Thanks initially to the archiving efforts of Libcom and the Sparrows’ Nest, a number of old editions of Freedom Anarchist Newspaper, the longest-running anarchist publication in the English language, have become available as PDFs over the last few years. As part of our efforts to maintain and make our archive available more widely, we’ve decided to mirror and expand on these collections. Below we’ve collated and optimised all the files we could find online, and have also added scans of our own, many of which are keyword searchable.
Jump to: 1900s | 1910s | 1920s | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s
A selection of 1,543 issues is online so far featuring examples in every decade, representing more than half of the total — with more to come. Freedom retains a partial archive of printed versions of the paper, and a long-term project will be to scan and put up as much of it as possible. If you want to get involved in the initiative please do get in touch!
Freedom also has some materials related to the broader anarchist movement’s history in Britain — check out our unique timeline of the last 90 years and for an in-depth overview of the 1870-1930 period, John Quail’s The Slow Burning Fuse. If you’re looking for 1960s publication Anarchy: a Journal of Anarchist Ideas, most of them have been scanned and uploaded to an archive on Libcom (here). Separately we have also collated a list of Freedom books published over the last 130-odd years (spreadsheet here). While not entirely complete, it does cover most of the Press’s output throughout that time.
In 2018, partly because of the availability of this archive, we were able to collate and publish a first effort at a book covering the history of Freedom Press itself. A Beautiful Idea, by Rob Ray, can be found here at our online store.
Please note: The overall quality of the digital archive is variable depending on who it is that’s done the scanning and in some cases, because the papers themselves were damaged in the 2013 arson attack on Freedom Bookshop. In some cases, particularly for the Sparrows’ Nest and the Spain and The World series on archive.org, higher quality file versions are available. It’s also worth keeping an eye on them and Bibliothek der Freien, which updates regularly with sources for a much wider range of archives worldwide.
The PDFs themselves cannot be searched via the Freedom News search function, however if you Google your term along with the site details (eg: “John Rety” site:freedomnews.org.uk) this will search the machine-readable pages.
If you’re looking for an issue which is not already here, physical copies of the entire early Freedom archive and a great deal of Freedom Group correspondence from the time are available at the International Institute of Social History in Holland. The Bishopsgate Library in London maintains a complete archive of the 1920-2017 period.
Downloading in batches: We’ve had a request to make the set available for multiple downloads. As the files amount to several gigabytes we will be uploading by decade to a Drive account rather than put stress on our long-suffering host. Up so far — 19th century | 1900s. These may end up missing some files as the list on this page is still being expanded on a regular basis.
19th Century
1886
1887
February | April
May | June | July | August
September
1890
1891
x
1900s
1900
January/February | March/April
May | June/July | August
September/October | November | December
1901
January | February | March/April
May/June | July | August
September | October | November | December
1906
January/February | March | April
May | June | July | August
September | October | November | December
1907
January | February | March/April
May | June | July | August
September | October | November | December
1908
January | February | March | April
May | June | July | August
September | October | November | December
1909
January | February | March | April
May | June | July | August
September | October | November | December
x
1910s
1910
January | February | March | April
May | June | July | August
September | October | November | December
1911
January | February | March | April
May | June | July | August
September | October | November | December
1912
January | February | March | April
May | June | July | August
September | October | November | December
1913
January | February | March | April
May | June | July | August
September | October | November | December
1914
January | February | March | April
May | June | July | August
September | October | November | December
1915
January | February | March | April
May | June | July | August
September | October | November | December
1916
January | February | March | April
May | June
1917
1918
1919
x
1920s
1921
1923
March-April
May | June | July | August
September | October | November | December
1926
January | February | April |
June | August |
October | November
1927
January | February | March | April |
June | July |
September | November
Note: Freedom went into a period of abeyance following the demolition of its base on Ossulston Street in 1927 and editor Tom Keell’s move to the Whiteway Colony with the old printing press. People who disagreed with Keell’s editorship briefly produced a replacement-rival, ‘Freedom Journal’ under Ambrose G Barker, and Keell himself brought out an irregular ‘Freedom Bulletin’, but the early 1930s saw Freedom come out only rarely in any version. In 1936 however a collective was formed to produce Spain and The World, led by Vernon Richards. Keell and fellow former Freedom Group member Lilian Wolfe lent their support to the new publication, which ran until 1939, when it changed its name to Revolt, then War Commentary in the 1940s and finally back to Freedom at the end of World War II.
1928
July (Bulletin issue three) | September-October | November-December
1929
January-February | May | September
x
1930s
1930
1931
January (Barker’s Journal, issue nine) | July (Bulletin)
1932
1936
August (CNT/FAI Bulletin – final issue of ‘Freedom’ before founding of Spain and the World)
December: 11 (Vol 1:1, Spain and the World) | 24
1937
January: 8 | 22
February: 5 | 19
March: 5 | 19
April: 2 | 16
May: 1 | 15
June: 4 | 11
July: 2 | 9
August: 11 | 25
September: 8 | 22
October: 13 | 24
November: 10 | 24
December: 10
1938
January: 5 | 21
February: 2 | 18
March: 4 | 18
April: 8 | 29
May: 20
June: 24
July: 29
August: 26
September: 16 | 30
October: 15 | 28
November: 12
December: 3 | 23
1939
February: 11 (Revolt, issue one, replacing SatW) | 25
March: 25
April: 15
May: 1
June: 3
x
1940s
1940
March (War Commentary issue five, replacing Revolt)
1941
February | April | June | July
1942
March | July (early)
December (mid)
1943
August (mid)
September (mid)
October: Early | Mid (partial)
November: Early | Mid
December: Early | Mid
1944
January: Early | Mid
February: Early | Mid
March: Early | Mid
April: Early | Mid
May: Early | Mid
June: Early | Mid
July: Early
August: Mid
September: Early | Mid
October: Mid
November: 1 (Vol 6:1, switches to broadsheet) | 11 | 25
December: 9
1945
January: 13 | 27
[MI5 report: February 7]
February: 10 | 24
March: 10 | 24
April: 7 | 21
May: 5 | 19
June: 2
(Freedom)
August: 25
1946
1947
January: 4 | 18
February: 1 | 15
March: 8 | 22
April: 5 | 19 |
May: 3 | 17 | 31
June: 14 | 28
July: 12 | 26
August: 9 | 23
September: 6 | 20
October: 6 | 18
November: 1 | 15 | 29
December: 13 | 27
1948
January: 10 | 24
February: 7 | 21
March: 6 |20
April: 3 | 17
May: 1 | 15 | 29
June: 12 | 26
July: 10 | 24
August: 7 | 21
September: 4 | 18
October: 2 | 16 | 30
November: 14 | 27
December: 11 | 24
1949
January: 8 | 22
February: 5 | 19
March: 5 | 19
April: 2 | 16 | 30
May: 14 | 28
June: 11 | 25
July: 3 | 9
August: 6 | 20
September: 3 | 17
October: 1 | 15 | 29
November: 12 | 26
December: 10 | 24
x
1950s
1950
January: 21
February: 18
March: 4 | 18
April: 1 | 15 | 29
May: 13 | 27
June: 10 | 24
July: 8 | 22
August: 5 | 19
September: 2 | 16 | 30
October: 14 | 28
November: 11 | 25
December: 9 | 23
1951
January: 6 | 20
February: 3 | 17
March: 3 | 17 | 31
April: 14
May: 5 | 12 | 19 | 26
June: 2 | 9 | 23 | 30
July: 7 | 14 | 21 | 28
August: 4 | 11 | 18 | 25
September: 1 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
October: 6 | 13 | 20 | 27
November: 3 | 10 | 17 | 24
December: 1 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
1952
January: 5 | 12 | 19 | 26
February: 2 | 9 | 16 | 23
Match: 1 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
April: 5 | 12 | 19 | 26
May: 3 | 10 | 17 | 24 | 31
June: 7 | 14 | 21 | 28
July: 5 | 12 | 19 | 26
August: 2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30
September: 6 | 13 | 20 | 27
October: 4 | 11 | 18
November: 1 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
December: 6 | 13 | 20 | 27
1953
January: 3 | 10 | 17 | 24 | 31
February: 7 | 14 | 21 | 28
March: 7 | 21 | 28
April: 04 |11 | 18 | 25
May: 2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30
June: 6 | 13 | 20 | 27
July: 4 | 11 | 18 | 25
August: 1 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
September: 5 | 12 | 19 | 26
October: 3 | 10 | 17 | 24 | 31
November: 7 | 14 | 21 | 28
December: 5 | 12 | 19 | 26
1954
1958
January: 4 | 11 | 18 | 25
February: 1 | 8 | 15 | 22
March: 1 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
April: 5 | 12 | 19 | 26
May: 3 | 10 | 17 | 24 | 31
June: 7 | 14 | 21 | 28
July: 5 | 12 | 19 | 26
August: 2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30
September: 6 | 13 | 20 | 27
October: 4 | 11 | 18 | 25
November: 1 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
December: 6 | 13 | 20 | 27
1959
January: 3 | 10 | 17 | 31
February: 7 | 14 | 21 | 28
March: 7 | 14 | 21 | 28
April: 4 | 11 | 18 | 25
May: 2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30
June: 6 | 13 | 20 | 27
July: 4 | 11 | 18 | 28
August: 1 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
September: 5 | 12 | 19 | 26
October: 3 | 10 | 17 | 24 | 31
November: 7 | 16 | 21 | 28
December: 5 | 12 | 19 | 26
x
1960s
1960
January: 2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30
February: 6 | 13 | 20 | 27
March: 5 | 12 | 19 | 26
April: 2 | 9 | 16 | 30
May: 7 | 14 | 21 | 28
June: 4 | 11 | 18 | 25
July: 2 | 9 | 16 | 30
August: 6 | 13 | 20 | 27
September: 3 | 10 | 17 | 24
October: 1 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
November: 5 | 12 | 19 | 26
December: 3 | 10 | 17 | 24
1961
January: 14 | 21 | 28
February: 4 | 11 | 18
March: 4 | 11 | 18
April: 1 | 8 | 15 | 22
May: 6 | 13 | 20
June: 3 | 10 | 17
July: 1 | 8 | 15
August: 5 | 12 | 19
September: 2 | 9 | 16 | 23
October: 7 | 14 | 21
November: 4 | 11 | 18
December: 2 | 9 | 16 | 23
1962
October: 6 | 20
November: 3 | 10 | 17
December: 1 | 8 | 15 | 22
1963
January: 5 | 19
February: 2 | 9 | 16 | 23
March: 9 | 16 | 23
April: 6 | 13 | 20
May: 4 | 11 | 18
June: 1 | 8 | 15 | 22
July: 6 | 13 | 20
August: 3 | 10 | 17 | 24
September: 7 | 14 | 21 | 28
October: 6 | 12 | 19 | 26
November: 9 | 16 | 23 | 30
December: 1 | 8 | 14 | 21
1964
January: 18 | 25
February: 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
March: 14 | 28
April: 11 | 26
May: 9 | 16 | 23 | 30
June: 13 | 20 | 27
July: 11 | 18 | 25
August: 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
September: 12 | 19 | 26
October: 17 | 24 | 31
November: 14 | 21 | 28
December: 12 | 26
1965
January: 9 | 16 | 23 | 30
February: 13 | 20 | 27
March: 13 | 20 | 27
April: 10 | 17 | 24
May: 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
June: 12 | 19 | 26
July: 10 | 17 | 24 | 31
August: 14 | 21 | 28
September: 11 | 18 | 25
October: 9 | 16 | 23 | 30
November: 13 | 20 | 27
December: 11 | 18 | 25
1966
January: 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
February: 12 | 19 | 26
March: 12 | 19 | 26
April: 9 | 16 | 23 | 30
May: 14 | 21 | 28
June: 11 | 18 | 25
July: 9 | 16 | 23 | 30
August: 27 | 13 | 20
September: 10 | 17 | 24
October: 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
November: 12 | 19 | 26
December: 10 | 17 | 24
1967
January: 14 | 21 | 28
February: 11 | 18 | 25
March: 11 | 18 | 25
April: 8 | 15 | 29
May: 13 | 20 | 27
June: 10 | 17 | 24
July: 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
August: 12 | 19 | 26
September: 9 | 16 | 23 | 30
October: 14 | 21 | 28
November: 11 | 18 | 25
December: 2 | 9 | 16 | 23
1968
January: 13 | 20 | 27
February: 10 | 17 | 24
March: 9 | 16 | 30
April: 13 | 20 | 27
May: 11 | 18 | 25
June: 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
July: 13 | 20 | 27
August: 10 | 17 | 24 | 31
September: 14 | 21 | 28
October: 12 | 19 | 26
November: 9 | 16 | 23 | 30
December: 14 | 21 | 28
1969
January: 11 | 18 | 25
February: 8 | 15 | 22
March: 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
April: 5 | 19 | 26
May: 10 | 17 | 24 | 31
June: 14 | 19 | 28
July: 12 | 19 | 26
August: 9 | 16 | 23 | 30
September: 13 | 20 | 27
October: 11 | 18 | 25
November: 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
December: 6 | 13 | 20
x
1970s
1970
January: 10 | 17 | 24 | 31
February: 14 | 21 | 28
March: 9 | 21 | 28
April: 11 | 18 | 25
May: 9 | 16 | 23 | 30
June: 13 | 20 | 27
July: 11 | 18 | 25
August: 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
September: 12 | 19 | 26
October: 10 | 17 | 24 | 31
November: 14 | 21 | 28
December: 5 | 12 | 19
1971
January: 9 | 16 | 23 | 30
February: 27
March: 13 |20 | 27
April: 10 | 17 | 24
May: 1 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
June: 12 | 19 | 26
July: 10 | 17 | 24 | 31
August: 14 | 21 | 28
September: 11 | 18
October: 2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30
November: 13 | 20 | 27
December: 11 | 18 | 25
1972
January: 1 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
February: 12 | 19 | 26
March: 4 |
April: 1 | 8 | 15 | 29
May: 6 | 13 | 27
June: 3 | 10 | 17 | 24
July: 1 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
August: 5 | 12 | 19 | 26
September: 2 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 30
October: 7 | 14 | 21
November: 4 | 11 | 18 | 25
December: 2 | 9 | 16 | 23
1973
January: 6 | 13 | 20
February: 3 | 10 | 17 | 24
March: 3 | 10 | 17 | 24 | 31
April: 7 | 14 | 21 | 28
May: 5 | 12 | 19 | 26
June: 2 | 9 | 16 | 30
July: 7 | 21 | 28
August: 4 | 11 | 18 | 25
September: 1 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
October: 6 | 13 | 20 | 27
November: 3 | 10 | 17 | 24
December: 1 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 29
1974
January: 5 | 12 | 19 (date misprinted) | 26
February: 2 | 9 | 16 | 23
March: 2 (misdated as 1973) | 9
June: 29
July: 13 | 27
August: 3
November: 2
1975
January: 4 | 11 | 18 | 25
February: 2 | 8 | 15 | 22 | 5 (+supplement)
March: 1 | 9 | 15 | 3 (+s) | 29
April: 12 (+s) | 26 (+s)
May: 10 (+s) | 24 (+s)
June: 7 (+s) | 21 (+s)
July: 19 (+s)
August: 2 (+s) | 16 (+s) | 23 (+s)
September: 6 (+s) | 27 (+s)
October: 11 (+s) | 25
November: 8 | 22
December: 6 | 20
1976
January: 10 | 24
February: 7 | 21
March: 6 | 20
April: 3
May: 1 | 15 | 29
June: 12 | 26
July: 10 | 24
August: 7 | 21
September: 11 | 25
October: 9 | 23
November: 6 | 20
December: 4
1977
January: 21
February: 5 | 19
April: 2
May: 14 | 28
June: 11 | 25
August: 6 | 20
September: 1 | 17
October: 15 | 29
November: 26
December: 10 | 24
1978
January: 21
February: 4 | 18
March: 4 | 18
April: 2 | 15 | 29
May: 13 | 27
June: 24
July: 8 | 22
August: 5 | 19
September: 2 | 16 | 30
October: 14 | 28
November: 11 | 25
December: 9 | 23
1979
January: 20
February: 10 | 24
March: 10 | 24
April: 7 | 21
June: 16 | 30
July: 14 | 28
August: 11
September: 8 | 22
October: 6 | 20
November: 3 | 17
December: 1 | 22
x
1980s
1980
January: 19
February: 2 | 16
March: 1 | 15 | 29
April: 12 | 26
May: 10 | 24
June: 7 | 21
July: 5 | 19
August: 2 | 16 | 30
September: 13 | 27
October: 11 | 25
November: 8 | 22
December: 8 | 20
1981
January: 17 | 30
February: 13 | 27
March: 13 | 26
April: 10
May: 1 | 8 | 23
June: 6 | 20
July: 4 | 18
August: 1 | 15 | 22
September: 12 | 26
October: 10 | 24
November: 7 | 21
December: 5 | 19
1982
January: 23
February: 6 | 26
March: 6 | 26
April: 4 | 17
May: 1 | 22 | 29
June: 12 | 26
July: 10 | 24
August: 7 | 21 | 28
September: 11
October: 2 | 16 | 30
November: 13 | 27
December: 11 | 25
1985
January | February | March | April
May | June | July | August
September | October | November | December
1986
January-February | March | April
May | June | July | August
September | October
1988
x
1990s
1994
January: 8 | 22
February: 5 | 19
March: 5 | 19
April: 2 | 16 | 30
May: 28
June: 11 | 25x
1997
November: 1
x
2000s
2003
June: 14 | 28
July: 12 | 26
August: 9
September: 27
October: 11 | 25
November: 8 | 22
December: 6 | 20
2004
January: 10 | 24
February: 7 | 21
March: 6
April: 3 | 17
May: 1 | 15 | 29
June: 12 | 26
July: 10
August: 7
September: 4 | 18
October: 2 | 30
November: 13 | 27
December: 11
2005
January: 8 | 22
February: 5 | 19
March: 5 | 19
April: 9 | 23
May: 7 | 28
June: 25
July: 9 | 23
August: 6
September: 3 | 17
October: 1 | 15 | 29
November: 12 | 26
2006
January: 14 | 28
February: 11 | 25
March: 11
May: 6
June: 3 | 17
July: 1 | 15 | 29
August: 26
September: 9 | 23
October: 7 | 21
November: 4 | 18
December: 02 | 16
2007
January: 13 | 27
February: 10 | 24
March: 10 | 24
April: 7 | 21
May: 5 | 19
June: 2
July: 14 | 28
August: 11
September: 22
October: 06 | 20
November: 3 | 17
December: 1
2009
March: 28x
x
2010s
2010
June: 19
July: 3 | 31
September: 11
October: 23
November: 6
December: 4 | 18
2011
January: 1 | 29
February: 12 | 26
March: 12 | 26
April: 9 | 23
May: 7 | 21
June: 4 | 18
July: 2 | 16 | 30
August | October | November | December
2012
January | February | March | April
September | October | November | December
2013
September | October | November | December
2014
January | February (final monthly issue)
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
x
2020s
2020
March (one issue due to Covid)
2021
September (one issue)
2022
2023
Notes
Some of the 1910s papers include individual supplement sheets, and some issues in the post-60s period include supplements.
Many of the authors writing around the 1950s and ’60s used initials rather than their full names. Some of these are listed below, though are occasionally only one letter (so suggested names may not be accurate):
- DR: Donald Rooum
-
PS: Philip Sampson
-
CW: Colin Ward
-
JR: John Rety
-
H: John Hewetson?
-
GO: Geoffrey Ostergaard
In the 1990s the papers are nine pages. Freedom was actually printed on eight sheets, but page one was split between the “front” and “back” pages, allowing sellers to present a smaller front which opened into a tabloid-sized paper.
