It is with deep regret I have to tell CSC members that our friend and comrade John Moore passed away on Tuesday 16th March aged 92.
John studied at Oxford University in the late forties and early fifties being a contemporary of Rupert Murdoch and Shirley Brittain (Williams). John said in those days Murdoch erred towards the left!
On leaving university John taught in further education in West Bromwich and Coventry and also taught at Bablake and Whitley Abbey schools in Coventry. After leaving the formal education sector John he became Education Officer for the West Mercia Co-Op.
John was a communist all his life and came from a family steeped in communist tradition. He joined the Communist Party in the late forties and went on to hold various positions at city and district level. John was a prolific reader and writer. He wrote many book reviews for the Morning Star. He was a lifelong subscriber to the Star and its predecessor the Daily Worker and was a frequent contributor to its letters page until very recently.
John will be remembered for many achievements, but overwhelmingly for being a true internationalist. He once said that as a boy he remembered with admiration those brave men and women who came back from Spain having fought to save the world from the barbarism of fascism. He had a deep and long time involvement with the Cuba Solidarity Campaign and secretary of the local Coventry and Warwickshire group until 2017. He was also an active member of Coventry Against Racism.
It was perhaps it was this long life of international activity at a local level that John was best known. In 2009 John was presented the Good Citizen Award by the Mayor of Coventry.
Despite his obvious wisdom and intellect John was a modest man always more interested in others than in himself. He had friends across the political spectrum. He was a firm believer and follower of arts and culture and regularly attended concerts and performances. Here too, his links were international.
John Moore, 13/12/1928 – 16/03/2021, will deeply missed by many.