Ted Crawford is a veteran Trotskyist and scholar, who has edited the journal, Revolutionary History. The Ted Crawford papers (reference MS1232) have recently been catalogued online,
http://archives.libraries.london.ac.uk/Details/archive/110052940
They give considerable detail about the contemporaneous and historical controversies raging within Trotskyism not only within the UK but also within the international Trotskyist communities.
Correspondents in the Crawford papers include not only a range of prominent UK Trotskyists (and former Trotskyists) such as Christopher Hitchens, Alex Callincos, and Ray Challinor but also non-UK Trotskyists such as Albert Glotzer (USA), Nils Dahl (Norway), and Hector MacNeil (New Zealand). Some of the correspondents (eg Glotzer, Dahl) were associates of Trotsky himself so their recollections and perspectives are especially valuable.
One of the core objectives of Senate House Library (SHL), University of London is to highlight and promote the research potential of its written and archive collections.
The Crawford papers comprise part of SHL’s extensive collection of Trotskyist archives and are therefore one of the Library’s core collecting strengths.
https://www.senatehouselibrary.ac.uk/our-collections/special-collection…
The Crawford papers complement other archives in Senate House Library which give insights into international Trotskyism such as the Higgins/Richardson papers (MS1117) and the Ron Heisler collection (MS1174).
Senate House Library’s recent engagement activities have included exhibitions and events highlighting political radicalism, particularly on the Left. An example is last year’s exhibition, Radical Voices,
https://www.senatehouselibrary.ac.uk/exhibitions-and-events/exhibitions…
The Library aims to attract collections of national and international importance, including Trotskyist archives, as one of the leading research libraries in the arts, humanities and social sciences in the UK and Europe. The source of acquisition of this particular archive reflects the Library’s network of donors and illustrates the importance of nurturing a mutually beneficial relationship between depositors and institutions.
Researchers are welcome to use the Ted Crawford papers for research. Archive-only use at Senate House Library is free. The Library does though need at least a working day’s notice before a research visit. More details are here,
https://www.senatehouselibrary.ac.uk/our-collections/special-collection…