by Nick Warren (Ebury Press, £7.99)They say that if you remember the 1960s, you weren’t there.
If you remember the 1970s, you were on strike, or affected by a strike. These were the dying days of militant trade unionism.
In 1972 there was a big building workers strike and flying pickets came to building sites in Shropshire to encourage anyone still working to stop. What happened next was, depending on your standpoint, legitimate industrial action - or thuggery and intimidation.
The upshot was a celebrated trial at Shrewsbury Crown Court. It became a cause celebre within the trade union movement.
One of those jailed was Eric Tomlinson, better known now as the actor Ricky Tomlinson.
The other was Des Warren. The jailed pair were dubbed “The Shrewsbury Two” and there were campaigns for their release.
Tomlinson has given his version of events in his autobiography.
Thirty Years In A Turtleneck Sweater is by Nick Warren, Des Warren’s son. It tells the story through the eyes of a child, which is what he was at the time.
Yet there is much more to this book. It is the story of a family under strain, and of trying to cope under difficult circumstances. It is also a tale of a son’s love, admiration and worship for his father.
Des was often absent from the family picture. Apart from the time in jail, there were political and campaign meetings. And other women.
Later Nick tried to get to know his dad better. By this time Des was afflicted by Parkinson’s Disease, for which of course he blamed the state.
With the benefit of hindsight, people like Des Warren cut almost tragi-comic figures. He was a Communist who jumped ship to become a Trotskyist. Nick was not above a little gentle teasing.
He readily adopts the version of history which has it that his father was a victim of political persecution and injustice, but then any son would, wouldn’t they?
I first flicked through this book with a heavy heart, expecting lots of dull political tub-thumping. But when I got reading it I found that it has an endearing simplicity. It’s not about high politics, or industrial relations dramas. It’s about the relationship between a father and son.
For some reason there are no pictures in it whatsoever, whereas the publicity blurb did contain them.
Des Warren died after a long struggle against Parkinson’s Disease in 2004.
Rating ****
Review by Toby Neal
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