Ben Owens R.I.P
[By C.D. Greaves, “Irish Democrat”, July 1970]
The death of Ben Owens on June 6th, at his home in Brighton, remove from the scene one of the great stalwarts of the Irish and working-class movements.
He was 81.
Born in Castlewellan, Co. Down, he emigrated to Scotland in his teens to join an uncle at Coatbridge or Motherwell. It was here that he had his first introduction to socialism. An open-air meeting was in progress. One of the speakers from the British Socialist Party attracted the attention of a group of apprentices, and it was with difficulty that his uncle, a very pious man, dragged him away and warned him never go listening to that sinful stuff.
Nevertheless he did go back and became a lifelong socialist, a member of the Independent Labour Party and later of the Labour Party, but within these always well to the left.
He declined military service in the First World War and was “on the run” for a while. After the war he was one of the first members of the Irish Self-Determination League, having by then moved to England and started up in business for himself.
In the ‘thirties Ben Owens was active with those who fought against the extension of fascism. He supported the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War
and became attracted to the London branch of the Republican Congress. When this merged with other Irish organisations to establish the Connolly Association, he became a founder member.
At this time Ben Owens ran a restaurant which is now owned by Indians at the King’s Cross end of Gray’s Inn Road. He converted the first floor of this restaurant into a small dance hall for the Connolly Association, which used then to meet in Britannia Street. He stored its banners and equipment in his cellar, and his café was a rendezvous for much of the Irish political community in London.
Early in the war he went to live in Belfast, but around 1950 returned to England and settled in Paddington where he set up as a hotelier.
I remember his telling me of the questions asked by his bank when they saw all the Co-operative cheques he was receiving. I had never realised they scrutinised so closely. He was a strong co-operator and a generous donor to a variety of causes, which included the “Irish Democrat” and the “Morning Star” (then the “Daily Worker”).
After a serious illness at the age of 70 he retired from the hotel business and settled in Hove. There he remained a member of the Labour Party and was constantly in touch with all progressive developments.
Vastly experienced in the ways of the world, Ben Owens had a shrewd political head. He used to visit South Africa during the winter on grounds of health. He brought back many a diagnosis which proved correct.
His kindness, generosity and integrity were appreciated by all who knew him, and in the words of the late Billy McCullough of Belfast, he was “one of the best”.