Many of us who are politically active became so in our younger days, perhaps high school or college. Our parents may have even told us that our beliefs were a "phase" we were going through, and we'd stop such "nonsense" when we had to get a job in the "real world." Well, not everyone grows up to sell out their beliefs. One such person was Nan Milton.
Nan was the elder daughter of Scotland's premier Marxist, John MacLean. MacLean was a revolutionary socialist active in the early part of this century, and Nan carried on his work. She collected her father's writings for publication and wrote an unbiased biography of him. Nan was also, at various time in her life, a Labour Councilor, member of the Communist Party of Great Britain (although neither Stalinist nor British), active in the Scottish National Party, and Honorary President of the Scottish Republican Socialist Party. She also carried on wide-spread correspondence with many folks around the world.
In addition to her work building a Scottish Worker's Republic, Nan expressed solidarity with struggles in other Celtic nations, including support for the national liberation forces in Ireland, as did her father. As a socialist, she saw links between the struggle in Scotland and other struggles. Although ill health prevented her from being as active in recent years, Nan still provided support, access to papers, and solidarity to Scottish Republican Socialists.
I had the honor of meeting Nan Milton through a good friend of mine in Glasgow, Donald Anderson, the General Secretary of the SRSP. On both occasions, Nan was gracious, and interested in the "Yankee Lassie's" views. The first time I met her, she signed my copy of her biography of her father as we sipped sherry. As a political activist, it was an honor to meet an elder of Nan's calibre. Age is not what makes us politically conscious, or unconscious. We can be revolutionaries all of our lives. Nan was an inspiration.
Nan Milton died one day short of her 83rd birthday, on April 23, 1996. She was preceded in death by one son and her husband of many years, Ellice, by one month. She is survived by her son Ellice and sister Jean.
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