Squatting in Hackney/Stoke Newington/N16, 1980s/90s

[DaveCinzano]

I am looking for reliable accounts - preferably ones able to identify dates and precise locations - of the squatting movement in and around N16 from the 1980s into the 1990s.

The Radical History of Hackney website is very useful - but are there other sources you would recommend? Pamphlets, books, blogs... Anything, really.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[DaveCinzano]

Bumped for day shift.

 

[marty21]

just anecdotal - but I remember a crescent - possibly Clissold Crescent in N16 which was squatted for several years in the 90s - it is now owned by Family Mosaic - possibly a fair few of the squatters got tenancies out of it

 

[DaveCinzano]

Cheers Marty

 

[Pickman's model]

I am looking for reliable accounts - preferably ones able to identify dates and precise locations - of the squatting movement in and around N16 from the 1980s into the 1990s.

The Radical History of Hackney website is very useful - but are there other sources you would recommend? Pamphlets, books, blogs... Anything, really.

Many thanks in advance.

you've not bothered contacting ass yet.

 

[marty21]

I'll see if I can get an exact location

 

[butchersapron]

Here Is the notes and commentaries for the Hidden Histories: Common Land and Squatting in Hackney walk/talk by the excellent Past Tense

 

[DaveCinzano]

you've not bothered contacting ass yet.

My search is a bit nebulous to start with so I'd rather cover what written materials are available first to get a bit of context.

 

[Pickman's model]

My search is a bit nebulous to start with so I'd rather cover what written materials are available first to get a bit of context.

go to hackney archives and have a look through the auld hackney gazettes, which i believe are on microfilm for the whole of the period in which you have expressed an interest.

 

[DaveCinzano]

Here Is the notes and commentaries for the Hidden Histories: Common Land and Squatting in Hackney walk/talk by the excellent Past Tense

Cheers, some good pointers there.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Pretty much the whole of Brougham Road was squatted from the 70s to the 90s. I had a few mates who lived there. The residents formed an association, and were rehoused when it was demolished.

 

[butchersapron]

Worth having a dig around killyourpetpuppy i reckon. Can't link to the site specific search i just did but i'm sure you know how to do it, does seem to be a air bit of info there - comments always very informative on there as well.

 

[Pickman's model]

http://hackneypodcast.co.uk/2012/03/edition-22-hackney-hear/

 

[Pickman's model]

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=084-dbhpp&cid=0&kw=squatting#0

also i am told that hackney archives have a complete run of hackney people's press.

 

[DaveCinzano]

Cheers all

 

[marty21]

The Nightingale Estate was heavily squatted in the 90s - I know the manager who took over the management of it when Hackney outsourced management to a HA - he told me that there were 50+ squatted flats - the Estate Office was a bit slow at dealing with them

 

[Pickman's model]

The Nightingale Estate was heavily squatted in the 90s - I know the manager who took over the management of it when Hackney outsourced management to a HA - he told me that there were 50+ squatted flats - the Estate Office was a bit slow at dealing with them

there was the whole keys for cash thing in the 90s too of course.

 

[marty21]

there was the whole keys for cash thing in the 90s too of course.

yep - and a relaxed attitude to tenancy checks

 

[marty21]

There's another street that was heavily squatted in this time - can't remember the name - it runs off Mare Street towards Hackney Downs - there was an art project about it about 10 years ago by a Photpgrapher - Tom something or other

 

[Ms Ordinary]

Tom Hunter

 

[RedDragon]

A number of squats eventually got short-life licences from the council and formed themselves into small housing co-ops affiliated to Hackney Short Life Users Group, around 1993 Hackney sold most of its short-life stock to those residents who were able to get mortgages and the rest on the open market.

 

[marty21]

Tom Hunter

cheers, that's the fellah - he did the photos, a old flatmate of mine (James McKinnon) did a scale model of the street which was bought by the Museum of London.

 

[Stash]

There's another street that was heavily squatted in this time - can't remember the name - it runs off Mare Street towards Hackney Downs - there was an art project about it about 10 years ago by a Photpgrapher - Tom something or other

Ellingfort Road?

 

[marty21]

Ellingfort Road?

yes
http://hackneycitizen.co.uk/2010/06/22/london-fields-east-the-ghetto/

 

[Blagsta]

Lido on London Fields was squatted for a while, although i think that was 2000 or 2001

 

[RedDragon]

There was a real sense of community amongst these small groups of squatters/short-lifers, I remember one chap committing suicide after his co-op was disbanded.

 

[seeformiles]

There's another street that was heavily squatted in this time - can't remember the name - it runs off Mare Street towards Hackney Downs - there was an art project about it about 10 years ago by a Photpgrapher - Tom something or other

London Lane and Ellingfort Road? My brother squatted there for years in a place with the most backed up toilet I've ever seen!

 

[marty21]

London Lane and Ellingfort Road? My brother squatted there for years in a place with the most backed up toilet I've ever seen!

Yep - see post above

 

[seeformiles]

Yep - see post above

Makes note to read thread more fully!

 

[Blagsta]

I remember a squatted timber yard, Northwold Rd, Stokey iirc. About 1996.