In 1982 Hackney Council declared the borough a ‘Nuclear Free Zone’. This was part of a wider national peace movement with many Hackney residents becoming involved in campaigns including the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) and the Greenham Common Peace Camp. This blog explores local campaigns and community-led action against nuclear power and weapons in … Read more
Hackney’s garment industry, often called the ‘rag trade’, was one of the biggest employers in the borough from the early 1900s until the 1980s, when production moved from Britain to countries with lower costs. In this blog we share the story of Dalston based family business, Pandit Brothers Ltd. East London Fashion When Mr Devi … Read more
Through stories of musical innovation, distribution and enjoyment, this series ‘Roots, Rhythms and Records’ celebrates the impact of Hackney’s African and Caribbean communities on music in the borough and beyond. This July, to mark International Reggae Day, we are exploring the role of Ital Records, a record label, distribution business and music shop which was … Read more
In the 1700s, Hackney welcomed a new population of French refugees seeking shelter from religious persecution. Although more famously associated with nearby Spitalfields, many settled and prospered in the rural villages that now make up the borough of Hackney. Who were the Huguenots? Between 1660 and 1714, around 40,000 ‘Huguenots’ – French Christians who had … Read more
Like many of the social housing estates across the country built following the Second World War (1939-1945), the Gascoyne One estate in south Hackney represented the dreams and social vision of urban planners. This blog explores the role social housing has played in the lives of Hackney’s diverse communities, through the experiences of Gascoyne Estate’s residents … Read more
A Mod (short for ‘modernist’) was a subculture that began in late 1950s London and spread throughout the country, influencing fashion, music and youth culture. Stamford Hill in the 1960s had all the key ingredients of the Mod movement – a community of working-class and upwardly mobile Eastenders, young people with access to American rhythm … Read more
Over the last 30 years, people with roots in East African countries such as Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya have made Hackney their home. This blog shares some of the stories of the groups, businesses and community spaces that celebrate eastern African heritage in Hackney, shaping the borough’s mixed cultural identity and forming places for communities … Read more
At the outbreak of the First World War (1914-1918), opposing the conflict was a difficult and even dangerous choice. Around 27,000 local men living in east London’s Hackney, Shoreditch and Stoke Newington responded to the recruitment campaigns and enlisted to serve in the war. In the same area, there were at least 350 conscientious objectors. … Read more
In the 1800s, the introduction of the railway and cheap paddle steamer services from London to nearby coastal towns made seaside holidays possible for working class people in East London. Introduction The idea of a trip to the seaside as a popular leisure activity started life in the 1800s, originally as a luxury only for … Read more
Discover stories of Chinese and Indian sailors (often called lascars) serving the East India Company between 1797 and 1802 who found themselves living in east London’s Shoreditch