CirleA Press & Union Street

Uploaded as part of the Anarchism in Australia project.

Author: MAC
Originally Published: 2022
Retrieved from: Private correspondence

A reader provided the following explanation concerning CircleA Press and the house on Union Street.

Union Street was a house that was donated by the owner to CircleA Press in November 1987. The ownership was formally transferred to an Incorporated Association created for the purpose in December 1988.

Before December 1988, here been discussions about how to resolve problem of property ownership particularly who or what body would own it. A number of options were considered, including a trust, before settling on [an incorporated association].

All three members of ‘A Press’ were members of ASF [Anarcho-Syndicalist Federation] Melbourne North at the time. An agreement was reached with ASF-MN with regard to the premises. ASF-MN acknowledged ‘A Press’ as owners and entered into a use agreement which allowed ASF-MN and PTWA [Public Transport Workers Association] to use the house. The back shed where the presses, platemaker, and other equipment was kept were off limits [if you were] not a member of ‘A Press’.

ASF-MN used it premises for meetings, PTWA also had meetings and occasionally laid out ‘SPARKS’ there. (‘A Press’ printed it). When the IA was created, the three Office Bearers were the three members of ‘A Press’.

That covers the period November 1987 – December 1988 as best as I can recall.