Vale Mervyn Langford

To trial at Rockhampton the fourteen men were brought,
The judge had got his orders, the squatters owned the court.
But for every one that’s sentenced, ten thousand won’t forget,
Where they gaol someone for striking, it’s a rich man’s country yet.
– Ballad of 1891

Mervyn Langford (1951 – 2024)

I remember we printed Joh Must Go leaflets on the Haughton Street press in Red Hill, where Mervyn, Julian, and Martin lived. They were all nurses at a time when this caring profession was mostly comprised of women. All except Martin have passed away, so many years since that share house. Mervyn’s former partner, Joan Rourke, died of cancer some years ago, I think about 2010. I met their children: Rupert, Caitlin, Piers and Aiden. They were a lovely lot.

In the late 70s, the Democratic Rights Movement was in full swing. Mervyn wrote to me once, tongue in cheek, about those days, specifically about a special branch officer from Kingaroy, Barry Krosch.

If you were interested in an interview with Mr Barry Krosch, I’d be delighted to help facilitate it – especially if we could organise a trip to that former mythical homeland and bastion of Queensland rural socialism, Kingaroy. I have been in and out of Kingaroy since 1962 and always enjoy a trip back. If you were to sit and chat to Barry, would you ask him what he knows about a former British SAS officer who runs workshops, providing extra-curricular training for police and security guards.

I did not take him up on the offer. Back in the 1970s, we were trying to build a United Front. The popular slogan of the campaign was Joh Must Go. We printed 40,000 copies of a leaflet explaining why on the press at 24 Haughton Street Red Hill.

In 1977, the premier, Joh Bjelke-Peterson, represented the trans-national mining companies in Queensland and was determined to mine and export uranium to supply the nuclear fuel cycle. The government tried to stop the democratic rights and anti-uranium movements by banning street marches and introducing severe repression against workers and their unions.

Like the rest of us, Mervyn came out of the anti-war movement, his parents were missionaries and Quakers. His mother Muriel was active in the Brisbane Aboriginal Community.

Both Mervyn and I were arrested on the eve of the state election of 11 November 1977 for participating in an illegal street march. 198 people were arrested that Friday night and on the following day there was a 10% swing against the Queensland government because of popular support for democratic rights and opposition to uranium mining and export.

Mervyn was many things: toy maker, peace activist, father, musician and impressario. He was a strong supporter of Palestine and of Julian Assange and helped organise vigils at the Enogerra Army Barracks against the war in Afghanistan.

I can remember 7 October 2011, how Mervyn coolly stepped up to the microphone outside the Enoggera army barracks and said: “I would just like to sing a song from the 1500s.” He then sang acapella, the classic anti-war song, “Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ye” which goes like this:

They’re rolling out the guns again, hurroo, hurroo
They’re rolling out the guns again
But they never will take our sons again,
No they never will take our sons again Johnny I’m swearing to ye.“

A friend, Jim, had this to say about Mervyn: “Thinking of Mervyn, Christine and family. I met Merv over 40 years ago, but sadly did not get to know him very well. My fondest memory is of Merv singing a moving version of “When Johnny came marching home”, outside Enoggera army Barracks.“

Another memory I have of Mervyn, was how we made this amazing mobile banner/poster at his toy factory about the three wise men coming to Palestine to greet the birth of baby Jesus, only to find Israel’s apartheid wall. We carried that banner through several demonstrations organised by Justice for Palestine Magan-djin.

Magda Arts
I interviewed Mervyn for local radio 4ZZZ when he and Don Wilson put on Reedy River at Magda Community Artz’. It is worth listening to the interview all the way to the end because we discuss The Ballad of 1891.

Educating the educated
Mervyn was political, participating in all the anti-war struggles of our age – Vietnam, East Timor, West Papua, Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine …

In the early 1970s, to the amazement of his classmates at Indooroopilly High School, he would lecture his teachers about how important it was to stand against Australia’s involvement in the American war in Vietnam.

My condolences to Christine, his children, comrades and friends.

Vale comrade,
Ian Curr
16 July 2024