Wanted / Contact

This site is mainly the work of one person. I’m aware that it could be biased towards my interests and experiences. To avoid that, I’m keen to hear from other people.

If you have been involved with radical projects in Hackney and would like to talk or write about them (or have documentation of them) then do get in touch!

I am also very open to suggestions, comments, ideas for contributions, criticisms etc.

(For the sake of convenience this site generally covers things which happened before the year 2000.)

I’m looking for copies or scans of the following for inclusion here:

Black Unity and Freedom Party – Who Killed Aseta Simms pamphlet

Copies of Hackney Gutter Press and Hackney People’s Press.

Issues 4-16 of Hackney Peoples Press (1970s)

Hackney Council for Racial Equality – Policing in Hackney: A Record of HCRE’s Experience 1978-82

Hackney Tenant; the monthly newspaper of the Federation of Hackney Tenants 1980s

Hackney NUT / Hackney Teachers’ Association – Police Out of School, 1986

Hackney Heckler issues 2 and 4. 1990.

Hackney Against The Cuts issue 1, 1991.

HCDA – A People’s Account of the Hackney Anti-Poll Tax Demonstration on March 8th 1990, 1990

HCDA – A Crime Is A Crime Is A Crime, 1991. (Report into police crime in Hackney 1989-1991. Presented to the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice in November 1991)

HCDA – Squats ‘n’ Cops, 1993

HCDA – On The Border of A Police State

HCDA – Community Defence bulletin, various issues

Similar material that I’m not aware of, from the eighties or earlier.

Also general information on:

Kwame Nkrumah school (set up by Hackney black teachers in the 1980s, also connected to Centerprise)

Hackney Black People’s Defence Organisation

Hackney Broadcast Authority (1980s pirate radio) especially recordings

leave a comment or drop me an email at hackneyinnit at hotmail.co.uk if you can help.

Thank you to the many people who have helped so far!

Please note:

  1. This is a radical history site, we are unfortunately not able to help people who have experienced problems with the police.
  2. We do not hold copyright on any of the images on this site (or at least the ones people ask us questions about).
  3. Having said that we do very much appreciate it if people who use our material give us credit, especially if the use relates to paid for events, publications etc.
  4. We do this in our spare time and are not funded by anyone else.

65 thoughts on “Wanted / Contact”

  1. I recall seeing at least one issue of Hackney People’s Press in the LSE University library archive a few years ago. The archive can provide you with photocopies of any of their materials quite cheaply.

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  6. Hi was wondering if you could help its a long shot my dad was brought over during the war as an evacuee he lived at de beaviour road with his mum and dad now him and his mum left London circa 1939ish now his dad stayed and he used to sing in the pubs and clubs of hackney one pub I know he sang in was the de beaviour arms on de beaviour road how could I find out more on the history and employees of the pub and anymore information about my pap thank you any help would be great Phil

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  8. I came up from Brighton to work on a calendar in the late 70s [I think I did March] and I came across a children’s alphabet book printed at Lenthall road. Has anyone seen a copy. [its called ‘a is for ‘hackney]

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    • The ultimate lowdown on adult ABCs, also published by Hanborough Parrot, is David Blamires’s beautifully illustrated Adults Alphabets (1990). His checklist of 56 titles includes A for ‘Ackney, published by Lenthall Road Workshop in 1984, and an ABC fundraiser for Aids, Aiding and Abetting (1991), edited by John Byrne, with illustrations by 26 artists, hand-coloured at pounds 115. Hockney’s Alphabet (1991), with the artist’s letters accompanied by text from 26 authors, is also still selling, at pounds 175. Hardly books for kids.
      I Don’t Know Where You Will Find One
      But I hope this helps

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  10. sorry this reads like a circular (cos it is!) but i thought you may have some stuff relevant to the exhibition? let me know if so. ive got the hcda stuff you want – feel free to hassle me for it at the email below

    Blue House at Sutton House – can you help?.

    The National Trust is planning an exhibition at Sutton House (squatted as the Blue House in 1985-6) in November-December 2015 called ‘The Human Quest for Home’. Part of the exhibition will be about the Blue House.

    If you lived there, visited, played etc and have any photos or flyers or other relevant bits and pieces, or if you would be willing to be interviewed for the exhibition about the House and squatting in Hackney at the time, please contact me: charles_loft@hotmail.com or post here.

    Photos etc can be scanned and returned, interviews will be audio only and can be anonymous if you want. The exhibition will include restoring one room as a squatted bedroom, so anything relevant to that you can lend would be great.

    This is a chance to present a positive story about squatting (which led to the house being restored by the NT and opened to the public) to schoolkids and others for whom this is all ancient history, so if you have anything to offer please get in touch. Cheers, Chas from flowers in the dustbin (ps we’re playing there on 14 November as part of the exhibition – see our page for details)

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  11. Hi there, I am Ashton Gibson son – Alex, I’ll be quite happy to meet up some time to discuss Caribbean House and anything to do with Dr Ashton Gibson

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    • Hi Alex,

      I work at the Black Cultural Archives and would like to speak to you about Caribbean House and your father’s impact.

      Could we get in contact?

      Thanks

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  13. Dear all,

    On behalf of the Revolutionary History journal I am looking for any reminiscences of two very long serving Trotskyists who were associated with Hackney.

    1. Walter Nardell, party name Walter Graham, Expelled from Hackney Communist Party for Trotskyism in 1934. died March 2004, probably still in Hackney.

    2. Eileen Gersh nee Sutton, also one of the very first Trotskyists in Britain, from 1933 on. Went to USA 1938, where she was active in the (US) SWP and later the Fourth Internationalist Tendency. Returned to UK early 80s and lived in Hackney until her death 1998. Active in Socialist Outlook, thereafter Socialist Action.

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  14. Hi there;

    I am part of a research project undertaken by the EastEnd Womens
    Museum. I’m trying to gather information for an exhibition about
    Hackney Women’s Aid Hostel that was opened in 1973 and it was part of
    the National Women’s Aid Federation alongside Chiswick Refuge Centre.

    Is there any chance that you might have some information on your
    records about the Hackney Women’s Aid Hostel? Many thanks.

    I am looking forward to hear from you.

    With best wishes;
    Noelia

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  15. Hi there;
    Thank you so much, ackneyinnit! I appreciate you taking the time to scan and send the article. Definitively I will do that!

    With best wishes
    Noelia

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  16. This is a great website. I was looking for the estate where they filmed the movie “For Queen and Country” and I discovered this. Keep it up! I’m an Aboriginal Australian and think its great! Barry.

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  17. Hello John – spent ages going through your blog. What a veritable treasure trove of local history! Every borough should at least one such blog that documents radical/left local history.
    Not sure the African History Month UK Network Conference at Unite The Union in Holborn on Nov 18 is radical. However, if you’re up for joining us, just let me know by contacting me via the contact the organiser link at http://www.bitly.com/AHMUKNConf

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  18. Hi I was on the estate when this happened as one of my mums friends squatted there.i remember a fog horn going off and us getting on the roof and started throwing roof tiles with my brother at the Police(not good I know) and Jumping up and down on an overturned Skip. I was 17 at the time.

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  19. Dear “The Radical History of Hackney”,

    Can I just say what a brilliant job you do in raising awareness on so many under-represented aspects of Hackney’s history and diverse shared histories. We often refer researchers at Hackney Archives to your website for allied material and truly significant insights. Keep up the great work!

    Best wishes,
    Joanne (Manager of Hackney Archives)

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  20. We would very much like to be able to use this photograph taken in 1899 of Suffragettes outside Stoke Newington Station in the book we plan to publish in May this year to be called “The Streets of London- The Booth Notebooks – East”.
    Do you know how we could get permission ti use it?

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  21. Hello, great site.
    I’m making a documentary film about Hoxton, collaborating with the Museum of London.
    You have posted a video of racist Derrick Day, writing: “Here’s a video of him climbing out of a his Hoxton flat window in order to be racist to a cameraman, with Johnny Rotten doing disparaging commentary”:

    The National Front’s Hackney HQ


    and linking to Youtube:

    I wonder if you can help me find the video’s source, so i can ask permission to use the clip in my film?

    Thanks for your assistance,
    Zed Nelson

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  25. Hello,

    I’m looking for people who have memories/experiences of Hackney in the 1980s to be interviewed for my undergraduate history dissertation at the University of Exeter. The project connects race, place and wider society by comparing Liverpool 8 and Hackney, in the 1980s. It’s really about why such a vibrant, diverse and progressive place has often been misrepresented in national politics and the media. I am interested in some of the local, community organisations, especially anti-racism campaigns. I’m also interested in examining Hackney Council in the 1980s and the role of the police in the community.
    There is no ‘type’ of person I want to interview; anyone who has memories of 1980s Liverpool 8. It doesn’t matter if you weren’t part of any community groups either.
    If there’s a chance anyone might be able to help me out, I am doing interviews from now until 21st April- they can be as long or as short as you would like and the ones I have conducted so far have been chatty and informal. Also, a location as convenient for you.
    Thanks for taking the time to read this.
    Nancy
    Email: njohnsonkelly@hotmail.com

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  28. Can anyone tell me where the photograph of Circle House on this site comes from? I’m about to publish a book and would like to use the photo, so need to get copyright permissions etc. Thanks

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  29. Hello my name is George and I’m starting a community heritage project on Hackney Wick, inviting local residents past and present and people connected with the area past and present to tell their stories, memories of the area itself, record memorabilia etc with the purpose of creating a community heritage archive for the area, small exhibition and school workshop for primary school children with local artists. It seems you have a lot of great material and could really help the project (which is totally volunteer run, no money involved), please get in touch at kambge@hotmail.co.uk if you want to be a part of this!

    Cheers

    George

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  30. Hello, my name is Brandan and I am a final year History student at the University of Oxford. I am writing my dissertation on youth clubs/ centres in Islington and Hackney throughout the 1970s-80s and came across your website. I wondered if anyone had come forward with any further details or information on Caribbean House, or if there are any contacts that you could provide me details of to reach out to. Any support would be greatly appreciated!

    Please contact me via email at brandan.powell-josiah@st-annes.ox.ac.uk if you would be able and willing to help.

    And congratulations on everything you have done so far on the website by the way. This is an amazing resource!

    Many thanks,

    Brandan

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  32. Hello, I just wanted to congratulate all involved in this site. The breadth and depth of information is exceptional and makes a real contribution to a ‘peoples/public’ history of Hackney. There’s clearly an honest commitment to unearthing and sharing the history and experiences of the area. I’m new to working in the area and would really appreciate any opportunity to get involved in some way (however small that might be) that supports the continuation of this site. If there’s anything I might be able to help with please feel free to get back to me. Keep up the incredible work.

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    • Thanks Ricky that’s lovely to hear! There are some very unorganised and loose plans for some low key events, so that might be an opportunity to get involved. The site itself just ticks along really 🙂

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  33. Hi! Thank you for an interesting site. For 25 years ago I stayed with some spanish punkrockers at Darnley road 66, a three floor high squat. Do you know any history about that squat? I´m going to London next week and searching for information.

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    • Hey Mickan – glad you found it useful! I’ll ask around about Darnley Road. If you are here on Sunday 9th October we are doing a radical history walk starting from the town hall at 2pm. Should be a good few ex-squatters at that!

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  34. Morning. my name is Bo, I’m writing my PhD on refugee resettlement in Hackney, and the different community organisations involved in this. I’d be really keen to talk to you at some point about the history of Hackney if you could spare any time. Could you let me know an email address I could write to to explain the project more fully and introduce myself properly? Thanks very much!

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  35. Myself and some colleagues are writing a play about Sarah Wesker, the trade union activist from the east end and I was wondering if you had any information/articles on her as there is so little out there! Anything would be helpful

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  37. Hello! We are preparing an exhibition on the topic of care work in art and would be more than happy to get in touch and learn about your work! I would be grateful, if you could contact me via mail.
    All best Linda

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  38. Just to let you know. In your piece on Sutton House you mention Swervedriver. In fact, Adam Franklin from Swervedriver was in Splatter Babies. Who, as you mention, definitely played the Blue House.

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