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Place, memory, changing times . . . the Hackney Peace Mural is a portal to the future as well as a memorial to times past.
" . . . the mural [was] intended to provide [an uplifting mood] when it was planned in 1983. These were the heady, intensely political days of the early 1980s: Thatcher was stamping her mark as prime minister, the world was often a frightening place due to the ‘Cold War’, and there had been riots in Brixton, Toxteth, Handsworth and even Dalston in 1981. But the mural was not just a response to the riots; its references are wider than that. It reflects the numerous interests, political forces and pressure groups of those times. Almost every left-of-centre social concern is represented in the mural: anti-capitalism; anti-nuclear proliferation; greenpeace; the miners’ strike; the peace movement. And, of course, the mural portrays ‘multi-culturalism’ in action . . .
In the middle of the US and Russian nuclear stand-off, the mural shows Hackney as a nuclear free zone (which it had declared itself to be by this time). The Navarino Mansions can be seen in the background and CND, trade union and church peace banners are paraded. In the centre a huge imposing double-headed rat/shark figure is seen grasping broken nuclear weapons, biting the British pound, smoking a cigar and bedecked in money chains and the dollar sign, all linking the arms race with materialism. Uncle Sam is also in evidence, walking along on stilts in the background, along with other symbols such as a dove and the figure of hooded death. A coal miner is there as part of the band, a British Rail worker is there, Ghandi is there, and Mandela is there. And the familiar slogans are there too: ‘Unite for Peace’; ‘Jobs not Bombs’; ‘No More Hiroshimas’.
This is not a fantasy scene, dreamed up with no context; this is a portrayal of the floats, music bands and parade of the 1983 Hackney Peace Carnival. As such, its focus is on the very real threats to peace at that time, but also on a very real community’s celebration of peace.
Nowadays, the Hackney Peace Carnival Mural can be seen as a double memorial. It is a memorial to the talent and sheer hard graft and persistence of Ray Walker. As such, it is a deeply personal piece of public art. But it also remembers the vivid community it portrays: the people of 1983 who took to the streets to demand peace in a troubled time. It is a true memorial."
From EASTeight (one of Hackney's community newspapers).
This is a re-post, here's the original posting. Re-posting gives time and space for new thought.
For a picture of the whole mural see:
Graham, Mare, Wilton & Greenwood,
Forest, Lansdowne, Navarino, & Lavender Grove,
London Fields, Mapledean, & Middleton Road,
Costcutter convenience, The Empire, The Library
Tesco, Central Shops, and the Railway station.
The Number 38 Bus,
To Clapton Pond with lots of traffic and fuss.
Not far to Stokie, and up to Manse Road,
Hackney Downs, The Vet’s at Dalston and the Balls Pond Road,
Element to dine at, and Broadway Market on Sunday to shop.
Along the Regent Canal for shortcut to town,
Tower blocks standing some not renowned!
The Turkish quarter on Newington High,
Restaurants on Church Street, several to try.
A ground Floor flat in the heart of all this
A veritable island of bliss,
Quiet, secure, with small garden to care for, and into hide,
With also a garage where bikes and other stuff reside.
The Landie outside in special place, just so wide
Parking restricted, permits provide,
Zone C or Zone D according to number
Road humps many that causes few to slumber!
The famous market for flowers on Columbia Road,
Period houses, in many lines they stand, some very old.
Regeneration of many, now in hand, some now looking very bold
New lives come into this place and some may even find gold.
Poem: Richard Walker
10 Feb 2005
Note: My son and daughter-in-law lived together in a ground floor garden flat in Hackney, and these lines go some little way to describe the environment in which they lived, and in some ways they did find gold, but sadly it was not to last…
Those readers who know Hackney will be very familiar with the road names mentioned in this verse.
Image: Lock Gate on the Regents Canal in Hackney
Variety in the LT fleet at Hackney. A Routemaster stands alongside a Daimler Fleetline and Merlin MBA on Red Arrow route 502.
Hackney bus garage model from the Kingsway Models range.
At the Hackney homestead near Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas. Missing from the photo is Mary Welch Hackney - probably taking the picture.
Freightliner class 90041/014 pass Hackney Central on 02:10 4L91 Trafford Park to Felixstowe Intermodal .
EartH (ex Savoy / ABC Cinema), Stoke Newington. The former rear stalls area (Concert Hall) - note the curve of the balcony front. Designed by W R Glen for ABC, and opened as the Savoy in October 1936. It became the Konak Cinema in 1977 and the ACE in 1982 before closing in 1984. The stalls area was subsequently divided off as a snooker hall, and the balcony area was abandonded. In 2014 the snooker hall was transformed into a function area and in 2018 the cleaned and stabilised (rather than restored) balcony re-opened - both known as EartH (Evolutionary Arts Hackney) with a mixed programming including stand-up, music and films. The balcony area is now known as EartH Theatre and the stalls EartH Concert Hall, the former cafe and circle foyer is EartH Kitchen - cafe bar open during the day.
London Borough of Hackney, North London, UK - EartH (Former Savoy / ABC Cinema), Stoke Newington Road.
March 2019
The Workhouse was renamed Hackney Institute in the 1930s, under the NHS it became Hackney Hostpital and it is now a medium secure forensic psychiatric hospital called the John Howard Centre. www.workhouses.org.uk/Hackney/
A myriad of barges line the canal. They have to move every two weeks or risk being evicted by the authorities.
Hackney Wick: an area of artists' studios sprawling away from the Olympic village and Queen Elizabeth Park.
Hackney Wick, London
Leica M240, Summilux 35mm/f1.4 ASPH
In the parlor of the Hackney farm home, Wellington Township, Sumner County, Kansas.
Lena is my my maternal great-grandmother. She immigrated from Germany as a small child.
D20918. The Grade II* listed Hackney Empire was opened in 1901 and is a splendid example of a late Victorian theatre.
It was originally a music hall and many of the stars of the day performed there. With the decline in theatre audiences in the post World War II period, it became a TV studio in the 1950s and then became a Bingo Hall in 1963.
In 1984, however, it became a theatre once again, but narrowly avoided demolition in 1986. It closed temporarily for a major refurbishment in 2001, reopening in 2004.
Full details can be found here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackney_Empire
Wednesday, 26th December, 2018. Copyright © Ron Fisher.
Hackney Empire Theatre, London. Designed by Frank Matcham and opened in December 1901, the Empire was equipped from the start with a projection box for films. The principal use was as a Music Hall, but the large stage allowed for opera and spectacular pantomimes. It initially seated a claimed 3,000 (1,900 is likely more accurate) on four levels, now it seats just over 1,000 in a more comfortable layout. Used as a TV studio in the 1950s and converted into a bingo hall in 1963, the theatre somehow survived drastic alteration, and was able to reopen for live shows in 1984. With developers circling, the freehold was acquired, allowing planning for a thorough restoration to begin. It closed in 2001 as a massive expansion (taking in the corner public house and rebuilding the stage house) and restoration which lasted 3 years, the Empire reopened in 2004 (architect Tim Ronalds). It is a grade 2* listed building. Taken on the Open City Festival viewing.
London Borough of Hackney, North London, Greater London, England - Hackney Empire Theatre, Mare Street
September 2023