RAB -v- Newscorp

There were many aspects to the RAB, apart from the newspaper industry, the trade unions, defending the poor and his charitable work. He loved the black beauties and their music, it sung to his soul. His young years were spent in the Jazz clubs in the West End of London.

He met my mother at a place called the 'Lyceum' in the West End of London. A very large building where people went to dance. As far as I am aware, it was owned by a Jewish man at the time and it attracted a Jewish people.

WOW, could the Son of Joseph dance, he used to say to his children,  'We've got rhythm'.

He was the life and soul of every party, his light shone out for all to see. Rock and Roll, jiving was their forte, he could throw my mother above his head and catch her. They were great dancers and had the floor whenever they arrived. The only reason she had any initial interest in him, he could dance. He could dance so good, he swept her off her feet in more ways than one. He also like sweets and used to buy them for her.

He was like that, larger than life itself. His presence was so powerful and commanding, that his light overshadowed everyone in a room. The light of his smile and eyes shone out like the largest aura you have ever witnessed. All attention turned to him, due to his pure heart, truth and sincerity.

His love for human rights and social justice for humanity was beyond measure. His love for all peoples and nations is second to none. That kind of love and integrity is called dangerous by the money men, because people that are compelled by real love from the heart; are not afraid to bring the darkness into the light for all to see.

THE RAB 

He was not afraid, not ever. Not even of dying. He knew, that there was life after death. However, his concern was for those that he loved. He knew that they would mourn for him, for what they had done.
He was very intuitive and a sensitive man, he hid love poems, love notes and cards all around the house for my mother to find after he had gone.

The men that cursed him in thought, word and deed, cursing him to get cancer. Some of them had the audacity to turn up at his funeral and stand at the back of the Church, they were all newspaper men. Some of them cried for what they had done to the RAB, the man that they had loved. The man that had always done his utmost to help them, even when they did not listen.

He spent many days and nights in contemplation of humanity. His wife did not understand him, like I did and do. Self-educated, well-read, he loved the classics, his knowledge of trade union law was also second to none. He knew the law book inside and out. Nobody could beat him, no matter who they were. He was always ten steps ahead of everyone else. He was also a humble man with a humble heart, that had known hardship as a child. He counted his blessings and loved his family.

However, his wife was his achilles heel, that is why he gave into the marriage with Newscorp management. The management spent two years courting him to join the Industrial Relations team.

I can also see the balance of the pros and cons of the situation from his point of view. For the first time he would be able to spend every weekend with his wife, instead of working.

After 35 years working from the outside he now had the opportunity to work on the inside, in the hot seat. I can see how he could have viewed the merit in that, and being the cog in a different wheel.

During his first year of working in management for Newscorp, in the Sunday Times building, he was happy. He knew the building well, he had worked their for years printing the Sunday Times. He told me he had saved Newscorp 2 million, just by re-negotiation of contracts. That was a lot of money in the 1980's. However, what followed was Wapping.

WAPPING 

When I questioned him, he told me that all power and responsibility had been taken away from the industrial relations management team in London, they were not allowed to get involved in what happened in Wapping. People that live in London may remember that the men went on strike, and then they were locked out.

Of course, the RAB had warned the men in advance of what was coming, and told them not to take the bait when it arrived. The newspaper union of the printers was headed up by a woman at that time, and Brenda Deane walked the men straight into Murdoch's trap that had been planned for a long time. Of course during and after the event, the men blamed my Father. They perceived that he had deserted them, and that if he hadn't done so, they would still have their jobs. Hence, why they cursed him. Not only did they curse him with poison pen letters that kept arriving.

Funeral cars were sent to pick up his body when he was alive and before he became ill. Removal vans were sent to pick up the home of my family. Daily sacks of post and excrement was sent to him, so the post office had to stop the mail and my father went to the PO to open the mail. This continued for at least two years, as far as I remember.

Their home was painted with obscenity and had to be removed. Police protection was required and they were advised when my son and I were visiting. My father bought a very large dog for my mother to protect her,  from those that might wish to harm her.

The joyous soul of the RAB, that had dedicated his life to help humanity, was crucified by those that he loved and had done his utmost to help for most of his life. Of course, Newscorp management knew what they were doing when they began courting him. They knew the power that he wielded in the newspaper industry of the nation. They knew, one call from him, and it was all out or all back to work. For Newscorp to fulfill their plans, they knew that it was essential to entice the RAB onto the side of management.

Of course it goes without saying that once Murdoch had carried out his deeds at Wapping, the RAB was made redundant, he was now out of a job. This was a strong and powerful man that had worked full time since the age of 13 in the industry.  His father Joseph was a paper seller with a number of pitches, and so was one of his brothers. Most of the extended family worked in the newspaper industry as well, some in printing and some in distribution.

He had never been unemployed in his life, so you can imagine how shaken he was to find himself in the position he did, after all of the good that he had done in his life. There wasn't one man that would help him and give him a job,  was he blacklisted by Newscorp? Did they block his opportunity to work again in the industry? You decide. How is it, that a man of his quality, that had worked in management and knew the industry inside and out, could not get a job?

As far as I am aware, he did carry on with his work as a justice of the peace, a magistrate in the magistrates courts, for as long as his health allowed him to do so. He enjoyed sitting on the bench and helping others. However, that only paid expenses and not a salary. For the first time in his life, this man could not support himself and his wife financially, that hit the breadwinner very hard indeed.

The story was never told. Maybe someone in the media would like to seek it out, while there are still living relatives, extended family, friends and newspaper men alive; to substantiate the truth of what happened. It really is time that Newscorp pay for what they've done, to many lives of too many people, for many generations. We cannot bring him and the others back. However, we can make sure that justice is done.

This is just one story, I am sure that you can find many more stories of many hero's that died at the hands of Newscorp.

UPDATE


Someone asked me about the building 'Lyceum' and when I took a look, it is now a theatre. Guess what is on at the theatre? LION KING. [1]




ELIAKIM JOSEPH-SOPHIA


PS People ask me why I call him the RAB, that was his initials, and he wore a gold ring
with RAB. Anyone that knew him, knows his signature.

1. http://lyceum.official-theatre.co.uk/london/history