Biographical sketch
Sidney E. Parker was a British writer and editor whose journals included Minus One, Ego (also titled Egoist), and En Marge. His writing moved from individualist anarchism toward egoism. He also spoke to freethought and humanist groups and at Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park.
Read on UoE
Works by
Interviews
Selected bibliography
Earlier profile notes and bibliography
Sid Parker (1929-2012) edited a series of anarchist and egoist journals from 1963-1993: Minus One, and Ego (sometimes titled Egoist). He was married to a woman named Pat and had a son. He worked for British Rail for three decades until he retired. The political or philosophical trajectory of his life saw him begin as a fervent young communist, moving through many schools of Anarchism, and then into individualism and Egoism. Parker explicitly turned away from the anarchist views of his earlier years, and remained an egoist thereafter. In a personal communication, August 9, 1997:“I would like it made known, however, that I no longer hold the anarchist views I expressed prior to 1982. What I wrote after then is still my opinion, which has remained basically unchanged.”
Sid was an eager self-guided student of his own passions, dropping out of school at age 14. He would network with writers around the world and was one of Britons leading proponent of individualism, a position sadly there was little competition for. In addition to his journal, he would give talks to local secular, freethought, anarchist and humanist groups. He spoke some at the famous Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park.PARTIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY
Also included are booklets published/edited by S.E.P. 1962 “Anarchism and Individualism: Three Essays” Armand, E. 1963 Minus One Journal 1963 TWICE Journal (specifically stated not “anarchist”) 1966 “Some Poems/ Pat Parker” 13p; 17x21cm 1966 “O idios: three essays on individualist anarchism” Schweitzer, Jean Pierre. – 14p.,22cm 1967 “Anarchism and Modern Society.” by Jeff Robinson. – 14p; 26cm 1982 Ego Journal 1986 “The New Freewoman: Dora Marsden & Benjamin R. Tucker” (essay included in the book “Benjamin R. Tucker & The Champions of Liberty”) 1988 “Egoism” 4p 1995 En Marge Journal – (August, 1995) Articles and reviews: (date unknown) “Anarchism, Angst, and Max Stirner” a review of Carroll/Roots of the Right edition of “Ego” from “Freedom” 1982 Introduction to “The Ego and Its Own”, Rebel Press (UK) 1984 Introduction to “Might Is Right”, Loompanics (US)Voices of Liberty: Interview with Sidney Parker, 1991
In and around 1991, David Botsford recorded a series of interviews for a programme that he called “Voices of Liberty”. Those he interviewed … all » included many in the British libertarian movement, together with several prominent critics of libertarianism. The programme was never made. In December 2007, however, handed the analogue tapes of the interviews to Sean Gabb of the Libertarian Alliance. Sean then spent a week digitising the tapes and uploading downsampled versions to the Internet. Beyond making a few obvious joins, where interviews span more than one tape, Sean decided not to edit the footage. This means occasional comedy and much dullness. But these are now important video sources from the moment when some thought the libertarian movement was on the point of political breakthrough, but it was really on the verge of decline.