The Brixton Citizenship Test

[Orang Utan]

Do you remember when Lambeth was a Nuclear Free Zone?
Did you ever ride the 2b?
Do you remember when there wasn't a Mcdonalds in Brixton?
Do you remember the building which was where the grassy bit of Windrush square is?

you don't get it either!
it's not about how long you've been there but how well you know the place.

 

[quimcunx]

It's not. It's about whether you live here or not.

 

[Orang Utan]

It's not. It's about whether you live here or not.

but that would be just a one question test.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

These are all just how long have you lived here and do you have a good memory questions, apart from Mrs Magpies which would deny practically everyone citizenship unless you are going to count the most trivial of good deeds.

Well, being engaged with civic stuff, even if it's signing a petition, looking out for elderly/vulnerable neighbours, using the market proper, engaging. That sort of thing which is all part of being part of a community. What pisses me off is people who like the kudos of living here (it used to be regarded as a badge of shame or pity by non-Brixtonites) but actually just treat it as a dormitory town, don't know anyone on their street, only use Tescos or the occasional visit to a restaurant or bar.

 

[northsouthfood]

Do you really think that many know what Ulster Scots dialect is? All they need to do is look up the answer. Doesn't necessarily mean they know what it is

I might be the only person in Brixton who knows what Ulster Scots dialect is and can speak a tiny bit of it, while answering yes to a goodly number of the local citizenship test questions and failing the national one hopelessly. I'm setting up a breakaway faction for Norn Irish Brixton blow-ins if anyone else would like to join?

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Well, being engaged with civic stuff, even if it's signing a petition, looking out for elderly/vulnerable neighbours, using the market proper, engaging. That sort of thing which is all part of being part of a community. What pisses me off is people who like the kudos of living here (it used to be regarded as a badge of shame or pity by non-Brixtonites) but actually just treat it as a dormitory town, don't know anyone on their street, only use Tescos or the occasional visit to a restaurant or bar.

This.

And it's not just restricted to Brixton. I don't think you can be a citizen of anywhere without being part of the community in some way. For me, making an effort to know your neighbours, and making some sort of contribution (no matter how small) to the community is the bare minimum. It's common decency.

(Although I'm a bit uncomfortable about the whole 'Who is the most Brixton?' thing...)

 

[laptop]

Do you remember Brixton tube before it was refurbished?
Do you remember the record shop in the tube station?
Do you remember dancing man in front of market row?
Do you remember when it was all fields?
Do you remember when the No. 109 used to go a lot further than Brixton?
Do you remember when the 59 used to terminate just off Fleet Street?
Do you remember when the Country Fair was so much better than it is now?
Do you remember the Poll Tax March to Brixton Prison?
Do you remember when the Dole Office was in Coldharbour Lane?
Do you remember when the IRA escaped from the Prison?
Do you remember Robills?

I pass all but one-and-a-half of those, so is I Brixton?

 

[newbie]

Do you remember when the Country Fair was so much better than it is now?

certainly not, but |I do remember when it was called the Lambeth Country Show.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

certainly not, but |I do remember when it was called the Lambeth Country Show.

Same thing

 

[Brixton Hatter]

"If Brixton likes you, once it's got you, it finds it very difficult to let you go." - Stuart the watch man

 

[stuff_it]

Do you remember Brixton tube before it was refurbished?
Do you remember the record shop in the tube station?
Do you remember dancing man in front of market row?
Do you remember when it was all fields?
Do you remember when the No. 109 used to go a lot further than Brixton?
Do you remember when the 59 used to terminate just off Fleet Street?
Do you remember when the Country Fair was so much better than it is now?
Do you remember the Poll Tax March to Brixton Prison?
Do you remember when the Dole Office was in Coldharbour Lane?
Do you remember when the IRA escaped from the Prison?
Do you remember Robills?

I remember raving the dole office in Coldharbour lane, but I'm not even from Brixton.

 

[clandestino]

I'm interested in this record shop in the tube station. I moved to the area in 1993, but I don't remember it - but then my nearest tube was Clapham South then Clapham North. I remember Reds, of course, and the Virgin or whatever on the same side of the street, and I remember the brilliant second hand record shop in one of the arches near where the Village is now, and the dub shops on Acre Lane and Coldharbour, but not the one in the tube station. Was it actually down the stairs, near where the little newsagent kiosk thing is? Tell me more! Anyone got any photos?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I'm interested in this record shop in the tube station. I moved to the area in 1993, but I don't remember it - but then my nearest tube was Clapham South then Clapham North. I remember Reds, of course, and the Virgin or whatever on the same side of the street, and I remember the brilliant second hand record shop in one of the arches near where the Village is now, and the dub shops on Acre Lane and Coldharbour, but not the one in the tube station. Was it actually down the stairs, near where the little newsagent kiosk thing is? Tell me more! Anyone got any photos?

Yes, down inside tube station. Opposite side of the newsagents though in the corner. I think the corner is where the self-service ticket machines are nowadays

 

[geminisnake]

Do you really think that many know what Ulster Scots dialect is? All they need to do is look up the answer. Doesn't necessarily mean they know what it is

The answer to the question is 'that's west coast pish' Nuff said!!

And by Mrs M's definition I are brixton! I use the market, engage with the local community and get nods and hellos when I'm down there which I was a bit pleased with tbh.

 

[ViolentPanda]

I think the acid test is, 'What can you give to Brixton? rather than 'What does Brixton give you?'

Thanks for that, Joanna F. Kennedy!

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

@ianw

Found this. I can't remember what it was called but it looks like Solar Records

Mike Allen on a Friday night made me spend my Saturday mornings getting the bus to Brixton and spending far too bleedin' long deciding what two records I was gonna buy. Junior helped me out. Sometimes I might pop into Solar Records inside Brixton tube station. But not much. Red Record's Junior saw to that.

On these here forums, it's also mentioned, but as Solo Records

Was reading an interview with Paul Oakenfold in this week's Time Out and he said that he used to buy records from a place called Solo Records which was tucked inside Brixton tube station. Obviously long gone and before my time, but does anyone remember it and if so, where abouts was it?​

http://www.urban75.net/forums/threads/solo-records.86079/​

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

what. you either get the point or you don't but your questions are not the right kind for a brixton citizenship text, just a brixton longevity one.

I'm only pissing about. A Brixton citizenship test is not needed. Residency is enough

 

[mao]

Do you remember 121 Railton Rd?
Do you remember the Hobgobblin?
Do you remember escape from Samsara?
Do you remembet Pendragon records?
Do you remember the Cannabis march & festival?
Do you remember Arteria Space?
Do you remember reclaim the streets?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

This.

And it's not just restricted to Brixton. I don't think you can be a citizen of anywhere without being part of the community in some way. For me, making an effort to know your neighbours, and making some sort of contribution (no matter how small) to the community is the bare minimum. It's common decency.

(Although I'm a bit uncomfortable about the whole 'Who is the most Brixton?' thing...)

Simple answer is none of us are the most Brixton.

 

[ajdown]

All these "do you remember"s makes me think of Kayleigh by Marillion.

 

[stuff_it]

Do you remember 121 Railton Rd?
Do you remember the Hobgobblin?
Do you remember escape from Samsara?
Do you remembet Pendragon records?
Do you remember the Cannabis march & festival?
Do you remember Arteria Space?
Do you remember reclaim the streets?

Do you remember the Hobgobblin? Yes, including a rather memorable banning
Do you remember escape from Samsara?
Do you remembet Pendragon records?
Do you remember the Cannabis march & festival? Yes, but it was a bit of a blur. MY dog trashed someone's coat, then they told me that they had borrowed it...
Do you remember Arteria Space?
Do you remember reclaim the streets? Yes

I also know where to get a drink at 3am on a bank holiday Sunday.

I've never actually lived in Brixton though.

 

[Orang Utan]

Me neither. I live in a small village called Hundleby, in Lincolnshire.
And I'm not really an Orang Utan.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Me neither. I live in a small village called Hundleby, in Lincolnshire.
And I'm not really an Orang Utan.

So all those photos you posted up from India weren't really you?

 

[Orang Utan]

Nah, he's just a fellow i use as an avatar

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Do you remembet Pendragon records?

Someone I was very fond of (though I always was left cold by the music) worked in that shop. He died in a mountaineering accident in Africa

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Do you remember the Hobgobblin? Yes, including a rather memorable banning

The George Canning ackshirley.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

The George Canning ackshirley.

Yep. Hobgoblin my arse

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Thanks for that, Joanna F. Kennedy!

I look more like a cross between Eleanor Roosevelt and Barbara Bush

 

[fortyplus]

It's definitely not about how long you have lived here, or even that you live or work here. You can be Brixton even if you just come here to party. Brixton is Brixton because it always welcomes new people and the whole "you're not really local unless you and your nan were born here" meme is about as non-Brixton as you can get (it's a conservative attitude, and Brixton is anything but conservative). Being part of Brixton is about engagement, as Mrs M says, with things like the market and with local issues (like saving the Rec, for example).

 

[clandestino]

Amen. What I've found depressing in years gone by is that attitude that "real Brixton" means liking a certain type of music, taking certain drugs, being within a certain age range, when my understanding of the area is that it's encapsulated/welcomed a vast range of people. You could possibly argue that those people have shared a vaguely non-conformist/outsider attitude but ultimately it's the differences of the people who choose to make Brixton their home that makes the area. The places that really depress me in London are where everyone appears to be the same. Fuck that.