‘With a government like this, we need our subversive bookshops’
Radical bookseller Housmans celebrates 65 years’ promoting peace and equality
Published: 16 July, 2010
by PETER GRUNER
A RADICAL in the world of commerce, it has survived the recession in the high street, hungry property developers, and the demise of book shops in the wake of the online revolution.
Housmans bookshop in King’s Cross, which boasts the largest range of political magazines in the country, celebrated 65 years in the business with a party for supporters.
Dozens turned up to drink a toast to another successful 65 years – including peace activist Bruce Kent and chairwoman of CND, Kate Hudson.
Housmans was first established in Shaftesbury Avenue in the aftermath of the Second World War, by the pacifist and playwright Laurence Housman.
Housman, a sponsor of the Peace Pledge Union, wanted the shop to promote ideas of peace, human rights and an equitable economy through which future war and all its inherent suffering might be avoided.
Forced to close because of financial difficulties, many of the shop’s functions were passed on to the fledgling Peace News newspaper, founded in 1936.
Later, in 1958, Peace News supporters acquired the freehold of a building at 5 Caledonian Road, which has been the shop’s permanent home ever since.
Albert Beale, a trustee of the building and a member of the Housmans board, said: “Having our own freehold of the building, and not being in it for profit, we have withstood those who wanted to buy us up and shut us down.
“At one time, a few years ago, we were the only shop on this block not boarded up.”
Mr Beale believes the shop is probably secure now. It boasts a popular website, but will always need support and new customers.
Mr Beale added: “About 20 years ago every village in the country had a radical bookshop. Today there are only about two or three radical bookshops in London and a handful around the country.
“With a Conservative-Lib Dem coalition, more and more people are seeking to wallow in our wide range of non-sectarian, alternative and occasionally subversive political literature.”
The shop is regularly used for meetings and book launches and has become a venue for people to meet and debate the issues of the day.