There’s a lot going on! The 90th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street is happening in dramatic times, in some ways, reminiscent of the 1930s. But another connecting thread is the creativity and resilience of local communities under threat. On this page, we’ll provide news and updates of the activities being organised by our partners and supporters. Please get in touch if you’d like to add something.
Whitechapel Freedom Walk
On Sunday 16th August, local anti-racist campaigner, Peter Ashan, led a fascinating history walk through the streets of Whitechapel. He took us to places where freed Africans met to discuss their betrayal by the British after they’d fought in the American Revolutionary War, and we finished in Altab Ali Park, a sacred site for anti-racism in Tower Hamlets.
A People’s history of the anti-nazi league
It was great to have author Geoff Brown come to talk about his book at The Common Press bookshop – and be joined by some of the “veterans” from the struggle against the National Front in the 1970s and 80s. Members of the Bangladeshi Youth Movement reassembled at the top of Brick Lane, with some of the comrades who helped drive the NF off the street back then, and continue to say “We’re Here to Stay, and Here to Fight!”
women and the spanish civil war
As Meirian Jump, Director of the Marx Memorial Library put it, international solidarity for the fight against Fascism in the Spanish Civil War “wasn’t just about men like George Orwell”. Meirian came to Bethnal Green on 2nd July to share some of the libraries rich archive material about the women who went to Spain to defend the Republic. Women like Felicia Brown, Thora Silverthorne, Patience Darnton, Frida Knight and others saw the threat of Franco when the British and other governments were ignoring it. The discussion was chaired by Barcelona native and Bethnal Green resident, Judith Mora and was joined by several people from the International Brigade Memorial Trust.
The Marx Memorial Library warmly welcomes visitors and people who may want to explore its unique International Brigade collection.
from bryant and may to cable street, with Louise Raw
On Tuesday 23rd June, historian, writer and anti-racist campaigner Louise Raw came to St. Paul’s Church in Bow to talk about the inspiring women who worked just down the road, at the Bryant and May match factory. In 1888, they led a strike that laid the foundation for the union movement. Louise provided some brilliant context for the struggle, based on her ground-breaking book, “Striking a Light”. In particular, she debunked the notion that the strike was inspired by Annie Besant, rather than the women themselves. The Match Women’s Strike was a grassroots movement, just like The Battle of Cable Street, another landmark in local and labour movement history where women played a leading role.
Here are the slides Louise used to illustrate her talk.
remembering blair peach
On a rainy early evening, around 50 people gathered at Oxford House, Bethnal Green on 2nd June to honour an adopted son of the East End, who lost his life fighting fascism. Blair Peach was a teacher in Tower Hamlets, an active trade unionist and anti-racist. He was killed at a rally against the National Front in Southall on 24th April 1979. The meeting was organised by the Tower Hamlets and City branch of the National Education Union (NEU) and brought together current and retired members, some of whom knew Blair Peach personally. They included Jo Lang (below, centre), who was with Blair when he was attacked by the police, an incident that was never properly investigated. Abu Malik (below left) was a pupil of Blair Peach and remembered him as someone who taught him things he’s never forgotten. Weyman Bennett, from Stand Up to Racism (below right), described his own childhood experiences of racism in east London, but how teachers like Blair Peach stood up against it, in the spirit of Cable Street.
A people’s history of london
On 9th June, old friends of Tower Hamlets, Lindsey German and John Rees, came to the newly opened People’s Letters bookshop on Cambridge Heath Road to talk about the second edition of their book, “A People’s History of London”. Fourteen years separate the first and second publications, during which extraordinary things have happened in London and beyond. But Lindsey and John emphasised that, even in the most difficult circumstances, London remains a radical city – a Protestopolis – where people are prepared to fight for their rights and defend their communities from racism and division, just like in Cable Street on 4th October 1936.
The New Cockney Poets & Together on Cable Street
Our friends at Civil Society Together and the Modern Cockney Festival invite people to submit their poems for inclusion in a POETRY SLAM to be held at St George-in-the-East on 4th October, led by Michael Rosen and our Poetess-in-residence Ovyuki. More details from the links below.
The New Cockney Poets & Together on Cable Street | Southbank Centre
Celebrating Modern Cockney Identity Through Poetry and Heritage — Civil Society Together