applause as Lady Violet Bonham Carter said that the hanging of his close friends did not prevent Terry from shooting and killing a Worthing bank guard within an hour of their execution.
The one Conservative speaker, Mr Robert Mathew, MP for Honiton, said: "We have glamourised murder through this filthy punishment. It is more harmful, rather than a deterrent."
"CRUELTY" COMMENT.
Lord Harwood's Message.
The Chairman, Mr Victor Gollancz, read a message from the Earl of Harewood in which hanging was described as "an act of almost unbelievable cruelty....I can imagine no more humanising act than our release from this sin against common decency.""
(The Daily Telegraph, 19 April 1961) |
| Related Archival Material | Presscuttings |