Adolphe Smith Headingley (1846–1924) was a British left-wing political writer. Half-French, Smith Headingley was a member of the

First International The International Workingmen's Association (IWA), often called the First International (1864–1876), was an international organisation An international organization or international organisation (see spelling differences), also known as ...

and took part in the

Paris Commune The Paris Commune (french: Commune de Paris, ) was a revolutionary government that seized power in Paris, the capital of France, from 18 March to 28 May 1871. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, the French National Guard had defended ...

. In 1877–78, he wrote and published the magazine series ''Street Life in London'' with photographer John Thomson, to raise awareness of the plight of the city's poor. Smith Headingley played a key role in organising the 1882 International Trades Union Congress and served as an interpreter at successive conferences from 1886 to 1905. It was Smith Headingley that, in the 1890s, popularised the singing of the socialist anthem "

The Red Flag "The Red Flag" () is a socialist song, emphasising the sacrifices and solidarity of the international labour movement. It is the anthem of the British Labour Party, the Northern Irish Social Democratic and Labour Party and the Irish Labour ...

" to the tune of "

O Tannenbaum "" (; "O fir tree", English: O Christmas Tree) is a German Christmas song. Based on a traditional folk song which was unrelated to Christmas, it became associated with the traditional Christmas tree. History The modern lyrics were written in 1824 ...

Biography

Smith Headingley was born in 1846 and was half French. A left-wing political writer (under the name Adolphe Smith) and activist he was a member of the

(1864–1876). He joined the

in 1871 and narrowly escaped execution when the commune was suppressed by the French Army. Thomson, The crawlers

Smith Headingley worked with photographer John Thomson to produce the magazine series ''Street Life in London'' between 1877 and 1878. The 12-issue monthly publication documented the lives of the poor in the city and was intended to raise public awareness of the issue. The authors acknowledged that they had been inspired by a similar project from the early 1870s, ''London Labour and the London Poor'', by photographer Richard Beard and journalist

Henry Mayhew Henry Mayhew (25 November 1812 – 25 July 1887) was an English journalist, playwright, and advocate of reform. He was one of the co-founders of the satirical magazine ''Punch'' in 1841, and was the magazine's joint editor, with Mark Lemon, in ...

. Smith Headingley contributed 24 of the essays in the work and Thomson 12. Critical opinion considered Smith Headingley's contributions to be more detailed and socially relevant. The series was later compiled into a book. After ''Street Life in London'' Smith Headingley continued to write on social matters and became renowned as a left-wing campaigner for social reform. Using his fluency in French he played a key role in organising the International Trades Union Congress of November 1882. Smith Headingley became known as "Mr. Interpreter" in trade unionist circles. He served as an interpreter at successive meetings of the International Trades Union Congress from 1886 to 1905. In the 1890s Smith Headingley popularised the singing of the socialist anthem "

" to the tune of "

". Its author

Jim Connell Jim Connell (27 March 1852 – 8 February 1929) was an Irish political activist of the late 19th century and early 20th century, best known as the writer of the anthem " The Red Flag" in December 1889. Life Connell was born in the townland of R ...

had intended the tune to be sung to the Jacobite tune "

The White Cockade ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

", associated with the Irish nationalist movement that Connell supported. Connell disapproved of the change of tune, to which the song remains most closely linked, as he regarded "O Tannenbaum" as "church music" and conservative by nature. Smith Headingley was an associate of English writer and socialist

Henry Hyndman Henry Mayers Hyndman (; 7 March 1842 – 20 November 1921) was an English writer, politician and socialist. Originally a conservative, he was converted to socialism by Karl Marx's ''Communist Manifesto'' and launched Britain's first left-wing p ...

and of the women's suffragists Sylvia, Christabel and

Adela Pankhurst Adela Constantia Mary Walsh ( Pankhurst; 19 June 1885 – 23 May 1961) was a British born suffragette who worked as a political organiser for the WSPU in Scotland. In 1914 she moved to Australia where she continued her activism and was co-found ...

. Smith Headingley died in 1924. His eulogy was written by barrister and campaigner

Ernest Belfort Bax Ernest Belfort Bax (; 23 July 1854 – 26 November 1926) was an English barrister, journalist, philosopher, men's rights advocate, socialist, and historian. Biography Ernest Belfort Bax was born on 23 July 1854, in Leamington Spa, son of Danie ...

who described him as an "excellent socialist".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith Headingley, Adolphe 1846 births 1924 deaths 19th-century British journalists 20th-century British journalists British trade unionists British socialists