Silicon Glen, Scotland > Scottish FAQ > Scottish History
View the Silicon Glen Blog. Contact Us about advertising rates.

John MacLean

Want to move jobs?. New free social marketing tool for job seekers
Sign up now at www.movejobs.com.


Article by Abby Sale, and from an extract by Sorley MacLean, Craig Cockburn and Jack Campin

John Maclean was born 14 August 1879 (died St Andrews Day, 30-Nov-1923). He was Scotland's great turn-of-the-century labour leader. He is mentioned in two Hamish Henderson songs - Freedom Come all Ye and of course The John MacLean march. He was a schoolteacher and member of the Social Democratic Federation, who believed passionately in workers' education (his teaching of 'Marxian economics' attracted classes of over 1000 at times). He was anti-militarist, and was imprisoned four times between 1916 and 1921. His position as a socialist and a nationalist is unequalled in Scottish politicial history. Some history books fail to mention him at all and they can be judged on that. John MacLean has a street named after him in St. Petersburg.

The lyrics of the John MacLean march are at
http://www.dickgaughan.co.uk/songs/texts/johnmacl.html

Maclean's triumphant return to Glasgow from Peterhead Jail was 3 December 1918. See The biography by James D. Young, _John Maclean: Clydeside Socialist_ (Clydeside Press.) It's still available from AK Distribution, who have a US office: http://www.akpress.org/

Sorley MacLean wrote of John MacLean

Clann Ghill-Eain

Chan e iadsan a bhàsaich
an àrdan Inbhir-chéitean
dhaindeoin gaisge is uabhair
ceann uachdrach ar sgeula
ach esan bha'n Glaschu,
ursann-chatha nam feumach,
Iain Mór MacGill-Eain,
ceann is fèitheam ar sgeula.

The Clan MacLean

Not they who died
in the hateur of Inverkeithing
in spite of valour and pride
the high head of our story ;
but he who was in Glasgow
the battle-post of the poor,
great John MacLean
the top and hem of our story.


Scottish FAQ > FAQ Contents > Scottish History > John MacLean > Top


Q-HTML V3.4 by Craig Cockburn created this page on 19-Jun-2012 at 08:06:28