Remembering David Lane

On Sunday June 7th at the Sumac Centre there will be an informal memorial meeting for our late supporter, life-long peace activist, conscientious objector and vegan, David Lane [1934 – 2014].

David’s friend & follow campaigner, Bruce Kent, honorary vice-president of CND, will join us, as will a number of people who worked alongside David in the book trade and on many campaign trails over the years.

Vegan catering will be provided Veggies Catering Campaign, whose very existence, let alone 30 years of campaigning, came about through David’s constant support.

Further information from Moyra, Chesterfield CND,  Ross, Five Leaves Bookshop or Pat at Veggies.

David Lane, 21.2.1934 ~ 16.09.2014

David was born in London, but his mother was from Norfolk and as a small boy (about 5) he was evacuated to his great uncle’s farm in Norfolk. He loved the freedom and space of the country. In later years he combined his love of Norfolk with his love of snowdrops and many a February saw a visit to Little Walsingham to visit the woods full of snowdrops. When that was too far, Hodstock Priory had to suffice. The north Norfolk coast and its great variety of birds had also been a favourite spot.

At school he was keen on athletics and as a middle distance runner represented his school in the 800 and 1500 yards at national level.

At school he also became interested in Peace and Pacificism and at eighteen became a Conscientious Objector and relinquished his athletics to give his time to the Peace Movement which was to be his great interest throughout his life. From then on until his active life ended he sold Peace News and distributed it.

He was a life-long member of CND and went on the Aldermaston March from its inception. Demonstrations and marches were a part of his life and although ill in 2003 he went with the local group on the Don’t Invade Iraq London demonstration. We still have the badge. The Peace Movement was always a very important part of David’s life as were his other great interests, animal welfare, vegetarianism and veganism.

David and Nancy had met in 1957 at a Pacifist Youth Action Group where they both met Ian Dixon who also became a life-long friend. Not long after, Nancy went off to Canada to work and was surprised when David visited her soon after her return in 1960. He had been working all hours at a hostel for boys in Hackney, and his boss had insisted he took some time off. So he had set off to hitch-hike around the country, and on the way visited various friends and some of the people he had met at PYAG. Nancy was quite surprised one day to see David coming up her parent’s garden path.

In 1962 David and Nancy married and he became, like her, a vegetarian. During the 1970s and 80s he played a very active part in the Nottingham Vegetarian Society. He was chairman of the local group and also a member of the national council. He was very good at using the media and made links with the local press and radio which he used to good effect. He also invited nationally known figures like Eva Batt to speak locally and Rose Elliot to do a cookery demonstration. He belonged to Compassion in World Farming and other animal welfare organisations which he supported in many ways.

David did have other interests and relaxations. He loved music and enjoyed jazz and classical. He enjoyed reading, but mostly around peace and politics and John Betjeman’s poetry. He also enjoyed the theatre, plays mostly, especially by George Bernard Shaw. He enjoyed singing although he was self-conscious if anyone was listening. He had a good voice and enjoyed family sing songs.

After he finished his alternative National Service at The Royal Free Hospital in London, David had worked for a while in the library service and then with social services as a house master in a hostel for working boys. Eventually he went back into books which were always his passion, this time selling books on Peace and Green Issues. He was a member of the Green Party and supported many green issues.

David loved walking and the countryside and spent most of his holidays walking, lazing, or boating or rowing in the Lake District which he loved and where he enjoyed the red squirrels and the mountains.

He retired after a life in cities to the Peak District which he loved, although he always kept his contact with the political life of Nottingham and Chesterfield.

His years in Bakewell were marked with nature; snowdrops, bluebells, heather, rowan. He was a member of the bird group and the Civic Society and had a close association with Bakewell Friends’ Meeting.

David managed to stick to his vegan diet to the end of his life, and was grateful to the nursing home for that. David had spent the last three years of his life in a nursing home while the Parkinson’s progressed and he became completely dependent on other people for all his needs.

David showed great fortitude right to his end.

                                                                    NL/November 2014

MUSIC ~ these were selected by David

1. Masters of War ~ Bob Dylan
2. Imagine ~ John Lennon
3. Danny Boy ~ Nigel Kennedy
4. Foolish Notion ~ Andrew Martin’s Choir

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