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After all it worked for Ho Chi Minh, born 19 May 1890 thus see my web search tribute below:
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Ho Chi Minh - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In 1923, Quốc left Paris for Moscow, where he was employed by the ..... Ho Chi Minh and the Comintern Information and Resource Centre, Singapore, 1990...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ho_Chi_Minh - Cached - Similar.Ho Chi Minh : Biography
With Paris already occupied by Germany, the French troops decided it was not worth putting up a fight and they surrendered to the Japanese. Ho Chi Minhand ...
www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/VNhochiminh.htm - Cached - Similar.Ho Chi Minh hero file
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Ho Chi Minh whilst in his Paris days did some part time Restaurant Waiting and Pot Washing, he went on to lead a revolution in a War of National Liberation. Today Restaurants and Hotels are named after him throughout Vietnam, so all Pot Washers note that and whilst all those pots and pans build up and the bosses sweat you as cheap labour - JUST THINK - REVOLUTION!
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I have and, just look where it got me, might not yet having Restaurants named after me but, do have a restaurant table bay seating area named after me, well I think it's named after me? See Colliers Arms, Abercanaid, do a web search and see below link >
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Public Houses: Page - 1
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Re above web site, listed this also out of respect full tribute to my Nan and her sister, both of whom worked in a number of Merthyr, Aberdare and Port Talbot pubs pre WW I. Pity they died before I was old enough to record their history directly from they. My grandfather was born and worked as a miner in Abercanaid and else where in pits around Merthyr, a Soldiers in WW II and wounded twice, he survived those horrors to be active in Stay Down Strikes of 1935, then sadly be killed in a Colliery accident in 1951.
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There is also close by a Mynydd Gethin, Coed Gethin, Gethin Street, Pont Gethin and Gethin Pit. No! none after me, more lilky after the Gethin Colliery near by but, who was this Gethin?
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For much of my life I have worked in Pot Washes from an Xmas Kitchen at Butlins Barry Island in the 'Sixties' where it all started, to Ireland, where in my exile years following our failed '69 Rebellion and imprisonment. Working in two Dublin Restaurants as Grill Chef after short time in Pot Wash, I began my own personal 'Ho Chi Minh' trail back to Wales an from there to London via a number of Pot Wash Stops along the trail. I don't know what got me hooked on Pot Washes, maybe the dark blue Pot Wash uniforms reminded me of the Spanish Civil War Catalan Syndicalists Dark Blue Boiler Suit ''Uniforms''. My daughters visiting me in London, now older and wiser than me! would 'do they nuts' when I socialised with them out side work wearing 'my blues', but that was London, in main over in 'The Borough Pubs' Southwark and, on the way home from working in 'The City' late 'Nineties', yes me in 'The City', will tell you about it sometime.
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I add here how reading books as Orwell's 'Homage To Catalonia' and 'Down and Out in Paris' plus Steinbeck's 'Grapes of Wrath', influenced my young mind in the 'Sixties'. Prompting me to go 'Crop Picking' in Penfro Potato Fields and Cotswold's Strawberry fields, later in life, my three daughters loved these cheap 'earn your way' pocket money making holidays, Very few moans, too busy having fun getting dirty but making money and eating strawberries and cooking baked potatoes on Camp Fires. By this time, some years had passed and Penfro Potato picking was causing me aching limbs and stiff back but 'those were the days and yes! the Sun did shine more than it does today.
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All in all I consider the Pot Wash best place to be work wise, as it's warm, your well fed and some time got your some wine and beer out of it and at Functions and Xmas much good times and fun!!!. One other good thing about the Pot Wash are ones fellow workers often from all over the world, really one could count ones self lucky to work with such has those who work in the Worlds Kitchens, not least learning of their lives and experiences, quite an 'eye opener' on occaisions. . Not all would really be politically aware of the fact but all were indeed 'Brothers and Sisters of the Ox' and yes! despited the hard work, the 'heat of the kitchen' literally but also bad tempered Chefs and demanding managers (although, one would get on with and drink with most of they, after all for most their roots were working class).
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Re foto of me above, you would never guess where it was taken? No! not quite Buckingham Palace but some where just as important in the Finnancial World and 12 years ago when this foto was taken, the gossip coming up to the kitchen from the 'dealing floors' told us much. That is for those who wanted to listen what was ''Occurring'' and which way the wind was blowing 'Back in the Day', all of which I will recount in another post one day? My 'Down and Out Days' in London, including Squatting Flat Blocks in Hackney with 'Aussies' in main but some Welsh as well, no! I was not that down and out, did it for the 'Crack' as they say, old enough to know better but to hell with it, never did conform!
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Whatever, all this Pot Wash experience and wisdoms therein and not least lessons learnt, makes of me the ideal person to found and lead a new Radical Revolutionary Political Party of Wales, the POT WASH PARTY or by it's initials PWP! please note our rallying call and basis of our policies are simple, one all will understand...'You will get no S****! out of us but we are prepared to throw a lot of it around in the faces of the S*****! who throw it in the faces of the people'...Hopefully, everyone gets the message and if the so called Politicians and self styled leaders in Wales do not get their act together soon, then yes seriously! I will establish the POT WASH PARTY and do a lot of PWP-ing all over the country, along with my PAWCA ARMY (see my Pwca Power Satircial Blog). I warn you now PWP will be quite pacifist compared to the Pwca ''Nutters''. Alright! joking! but for some really very radical serious stuff, look for my new radical blog: ADFYWIAD GOCH CYMRU.
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In the mean time just note some great radical left Welsh History on line for future blog posts regards such as Tarw Scotch, and their links with later Coal Mining strikes in the Cynon Valley, Tonypandy, 1910 - 1911 plus not least 1911 - A great year to be remembered, yes! year of 1911 Investiture and also Llanelli Riots 1911, then what about the 1911 Anti - Jewish Riots in Tredegar. Please note, I am researching now for a treatment re a play, maybe a film on Wales 1911. No need to rip off this idea, why not work with me but note, I am doing this in spirit of 'Red Remembrance', not just to grab a grant and make a fast buck and move on. NO! NO! NO! All to future establishent and advance of a Welsh Left Theatre, see previos posts re a Theatre 1831 - Theatre Faner Goch.
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In such connection I am also advacnig ideas for street theatre based on Edward Morgan and the 'Tarw Scotch' in and around this years Eisteddfod Blaenau Gwent. Yes! getting late in the day but it will be very 'Rough Music' and much improvised, if wishing to be involved get in touch asap and note I will be in Merthyr Tudful during 'Red Week', the first week of June. Those interested in any of the above note we could meet then to discuss further with in mind to advance very fast, so be prepared to show some real committed dedication to get this well off the ground ready for Eisteddfod. What ever is produced may be in English, Cymraeg and Bilingual, so lets go for it and 'Seize Opportuniy of Occaision', contact me asap ok!
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Gethin Gruffydd.
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PS:
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What are my serious thoghts on the Welsh Political Future? First off both the left of Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru need to ditch their respective Parties and maybe with 'Left Liberals' in Wales establish a new left of centre Political Party - a Radical Progressive Party to seek the reestablishment of a Socialist Society in Wales based on both our own Peoples history and their traditiional social values. But also based on an International spirit of cooperation and solidarity. Working towards carrying fourth Socialist Devolutionary ideas in fourthcoming Referendum on more powers for the Welsh Assembly, not least then working towards a 'Soicalist Slate' of Welsh Radical Progressive Left candidates to contest Assembly elections in 2011. However, recognising that if we are to roll back the 'Tory Tide' out of Wales and, campaign against cuts and other Tory Policies that victimise our People and Society, Communities and Country. We need to mobalise left Activistis - 'Adfywiadwyr Goch' and establish a Militant Popular Front Movement and, this I shall be particulary promoting via my new radical blog ADFYWAIAD GOCH CYMRU
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Think about it! but more useful if you acted on it! Shall we discuss this too during Merthyrs Red Week in June, see following link >
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Dic Penderyn Society
- 2 visits - 5 May..
FIN!
