Activities and News to end 2013
H&SAP Diary and News
I produce a regular diary of events and news that relate to my interests which is emailed to individuals and networks around the country. Sample copies are on request. Each issue usually contains the following sections: Croydon News, Diary, General News, History News & Information News, VNEOBA News, Wandsworth News.
Issue 51 November - Organising Communities in North Battersea & Croydon; Confidentiality obscures public knowledge about the Riesco sale; Is property investment and purchase a cover for money laundering?; Funding for remembering the First World War; John Archer Plaque unveiled by English Heritage; Edwardian Premonitions and Echoes; London Studies Network; The Thomas Spence Trust; Chartism News
Issue 50 November - Urgent Support Needs to Fund The Stop The Salem of Riesco Judicial Review; Tony Tuck Steps Down in Battersea; Alan Buss and Battersea; Our Estate Lives; Community History of Battersea, Croydon and Lambeth Estates; Misinformation on Energy Bills; Croydon Freedom of Information Requests; White Poppies; The Digital Divide and The Croydon Tech City Movement; Lay Visiting to Lambeth Police Stations; The Future of the Census; Explore Your Archive Campaign
Issue 49 October - A History of Norbury; Why John Archer is Important; A People’s History of North East England; Croydon Tories Under Increasing Pressure; Radical Thinking on Railways; Improving Community Initiatives in North Battersea; Not Much Progress on Overcoming the Digital Divide; Enlightened Toryism?; Paul Robeson’s Legacy
Issue 48 October - plus: What are Charities For?; Edward Rushton and Romantic Liverpool; The Great War at Home
Issue 47 September - plus: Croydon Art Debate; London Socialist Historians Group Seminars; The History of Feminism Network Discussion Group
Issue 46 September - Black History Month Events Special
Issue 45 September - plus: John Thelwell and Government Secrecy and Whistleblowing
Issue 44 August - plus: Savings Banks- the ‘Right Management of the Poor’? by Josephine Maltby and her colleague Linda Perriton
16: Colonel Richard Hinton; John Brown supporter dies in Battersea. 1901
Issue 43 July - plus: Barnardos’ Photo Archive: Another Digitisation Crisis?; Labour and Unite
Issue 42 July + plus: The Decepticons of Modern British Politics Repeat The Mistakes of the Past; Gove Consults of Latest National Curriculum History Proposals; The Extent of Poverty
Issue 41 June + plus: Peter Ackhurst Tribute; May Latest Blog Postings; CPeace & FWW News and Events; The Politics of Technology; Letter to Boris on Incinerator.
Issue 40 June + plus: Do Not Write Off Engaging with Croydon Council; Independent Arts Body Needed for Croydon; Transforming Wandsworth Advice; A Radical History Perspective on the Riesco Collection
Issue 39 June - plus: Some of my library questions on Croydon Overview Agenda; Lambeth moves forward on Co-operative Libraries Model; New facilities for community & voluntary groups in Brixton; Improving Croydon’s Scrutiny & Strategic Overview Committee; Threat to Kennington Park Post Office; Threat to Battersea Power Station Chimneys; Croydon Radical History Network.
Issue 38 June - plus: Concern rising about proposed sale of Riesco Collection; Overview Scrutiny of Croydon Libraries Tender; Chartism News
Issue 37 May - plus: Croydon Set to Appoint J. Laing To Run Libraries; Charity Commission Reconsiders Fairfield Halls and LMP Charities Take Over by Croydon; Diary; Croydon News; General News; What is Happening in the Community & Voluntary Sector?; Lambeth, VNEOBA & Wandsworth News
Issue 36 May - plus: Please Help Law Centres; Events; Call Mr Robeson Schedule; What Are Railways For?; George Tweddell - The People’s Politician; How Should We Remember The First World War? Has National Archives Lost the Plot?
Issue 35 May - plus: Commemorating the Chartists on Blackstone Edge; Ray Challinor Conference; Winston Churchill and the Living Wage
Issue 34 April - plus: Wandsworth Heritage Festival; Croydon Council Plans Governance Take-over of Fairfield Halls and London Mozart Players Croydon’s Child Poverty Strategy; Property Company Leasehold Owners of Homes on Wandsworth Estates; Helping People with Water Costs; New Museum in Belford
Issue 33 April - plus: Aspects of London’s Housing Crisis; Camera as Historian.
Issue 32 April - plus: Margaret Thatcher
Issue 31 March - plus: What Next for Save Croydon Libraies Campaign? Why Bother With History?; What is Techtology?; Fairfield Halls Discussion Feedback.
Issue 30 March - plus: Where Next for Croydon’s Libraries?; Britain at Work project); The Scale of the Benefits Cuts and Fighting Back; Local Activism in the Face of the ConDem Assault.
Issue 29 March -plus: Croydon Libraries Fiasco, Diary, Croydon Library Questions, NEPPP Project Launches Book and Database
Issue 28 March - plus: Gove’s Draft Programmes of Study
Issue 27 February - plus: Croydon Changes Direction On Local Studies & Archives; Library Campaign News
Issue 26 January - plus: William Cuffay: Latest Developments; Evelyn Everett-Green, Gabriel Garth Chartist (1902)
Issue 25 January - plus: De Frene Allotment Site Tender; Heritage Traineeships available
Issue 24 January - plus: Concern Grows About Threat To Croydon’s Local Archives and Studies Service; Back To The Future: Croydon’s Disengagement From Culture 2010/11; Wandsworth Up-dates Heritage Strategy; Workers Songs in Australia
Issue 23 January - plus: Boris Starts Sham Policing Consultation; Whose History is it Anyway?; My History Writings on Web
Blog Postings: http://historyandsocialaction.blogspot.co.uk
I comment on social action, political and historical political issues in my Blog. Occasionally I produce a background note on issues e.g.
* Lambeth Community Hubs Consultation (February 2012) - available on request
* August Riots for use as facilitator of workshop at the Community & Youth Work History Conference (October 2011).
Blog Postings July 2013:
Low Income and Lack of Social Housing Feed Homelessness in Croydon
Trying to Unravel the Relationship Between Croydon Council and the J Laing Group
Croydon Council’s Patchy Knowledge of Housing
Room for Negotiation on Croydon Street Lights
Digital Croydon – User Perspective:
In defence of the busy body - a reply
Hugging Street Lights in Croydon
Young Violinist To Play at Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Talk
Fun and Games at Croydon Council Meeting 1 July
Blog Postings June 2013:
Events Diary To End of July
Two Commemorations to Samuel Coleridge-Taylor
Taking Croydon's Housing Debate Further
Scutinising Croydon's Housing Crisis and the Effects of Welfare Reforms
Is Steve Reed Still Unsure About His Role?
What Should Be in Croydon Labour's 2014 Council Manifesto?
Sale of Riesco Items Hots Up - Developers Could Fund Fairfield Halls
A Radical History Perspective on the Riesco Collection
Independent Arts Body Needed For Croydon
Do Not Write Off Engaging with Croydon Council
Blog Postings April 2013:
Why John Archer is Important
What Can Be Done About The Bankruptcy of Croydon Politics?
Blog Posting March 2013:
The Future of Fairfield Halls
Blog postings January 2013:
Croydon Council Plans To Reduce Its Archives Service
How Should We Approach Labour Biography? A Discussion Note
Blog Postings 2012 included:
Croydon Labour Challenges Choice of J. Laing to Run the Libraries
Have Croydon Tories provided evidence for a judicial review about their decision to award the Libraries contract to the private company J. Laing?
'What Next for Croydon Labour and Economic Development?’
Developing Croydon's Local Economic Strategy and the Croyodn North by-election
Ruskin College Archives and rceords dispute
New book on William Cuffay
Street theatre history walk The Good Neighbour from Battersea Arts Centre
The Role of Oversight and Scrutiny in Lambeth.
Croydon Issues on Other Websites:
In addition to my blog postings (above) see my contributions on Croydon issues at:
http://thecroydoncitizen.com/history/reflections-croydons-black-history
http://thecroydoncitizen.com/politics-society/invitation-croydon-arts-debate/
http://thecroydoncitizen.com/culture/why-the-citizen-supports-the-local-studies-archive/ (quoted)
http://insidecroydon.com/2013/01/16/budget-consultation-condemned-as-just-meaningless-jargon
http://insidecroydon.com/2013/03/30/fairfields-future-needs-to-engage-with-croydon-public
http://insidecroydon.com/2013/04/02/favoured-halls-4-5m-debts-and-the-commercial-interests
http://insidecroydon.com/2013/05/25/pollard-hands-30m-library-deal-on-a-plate-to-builders-laings/ (quoted)
http://insidecroydon.com/2013/05/29/charity-commission-to-examine-takover-of-fairfield-halls/ (quoted)
Edwardian Roller-Skating Podcast
Talk Thursday 14 February. What happened before today's mutual Credit Unions? An introduction to Friends of Labour Loan Societies 1850s-1930s. National Archives. http://media.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php/what-happened-before-todays-mutual-credit-unions-an-introduction-to-friends-of-labour-loan-societies-1850s-1930s.
British Black History Digest
I compiled 30 issues of a regular British Black History Digest. The final issue was December 2013. Copies are available from me on request.
History Talks, Walks etc 2010-13
2013:
Wednesday 6 November. Town Hall Stories: John Archer, London’s First Black Mayor. Battersea Arts Centre.
Wednesday 13 November. 10.30am. English Heritage Plaque Unveiling, 55 Brynmaer Rd, Battersea, SW1. Text of what I said at the event is in December 2013 issue of the British Black History Digest.
23 October 6.30-8pm. Why John Archer is Important. Battersea Library. Edited version is in the December 2013 issue of the British Black History Digest.
16 October. 7-8.30pm. Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: His popularity with British Music Lovers. Putney Library
12 October: Talk on Duse Mohamed (Ali) as part of Tayo Aluko (Call Mr Robeson)'s Paul Robeson Art is a Weapon Festival
9 October. 7.45pm. Freedom Riders. Screening of film. With Black Music consultant Kwaku I will be facilitating discussion on the film. Riverside Studios, Hammersmith
8 October. Facilitated two assemblies and three workshops for Black History Month at Winterbourne Primary School, Croydon
19 September. Brunswick House Railway Institute: a story of collective self help on the railways. Brunswick House, Vauxhall
12 September. Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Talk as part of launch concert of CD by Waka Hasegawa on SC-T's Piano Music. Blüthner Piano Centre, London
13 July. Folk & Blues Festival, Ruskin House, Croydon History Stall
11 July. Attendance as historical adviser at London Schools Remembrance Project schools performances about Samuel Coleridge-
Taylor and the Southern Syncopated Orchestra, Royal Court Theatre
6 July. Wandle Park Revival Day. History Stall
5 July. An Evening with Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Talk with recordings and performances by 12 year old violins William Campbell. South Norwood Arts Festival.
May/June. Workshops in two schools on Samuel Coleridge-Taylor as part of Nubian Jak Community Trust London Schools Remembrance Project
13 March. Short talk on the database at event ending the funded period of North East Popular Politics Project
20 February: Slavery and Abolition walk in Newcastle with students of Durham University, followed by a talk
14 February. What happened before today's mutual Credit Unions? An introduction to Friends of Labour Loan Societies 1850s-1930s. National Archives. See podcast link above.
2012:
24 October. John Archer and the Black Atlantic (part of Wandsworth Black History Month).
16 October. Vauxhall’s Creative Industries Walk for Vauxhall Society.
10 October. Samuel Coleridge-Taylor to Herne Hill Society.
6 October. 'Joining It Together - Sharing Information'. Talk at Independence Working Class Education Seminar.
29 September. Reflections on Lambeth Council and community action since the 1970s', as part of Lambeth Archives Open Day; theme ‘What has local government ever done for us? Local councils in Lambeth and their legacy’.
25 June. Boom and Bust:The Edwardian Roller Skating Boom, 1908-1912for the Sport & Leisure Seminar at Institute of Historical Research. Listen on podcast: http://historyspot.org.uk/podcasts/sport-and-leisure-history/boom-and-bust-edwardian-roller-skating-boom-1908-1912
21 June. The Edwardian Roller Skating Boom. The National Archives, Kew. Sponsored by Friends of TNA. Listen on http://media.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php/edwardian-rollerskating.
26 May-10 June. 2012. Wandsworth Heritage Festival. See side menu to left.
February. Talk on Trafalgar Square 1887 at the London Socialist Historians Conference on Riots.
January. Talk on The Politics of Landscape and Environment in the North East in the Long Eighteenth Century. Annual British Society for 18thC Studies Conference at Oxford. I also chaired a session.
2011:
October. 2 talks on Jane Roberts, First Lady of the free Black Republic of Liberia. Liberian Festival event - part of Wandsworth Black History.
July. Talk Wandsworth Chartism. Chartism Day Event. Leeds.
May/June: walks in Wandsworth Heritage Festival: Queenstown Rd, Prices Candles factory area, St John's Hill, Wandle through
May. Co-ordinated Heriatge Wandsworth Partnership stall at Battersea Square Festival.
May. Talk 'Alternative Tooting Rambles'. Tooting Local History Group
April. Launch of Nubian Jak John Archer Project book in which I profile Archer
March. Talk: Anna and Henry Richardson. Quaker journalism in support of anti-slavery, free produce and peace. Quaker History Group, Quaker Centre, Euston.
February. Talk. Reflections on North East Slavery & Abolition. Britain in the Long 18thC Seminar at Institute of Historical Research.
January. Talk. North East abolitionists and Moral & Social Capital. British Society for 18tC Studies Annual Conference.
2010
December. Speaker at Nubian Jak blue plaque unveiling to John Archer.
November - April 2011. Team member in Nubian Jak Community Trust John Archer Role Model Project in 5 Wandsworth Secondary Schools
October. Publication of my ORGANISING TOGETHER IN LAMBETH. A Historical Review of Co-operative and Mutual Social Action.
October. Talks and walks in Wandsworth Black History Month Walks and Talks.
October. Publication of essay John Archer and the Politics of Labour in Battersea (1906-32) in Belonging to Europe, a special Issue of the journal Immigrants & Minorities. Vol 28. Issues 2/3. July/November 2010. ISSN 0261-9288.