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Tributes to departed comrades by Ann Garrett

Peter Mullervy

It is a real privilege to be here today to speak about Peter on behalf of Bromley and Beckenham CND  Bromley Trades Union Pensioners Association ,Trades Union Council, and Bromley Peace Council. These groups offer their condolences to his family and friends.
I have known Peter for many years, also his sister Joan and Father Frank, when I was a member of the communist party back in the 1970s and 80s. Peter used to bring Frank to Communist meetings at my former family home at 14 Hawes Rd< Bromley. They were some of the last Bromley branch meetings before it folded in 1989. I was strongly influenced by the family’s socialist views for democracy, freedom and peace.
Peter was a great inspiration for his dedication and commitment, always speaking with honesty and sound knowledge, providing important factual historical information and topical research.
He spoke regularly at Bromley and Beckenham’s White Poppy ceremony as a members of ex Services CND, condemning the vast amounts of money spent on manufacturing and testing nuclear weapons and the illegal arms trade profiteers. He would have been appalled to at the recent decision to spend £205 billion on Trident renewal.
Peter also attended regular TUC meetings as a member of the former NUR especially during the time of the Miner’s Strike in 1984, and later on Bromley TUC Pensioners Association at the HG Wells Centre  and Ron Huzzard Memorial lectures in Orpington. Not long before he had to go to a care home he enjoyed reading a play with the pensioners group  about Wat Tyler’s 1381 peasant’s rebellion against the high taxes levied by the monarch Richard 2nd     
His speeches and comments were full of anger and disappointment at the failure of successive governments to meet his ideals, especially the more recent austerity measures, but as a seasoned campaigner he knew the reality and these speeches were tempered with firm reasoning and integrity.
We will miss him enormously as a campaigner, and on a personal level I will miss him as a friend who lived just round the corner.
I would like to read the following poem written in Peter’s memory  : -

     Peter Mullervy
A life dedicated to justice and peace
He spoke vehemently without cease
Hi political voice was loud and clear
Expressing ideals which he held dear
He lived according to his principles on a daily basis
Challenging those who are repressive and racist
Out on the campaign trail his feet were firmly on the ground
Marching with determination and resonant sound
A socialist light has dimmed but not gone out
That red flame of influence will burn on with little doubt
                                           Ann Garrett Ashley  [ Sept 2nd 2016 ]


Guy Yeates
I am here today on behalf of Bromley and Beckenham CND to pay tribute to Guy who was over a period of many years, a committed campaigner opposing weapons of mass destruction and especially illegal wars.

I first met Binnie and Guy back in the 1970s and it was clear from the beginning that we shared the same ideals and ethical views.
Since they returned to Bromley it has been a great pleasure renewing our friendship, and I have appreciated Guy's insight and shrewd mind when discussing peace and political issues.
He was present on anti - war demonstrations and attended white poppy ceremonies at Bromley War Memorial on Remembrance Sundays. The last time I saw him was on this occasion and I remember thinking how courageous it was of him to be there when he was really frail.
His family can be truly proud of his influence and example, and our CND group offers Binnie and all the family our deep sympathy and condolences.
The following extract appears in the introduction to our last peace anthology ‘ Inherited from Pioneers ‘ : -  ‘ As one generation of pioneers hands over to another, they leave a legacy of tenacity and courage, for those campaigners of the of the present and future ‘.
I would like to read the poem ‘ Earth’ on which the anthology is based, in memory of Guy.  It was written by Kay Ekevall, a previous chair of Bromley CND
Ann Garrett [Secretary of Bromley and Beckenham CND] 4th April 2017

Theresa Mathews
It is a great privilege to be here today to speak on behalf of  Bromely& Beckenham CND and Bromley Peace Council, of the contribution of Theresa to the peace movement.
She was Honorary Chair of Bromley and Beckenham CND and in her time was totally dedicated to ­campaigning for a world free of nuclear weapons
and war.
She demonstrated at Aldermaston, Molesworth and Greenham Common, went on anti-war marches and was of course present on the large anti invasion of Iraq demonstration on February 1St.' 2003. Locally she supported anti cruise and then anti trident leafleting on stalls in Bromley, produced ana edited the first issues of our CND newsletter BAN, was a founder member of Bromley Peace Council, and attended white poppy ceremonies on Remembrance Sunday at Bromley War Memorial and Hiroshima Day vigils outside the Churchill Theatre.
Theresa's wonderful paintings are a record and of her involvement, and she helped edit our last book of peace writings' Inherited from Pioneers' aided by Sean who did an excellent graphic design job of selecting illustrations and formatting the anthology.
Theresa was very forthright in her attitude and her ironic and perceptive statements regularly interpreted current political events, ably showing her. knowledge, experience and understanding.
We will miss her tremendously, and offer our deep sympathy to her family and friends, who must be very proud of her influence and legacy 


Theresa helped design and make the original lovely Bromley CND banner, so I would like to finish by reading the following beautiful poem 'Earth'· by Kay Ekevall a former chair of Bromley CND who Theresa knew well, as a final tribute to her. Part of the poem is on the banner and was the inspiration for the peace anthology. It expresses the value of the tenacity and courage of campaigning pioneers, in the past, present and future. Theresa was one of these.

Ann Garrett [Secretary of Bromley and Beckenham CND] 4th April 2017

Based on Elizabeth Barrett Browning's How do I Love thee. Illustration by Fay Garrett.




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