Ewan MacColl is known to most people as a songwriter and singer, but he was also of significant influence in the worlds of theatre and radio broadcasting. His best known songs remain ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ and ‘Dirty Old Town’, but he wrote over 300 songs for many different contexts.
There is a memorial plaque and a tree planted on the east side of Russell Square. Twice a year friends and family gather by the tree to celebrate his birth on 25th January and commemorate his death on 22nd October. At these gatherings, some of his songs are often sung by the group which usually includes his wife, Peggy Seeger, who is in the centre of the photo below.
Ewan and Peggy sang at many clubs around Russell Square and Holborn. You can find out more about him at his official website ewanmaccoll.co.uk