General Brixton history - photos, stories etc

[CH1]

Really enjoyed reading that.

It's interesting. I particularly like the Super 8 Reclaim the Street jugglers from 1998.
I would dispute the analysis of the Atlantic/Dogstar situation - I could write a book about that, and you have to remember people who write Ph.D theses for Royal Holloway University simply weren't there - they are re-framing folk memories with pink tinted lenses. They never wlould have gone to the Atlantic - even the landlord got fed up and set up his own bar and supper-club (probably the first in Brixton with a 2 am licence) called "Mingles"
As for the 1995 Brixton Riot - there was an unmentioned irony there - the Ritzy was showing "La Haine" a French film about insurrection in the Paris banlieue - so many people will have had the experience of emerging from watching a riot in Paris in the Ritzy to a real-life Brixton one outside!

 

[nick]

As for the 1995 Brixton Riot - there was an unmentioned irony there - the Ritzy was showing "La Haine" a French film about insurrection in the Paris banlieue - so many people will have had the experience of emerging from watching a riot in Paris in the Ritzy to a real-life Brixton one outside!

Irrelevant but.....
you sure about that ?
I have a memory (possibly false) of being quickly ushered into the "haven " of the ritzy instead of queuing outside because things were a bit moody that evening.
We were seeing the Usual Suspects, but left after about 20 minutes as they had the aspect ration wrong (all the cast looked like SlenderMan), and wouldn't/couldn't fix it, so we walked and got a refund.

But maybe that was a different "uprising/Riot/difficulty"?

 

[CH1]

Irrelevant but.....
you sure about that ?
I have a memory (possibly false) of being quickly ushered into the "haven " of the ritzy instead of queuing outside because things were a bit moody that evening.
We were seeing the Usual Suspects, but left after about 20 minutes as they had the aspect ration wrong (all the cast looked like SlenderMan), and wouldn't/couldn't fix it, so we walked and got a refund.

But maybe that was a different "uprising/Riot/difficulty"?

I'm not 100% sure.
I saw La Haine at the Ritzy when it came out.
I also have a recollection of coming back from abroad (Ghana probably) and finding a bit of a wrecked scene in Brixton the day I got back (like 7-11 burnt down).
I have another recollection of a very flamoyant mental health worker from Lambeth Accord regaling us with a story about coming out of La Haine at the Ritzy with wife and friends and having to seek refuge in the 414 Club.

If the Ritzy keep their schedules for 27 years maybe they could help us out?

 

[Rushy]

I have a memory (possibly false) of being quickly ushered into the "haven " of the ritzy instead of queuing outside because things were a bit moody that evening.

They certainly changed their approach over the years. There was a disturbance in 2001 after the shooting of Dereck Bennett (who was IIRC holding someone hostage on Loughborough Road with a gun shaped cigarette lighter). I was drinking a pint on the roof terrace at the Ritzy with a friend and watching the riot vans pile in to Tate Gardens when we were swiftly told to abandon our pints and ushered out into the melee. We expressed reluctance to leave and were told that they would of course love for us to stay if it was not for their insurance. And wished us good luck!

 

[editor]

Great website and archive​

​

Brixton Gentrification Struggles 1993-2021: A Timeline

brixton-timeline.maydayrooms.org

I was really chuffed that Brixton Buzz, urban75 and these forums providing so much of the source material.

There's also an excellent academic paper that references urban/Buzz here too:

Taking the B off Brixton – heritage and gentrification discussed in academic paper

A new book proposes ways to deal with contentious heritages in creative ways, and local writer Marion Hamm contributed 15 pages about the ongoing changes in Brixton as one of the metropolitan neigh…

www.brixtonbuzz.com

Go straight to the Brixton chapter here: https://netlibrary.aau.at/download/pdf/6426989

 

[CH1]

Not your usual post here, but here is a letter from Decca Radio at 1-3 Brixton Road to the British Admiralty Signal Establishment regarding the Decca Navigator system, then under development. This system operating on VLF (very low frequencies - 80kHz-100kHz- was used finally in the D Day landings and became a staple navigation aid until the advent of satellite navigation in the 1980s.

What sparked my reminiscent was finding an old box of electronic parts in my junk cupboard
I used to work there in the 1970s. and couldn't throw it out without comment!

 

[editor]

Fabulous pic of Carlton Mansions and showing the Barrier Block in 1981 before the concierge entrance was built. I like the way that the line motif was continued across the sections.

Note the WOMEN ARE ANGRY!! graffiti.

 

[RoyReed]

Horseflesh for human consumption.

 

[editor]

Horseflesh for human consumption.

Bit more here Queueing for horsemeat on Coldharbour Lane, Brixton at the Horse Flesh shop

 

[ska invita]

.

 

[CH1]

This has turned up on the MOBS Facebook page.
Seems like when the Granville Arcade opened (Brixton Villaage to you and me) there were some traders who managed to combine selling goods with winning prizes - I think I've seen this in Blackpool years ago.
credit to MOBS posters:

 

[CH1]

Hope this is not too political! Special 1995 riot footage for horse lovers. Apols if posted already.
I was ACTUALLY looking for a photo or article about Ventura House in Acre Lane (opposite the Hope & Anchor roughly). This was a new office building which housed the Community/Police Consultative Group for Lambeth roughly 1990-95. And got itself burnt down in the 1995 death of Wayne Douglas in Brixton Police Station riots. I believe.
Can anyone help?
PS we've been having police custody deaths for decades - how come it takes the Americans to form a sustainable "Black Lives Matter" movement?


Edited: changed Crown & Anchor to Hope and Anchor + add "I believe" - though I'm pretty sure I'm right.

 

[editor]

Woman waiting for a train at East Brixton in 1975.

 

[Gramsci]

Hope this is not too political! Special 1995 riot footage for horse lovers. Apols if posted already.
I was ACTUALLY looking for a photo or article about Ventura House in Acre Lane (opposite the Hope & Anchor roughly). This was a new office building which housed the Community/Police Consultative Group for Lambeth roughly 1990-95. And got itself burnt down in the 1995 death of Wayne Douglas in Brixton Police Station riots. I believe.
Can anyone help?
PS we've been having police custody deaths for decades - how come it takes the Americans to form a sustainable "Black Lives Matter" movement?


Edited: changed Crown & Anchor to Hope and Anchor + add "I believe" - though I'm pretty sure I'm right.

I remember that. This is Somerleyton road. Friend of mine lost is rather old Saab in Somerleyton. It was burnt.

 

[ska invita]

probably posted on the thread already but this is very good

Simon Hannah – Radical Lambeth 1978-1991 – Breviary Stuff

www.breviarystuff.org.uk

 

[CH1]

Regarding my earlier request for info on Ventura House 176-188 Acre Lane SW2 5UL - it definitely existed, as the Gleaner newspaper was operating from there in 1995:

I want to see the radical/anarchist claims in print that it was burnt down because of the Fuzz in 1995.
We need to take an oral history from Alex Oluwade if some Spartacist organ cannot be found!

EDITED to provide Gleaner company return as a pdf.

 

[editor]

Regarding my earlier request for info on Ventura House 176-188 Acre Lane SW2 5UL - it definitely existed, as the Gleaner newspaper was operating from there in 1995:

https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/document-api-images-live.ch.gov.uk/docs/ZWJMtBz_m-Klu4JGFKWrW6NR8XbxegPOVtB-GfJ2AEA/application-pdf?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Credential=ASIAWRGBDBV3KWMFVE6I%2F20220623%2Feu-west-2%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20220623T104442Z&X-Amz-Expires=60&X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEFcaCWV1LXdlc3QtMiJHMEUCIB2Jky9lWY%2FI83q59h%2FyEHBF6JjHlj4KCDLVcdGNShjqAiEAoDhqE5iefYF2dK7hjPtMHD%2FYqnBEh1cuSldcC1H1J0Eq0wQIcBAEGgw0NDkyMjkwMzI4MjIiDFBdkYhrYASyVsbMpSqwBIXHqMR3dcKoosEjxbYaU3NBqVDCKkRhVgSMJVYe6dWFvDtcv%2BkljfNLAlnVyCKJNwsKVvvJjrV9%2Bdv3yG2WPFiFTx4Xn5rOH2mkOTJZQJ5XKH1CRTcr%2FVkUP6HHgXH%2BF3fZRoOqgC4cuDXnKyBQ6I8%2FHnccyTu1L6JZyzxfFDrizJvcr0rGhwWCdoLfkqPwtlUi8SKqmkju6vVc%2Bo%2FCb9OQ0Q9bSJ7U8BvN0LzJrXhg%2BxHc0IlPkEHi4wktGEb%2FAmp%2BK1oIItaDDbUlpmVI%2F91hxiswWM3RSVNvweoGOuPLH4mRXGEskwP8fpmZ70Z%2BPacWCFh00IIKePRcw11jj0LWXPdIujfjcqfzuv9Z7oeWd0EK6QfiuGN3M8IGmhqhlxwSHX4yt6kW2XL21xDZodCBKQw%2F%2F3lcFQ8vu3p7TP2d4Q1qMgAGdOOEnJvITuO79NiDwmtCVwj5zm1H63QbPZHfq%2BPlhFDDsqlhynRV%2BpproRBGBjsYd1BVx%2B%2FpV35eSvwmWjh0Aq39g9EFzs521WUYiNySs%2BZOjX0A%2BgDcsK0MtmXUP7oolkqhapTNXPbi3OLqiANQT%2B%2FqJeBaA1IjrEO7oC3As7ouYyJfzPJx3m%2BhBq9sOvwR1sYLITia6FSD62bluRleKAaKv2J9H6bXeCNWowucRd%2Bf82mUmxoExR6iRe2G8ksE3XTggYUIBysP%2BS6P8ZeFgvC0l7ZyDeAXKbgRF4sKncgmsbEZhDK%2B13aOMMWS0JUGOqkBWgZ7ETXrTdNBLE2bxrwZuYYHNF%2BD1ARufYDl066s8auCsT25dBqo3WPiFu9wlHmOHa0LJVb04sh1feE53Xz6F7kM3KbTInuzG0wileunN0GuK%2BdIe%2FUnq0HF871YslgoB%2BQh%2Fn37ID8jdE3Y6WFMXX4tEkim0olJt89xpJw62X7SACHBV1qFDwf6lnrx8YXhdbl%2BiOwyncuMDHw6Hew5AB5GkJbQFZ%2FtDA%3D%3D&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&response-content-disposition=inline%3Bfilename%3D%22companies_house_document.pdf%22&X-Amz-Signature=a5366d8374f31b5b5ae1b94364772a043dc68abfa69294239e4a3a6a08037934

I want to see the radical/anarchist claims in print that it was burnt down because of the Fuzz in 1995.
We need to take an oral history from Alex Oluwade if some Spartacist organ cannot be found!

That is not a happy link, despite its impressive girth.

 

[CH1]

That is not a happy link, despite its impressive girth.

They've now blocked direct companies house quotes by the looks of it.
I have uploaded a pdf of the printout.
There seem to have been quite as few small businesses in the premises - apart from the Gleaner and the Police Consultative Group.
It's a bit frustrating that prior to about 2000 there is nothing much online, unless of national significance.
No doubt Lambeth Archives will have a South London Press article if I went there. Wonder if there was a picture?

 

[editor]

Look at these lovely tram tickets!



(All on eBay now if anyone wants to buy them!)

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Look at these lovely tram tickets!

And two of them at least (the service 34 ones) would have been printed in Brixton

(source)

The LCC Tramways printing works was on Effra Road - about where Halfords is now. London Transport rebuilt it after war damage and it became ticket machine maintenance works and ticket roll production site, closed some time round the mid 80s.

They moved there from Camberwell at some point, the earlier three tickets may have been produced there.

(I have a vague feeling I've said I'll do a Brixton Buzz article one of these days about this lost Brixton industry - just need to do a bit more research...)

 

[Puddy_Tat]

(but plans date from the 1937 london highways development survey so don't worry)

last sold price i can find for a copy of the whole thing is 75 quid. bugger.

Were they planning to co-opt the railway viaduct from Elephant Walworth Road to Blackfriars, then?

unless i get hold of a copy of the full document, not sure. possibly alongside, possibly above (ideas as half-baked as that did get floated)

found a copy for sale for quite a bit less than 75 quid this afternoon (online so it will get here some time this week)

i will add this to my list of things i've promised editor i'll do an article on at some point

although i want to do something on the grove park bit of the south circular first (part built, part not)

 

[Puddy_Tat]

anyone want to start building a tram line in their garden?

 

[editor]

I would have loved to have gone to the Empress!

 

[editor]

Any idea where this is on Brixton Road, exactly?

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Any idea where this is on Brixton Road, exactly?

i think it's more likely to be the north end of brixton hill, rather than brixton road.

photo must be 1892-ish or later, as there's tram track with conduit (at this resolution, not sure i can tell the difference between conduit for the cable trams and conduit for the later electric trams.)

I can't see any bits of brixton road that would match the pattern of big houses with big gardens. but somewhere round rush common, looking north, seems possible.

1890s OS map here

the brickwork of the lower part of the wall between the woman with the straw hat and the smallish boy suggests a slight downhill gradient - not a 100% obvious match (although it may have been rebuilt since) has something in common with the wall in front of corpus christi church

 

[editor]

I bet the rioters never imagined that there'd be walking tours one day:

When Brixton Went on Fire: 40 Years After - Brixton Riots Walking Tour

A walking tour on the Brixton Riots and how they shaped the Brixton of today.

www.eventbrite.co.uk

 

[editor]

Well, here's a gent:

 

[CH1]

I bet the rioters never imagined that there'd be walking tours one day:

When Brixton Went on Fire: 40 Years After - Brixton Riots Walking Tour

A walking tour on the Brixton Riots and how they shaped the Brixton of today.

www.eventbrite.co.uk

I think the walk guide fits the description Linda Bellos gave about 20 years ago - all the black people have been priced out of Brixton Linda said - they've moved to Thornton Heath and Croydon.
Nevertheless I suspect a South Croydon resident might not get the full impact of how 30 years of social and ethnic cleansing have changed the ambience of our neighbourhood.
Not that beer at £6.85 stops the police searching you if you are black and they think your car is too expensive - or wanting to search your house if Sky Arts is on too loud!

 

[agricola]

anyone want to start building a tram line in their garden?

There were some visible when Vauxhall Bridge was repaired a year or so ago.

 

[editor]

Twenty years ago!

Brixton history: Coldharbour Lane, Atlantic Road, Ritzy and a huge can of baked beans, July 2002

Here’s a selection of scenes from our archives taken back in July 2002 – when Brixton was a very different place. (Please note: this article updated July 2022)

www.brixtonbuzz.com