It's with great sense of loss that we have learned of the sudden death of comrade Rowntree at the age of 55. Ian was never a member of our organisation but was well-known in the Communist Left in the UK. He joined the Aberdeen section of the ICC in the late 70's and left in '81 over the 'Chenier affair' with the rest of the Aberdeen comrades and joined them in the Communist Bulletin Group. He wrote several articles for the paper and was active in such episodes as the Miners Strike, distributing leaflets and engaging miners in discussion. After the CBG ceased publication in the early 1990s Ian did not abandon communist politics, but continued to make a contribution by attending meetings in various parts of the country (including a CWO meeting in Edinburgh and MDF meetings in Birmingham) posting on websites and distributing leaflets and broadsheets. Since 2012 he had regularly distributed our broadsheet Aurora and made generous financial contributions (always accompanied with one anti-capitalist message or another). A gentle, drily witty and open person who was also apparently very popular with his workmates he will be much missed, not least by his partner and stepdaughters and his old comrades in the CBG. To them all we extend our heartfelt solidarity and condolences.