Vernon Richards

Vernon Richards (born Vero Benvenuto Costantino Recchioni, 19 July 1915 – 10 December 2001) was an Anglo-Italian anarchist, editor, author, engineer, photographer and the companion of Marie-Louise Berneri. Freedom remained under Richards' editorship until 1968 and he retained a strong influence over Freedom Press until his retirement. He also authored and translated a number of books including Lessons of the Spanish Revolution and Errico Malatesta: His Life & Ideas (1965). From December 1936 Richards began work on a new anarchist newspaper in London, Spain and the World, reporting on the Spanish Civil War. In 1937 Marie moved to London to join him, marrying him in October 1937 so she could gain British citizenship.

Following the fascist victory in the Spanish Civil War, Spain and the World was briefly relaunched as Revolt! In November 1939, with the onset of war, the paper was renamed again as War Commentary.

Publications Lessons of the Spanish Revolution (1953) Errico Malatesta: His Life & Ideas (1965) The Impossibilities of Social Democracy (1978) Protest without Illusions (1981) Violence and Anarchism: A Polemic (1983) Why Work? Arguments for the Leisure Society (1983) A Weekend Photographer's Notebook (1996) George Orwell at Home (and Among the Anarchists). Essays and Photographs (1998) A Part-Time Photographers Portrait Gallery (1999) Beauty Is More Than 'In the Eye of the Beholder': Photographs of Women and Children (1999)