Speakers’ Corner – Corner of West Green Road and Tottenham High Road N15
The area now just outside the Seven Sisters Underground Station and the entrance to West Green Road was once known as a local ‘spouters’ corner’ or ‘speakers’ corner’ – an area where public speakers have had the right to address audiences.
(From the collections and © Bruce Castle Museum and Archive)
Both local and national political figures could draw a crowd here. One such person was R. M Fox who had met his socialist ideas at Tottenham’s own ‘speakers’ corner’. He went on to use such local spaces as a speaking platform himself.
In the 1930s and ‘40s, this area saw many clashes between Oswald Mosley’s Union of British Fascists - the ‘Black Shirts’ - and local anti-racists, including the ‘43 Group’, an early Jewish Anti-Nazi League type organization. People would gather at this spot, rally support and hear speeches.
Marie Coghill of Tottenham was amongst them, as she recalls: “We went to their meetings and marches and gave out leaflets telling people how the Fascists were working against their interests and wanted to blame bad working conditions on to immigrant workers in those days it was the Jews.”
Further resources
E35-37: The 43 Group – Working Class History
Reclaim the Streets 1998
On 6 June 1998, the environmentalist group Reclaim the Streets held a secret street party on Tottenham High Road, in the area roughly between Seven Sisters Station near West Green Road and Tottenham Green.
(Still from the amateur film about Reclaim the Streets 1998. Courtesy: London Screen Archives)
Organised to outwit the police, there were around 4,000 - 5,000 people who occupied the road to demonstrate and make their anti-car message clear. Although in the disruption there were cars set alight and shops looted, there was also a lot of peaceful protest where people danced together, set up sand pits, had football matches, waved banners and created paintings.
(Still from the amateur film about Reclaim the Streets 1998. Courtesy: London Screen Archives)
An amateur filmmaker captured the demonstration from Kings Cross to Tottenham and the lively, chaotic street party on the High Road. The film is free to view on the London Screen Archives.
(Original front page report about the Reclaim the Streets Demo in 1998. From the collections of Bruce Castle Museum and Archive)
Haringey Unwaged Centre – 72 West Green Road N15
Set up by Tottenham Claimants Union in the late 1980s after separating from the Unemployed Workers Centre at 628 High Road, Haringey Unwaged Centre brought together local trade unionists, anarchists and other campaigners. Most significantly, it was the home of the Tottenham Anti Poll Tax Campaign from 1988-1991.
Dave Morris, a founding member of the Haringey Unwaged Centre, Tottenham Against the Poll Tax and the Radical History Network, remembers:
‘From 1988-1991 the Unwaged Centre was instrumental in helping to build the largest community-based civil disobedience movement in Haringey’s history - the anti-poll tax movement. Tottenham Against the Poll Tax was based at the Centre which was the hub for distribution of tens of thousands of leaflets, and all manner of continuous activities and protests for 2-3 years - and eventually victorious!’
(Poster advertising the national demonstration on 31 March 1990. From the collections of Bruce Castle Museum and Archive - © Haringey Anti Poll Tax Union)
Bernie Grant’s Office – 247a West Green Road N15
Bernie Grant MP (1944-2000) was Europe’s first Black Council Leader and MP for Tottenham. His first Tottenham constituency office was at 247a West Green Road. From 1987 the office was run by Sharon Grant at this address until it moved to Tottenham High Road.
(247a West Green Road – which became the constituency office for Bernie Grant MP in 1987. From the collections and © Bruce Castle Museum and Archive)
As leader of Haringey Council, Bernie pioneered introducing a number of equalities policies to eradicate all forms of discrimination. As an activist, advocate, campaigner and rebel leader, Bernie's exceptional legacy continues to inspire communities and help us advocate for change in the areas of social justice, community cohesion, activism and equality.
(Bernie Grant as Leader of Haringey Council, Courtesy: The Bernie Grant Archive (Bishopsgate Institute))
Bernie Grant returned to West Green Road when his friend and civil rights campaigner Rev. Jesse Jackson came to visit Tottenham – and it was a lighter moment that will go down in hairdressing history – Bernie cut Jesse Jackson' hair in 1994!
(Courtesy and © The Bernie Grant Archive)
Further resources
Bernie Grant archive
Bernie Grant Arts Centre
Black History Harringey 365
Bernie Grant blue plaque
Windrush Monument – West Green Common
The year 1998 was the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the passenger ship HMT Empire Windrush in the UK. On 23 June 1998, a rose garden and plaque on the Common in West Green Road was officially opened. It was dedicated in honour of the 'Peoples from the Caribbean who have settled in Haringey.'
(From the collections of Bruce Castle Museum and Archive)
With a proud Caribbean and African heritage in Haringey, West Green Road was considered a fitting place for the memorial given the road’s long history and being central to welcoming and supporting so many communities.
On the occasion of the 70th anniversary in 2018 and marking National Windrush Day, two rose bushes were planted alongside the memorial. Each year Haringey marks Windrush Day with vibrant celebratory events at different venues around the borough, activities for schools and young people and opportunities to hear and record stories and memories from our elders.
Further resources
Location
West Green Road – Rebels
261 High Rd
Tottenham
N15 4RR
United Kingdom