Lives Remembered - Ron Taylor
Ron Taylor has passed away after a fight with cancer. Ron was a good friend and a great man.
He had many achievements, which people will undoubtedly share over the coming weeks. Ron was always on the side of the underdog, a compassionate man and inspiration to many.
Among his passions was his support for the people of Palestine. he visited many times and had stood between armed settlers and Palestinians harvesting olives. He did this at great risk to himself and probably saved lives.
His death has brought great sadness to the many Palestinians he met while there as well as the many people who knew him here. As part of the celebrations of Ron's life a crowdfunder has been set up to raise funds for Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP). Please donate in memory of a great man
Dave Boardman
Wednesday, 25 June 2025
I first met Ron in the 1970s when he was involved with Asbestos Action Group. In the early to mid 1980s, he was a colleague when we both worked at Calderdale College, trying to raise the issues of racism, and conditions for part-time teachers.
We were both very active in the Miners' Support Group, and together, he and I organised Mike Harding to come and do a support gig at the Trades Club. See photo.
He posted regularly to the HebWeb about the Palestinian issue. Here's issue 15 of his Postcards from Palestine - scroll to the bottom and you will find links to the other 14.
Ron enjoyed a drink and had a treasure chest of anecdotes.
Chris Ratcliffe
Wednesday, 25 June 2025
He was a good and courageous man who will be much missed
Michael Prior
Thursday, 26 June 2025
I first "met" Ron Taylor via the Discussion Forum page here on Hebweb.
If memory serves me correctly it was in the Summer of 2014 during Israel's murderous assault on Gaza, operation Protective Edge. I thought I knew a fair bit about Palestine and I certainly knew where I stood but I learned so much from Ron both then and since.
He opened my eyes even wider to the nature of the Zionist settler colonial project pointing me to the work of Ilan Pappe and others. He was supportive and kind and extremely self effacing.
Above all, he was a genuine inspiration to me for his extraordinary knowledge but perhaps more importantly for his incredible solidarity work in Palestine standing with the people against settler violence and oppression in the South Hebron Hills.
I saw Ron recently at the showing of "No Other Land", an incredible film set in those same hills and amongst Palestinian communities that Ron knew so well.
Strangely, although we knew of each other, and I often asked his advice, Ron and I didn't meet in person for some years after 2014. We both shared a love for football but for different teams and without knowing who we were speaking to we had a somewhat heated dispute about a decision in a Man City v Liverpool game we watched together in Hebden. Ron certainly wasn't backing down and was typically passionate and forthright but when we finally realised that we were comrades handshakes and hugs followed much to the amusement of our mutual friends.
Ron had the fire but he was also a humble, compassionate and caring man, a good man to his core. All of us who stood alongside him for Palestine have lost a wonderful comrade and a true friend. Our movement has lost a giant. His legacy will be our continued fight for the freedom of the Palestinian people. We won't let you down Ron.
Allen Keep
Saturday, 28 June 2025