Vote for Central Park

The GLA are holding a London-wide vote in which residents are encouraged to vote for their local park in order so that it can win more investment.

It's not actually clear on the site how much extra cash the winner will receive, but you can vote for Central Park by clicking on the link below:

http://www.london.gov.uk

Government plans for council tenants

An idea the has been thrown around Whitehall for some time is the end of permanent tenancy agreements, and towards a means-tested way of providing council housing.

The Times has lead with the story today.

To quote:

People living in council houses will no longer be entitled to a subsidised tenancy for life under Whitehall proposals to address waiting lists.

New tenants would have fixed-term contracts under the plans, with regular reviews every few years, The Times has learnt. If a tenant’s financial position improved he or she would be encouraged to take an equity share or to move to the private sector. If they refused they could face higher rents. The right to a council home is also likely to be tied to a requirement to have or be actively looking for a job.

The measures are being considered by Margaret Beckett, the new Housing Minister, in the most radical shake-up of the social housing system for decades to ensure that those who deserve council homes get them.

There are a number of points to take issue here. The first is that of council tenants being subsidised by central government, that is, other taxpayers. This is referred to twice in the lead article and once in the editorial.

To get matters straight: council tenants are not subsidised by central government. In fact, there is a surplus left over from rent which is siphoned off elsewhere.

This has long been a bone of contention with tenant activists as this money should be used to build more housing rather than being spent on other government projects.

For further information on this please read Start from scratch on housing finance, says ARCH and Social housing: Councils bid to scrap 'tenant tax'.

And as for tenants on a good wage, anybody who is paid well enough will buy their own council property under the Right to Buy laws.

The fact is that housing has never been a priority to this government. They not just stood aside but positively welcomed the ridiculous housing price boom when the cost of property eventually become unaffordable to 90% of the population, and now their sacred home ownership bubble has burst.

Social housing could and should have been built at a sustainable rate for decades – but it wasn't.

It's never too late though. They found £450billion down the back of the 11 Downing Street sofa over the course of one weekend in order to save the banks, and they have spent umpteen billion pounds on war since 1997 – why can't they find money to meet people's needs and to give people the good quality housing at affordable rent that they so obviously need?

Working Lives Reminiscence Session for Former Workers of the Harold Hill Industrial Estate

On Tuesday November 25 Eastside Community Heritage will be holding a reminiscence session for forming workers of the Harold Hill industrial estate.

This is part of their Working Lives of the Thames Gateway project and which is an exciting new project to record and celebrate the experiences of the communities which made east London an industrial heartland.

Oral histories are being contributed by hundreds of former workers across east London and which will lead to an education programme in 2010 that shares these memories with the younger generations and newer communities.

Eastside Community Heritage aims to explore in detail issues such as working conditions, labour/management relations, the company social scene, shopfloor camaraderie and industrial change as when factories began to change, move away and close.

Companies that had premises on Harold Hill include Lee Cooper, Lovable Bras, Benton Engineering, Blue Gate Products, Capworth Engineering, Colorprint Ltd, R and I Connell Ltd, Eastern Electricity Board, F B & M Engineers, Franklin and Freeman Ltd, Globe Pneumatic Engineering Ltd, Hollingsworth Marshall and Co Ltd, Jarman and Platt Ltd, Kinloch Ltd, London Hospital Ligature Department, Cecil Silver Ltd, Sklan Ltd, , A Taylor Ltd,

Project Manager Judith Garfield said,

“We're quite excited about organising this event in Harold Hill as the estate has its own particular industrial history.

“When it was built in the 1950s it was intended that housing, schools, shops and workplaces were in easy reach of each other – it was meant to be self-contained.

“So we are asking Harold Hill residents that if they worked on the industrial estate in the 1950s, 1960s or 1970s to come along and offer their memories to this oral history project”.

THe Local Studies Librarian, Simon Donaghue, will be present.

Working Lives of the Thames Gateway is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

----------------------------

Details of event:

1-4pm, Tuesday November 25 at St. George's Community Centre, Chippenham Road, Harold Hill.

For further information please visit the website of Eastside Community Heritage at www.hidden-histories.org.uk or ring 020 7538 4545.

London Maze 2008

Saturday 11 October, 10.00am - 4.00pm

The London Maze is a free local history fair devoted to London and its past. It is organised by the Department of Libraries, Archives and Guildhall Art Gallery and takes place in Guildhall Art Gallery and the Guildhall complex located in the historic heart of the City of London.

Old Library stalls from above With dozens of stalls from libraries, archives, museums and local history societies, specialist talks, guided walks and a wide range of activities this fun and educational free event has something for everyone.

www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

Harold Hill 60th Anniversary Exhibition

Simon Donaghue, the librarian who is now at Romford Central Library, has put together the Harold Hill 60th Anniversay Exhibtion which is currently running at Harold Hill library until September 7.

Admission is free and open to all.

I've spent a good six weeks working on the new website of the Eastside Community Heritage.

Click here to see the finished work.

Don't use Virgin broadband

A story that has been doing the rounds recently across the net is the news that Virgin will be fundamentally subverting the net in the pursuit of more profits.

They are going to break Net Neutrality - the Internet Prime Directive One.

Basically, all websites are treated the same by Internet Service Providers (ISP's). If you access a website and it downloads slowly, then that is probably because the site is full of pictures... or maybe you still have dial-up or a low-grade broadband connection...

Now Virgin will introduce a two-tear internet service. They will allow websites that pay them money to be be downloaded fast and the rest, well, I guess they can go to hell.

The other ISP providers (BT, Talk Talk, etc) are holding back to see what the reaction will be to Virgin's move.

Basically, if this practice takes hold then the internet that we all know and love will become a shallow reflection of how it is now.

More info here:

BoingBoing

STOP Virgin

Ten Percent

Reviews of new sites and blogs added to History Nexus can be found here.

The bluebells are out!

This is fantastic time of year to visit Harold Hil parks, and in particular the Manor (Dagnam Park).

The fields of bluebells are truly amazing.

Go and take a walk around the Manor, and in particular the wooded area near the M25.

Actually, I doubt there are many who are aware of the existence of much of the Manor's appeal - and that's even in Harold Hill!

It really is still an undiscovered gem of local nature.

If you don't know where I mean visit the Manor and follow the sounds of the cars coming from the M25 (!) - you're reach the area in question eventually.

I reckon there's still a week or two of life left in the bluebell fields before they die away.

For a map click on here.

For more information on the Manor visit the excellent website of the Friends of Dagnam Park.

The British National Party have won a council seat on Harold Hill with Mark Logan winning by a comfortable margin at a by-election on Thursday March 20.

The by-election was forced by the resignation of the previous BNP councillor, Alan “Quitter” Bailey, who cited "family problems" as the reason for his exit.

The BNP victory says as much about the pathetic political opposition they face in Harold Hil as it does the mood of the country.

Second in the election were Labour who fielded Yve Cornell. Cornell was a former Labour councillor representing Gooshays ward who narrowly lost at the last local elections. Cornell lives in the posh Upminster region and has little in common with local working class people.

The fact is that the BNP could ride over their two biggest handicaps in this election: their last councillor quit mid-term, which is hardly a good advertisement for electing another councillor when canvassing on the doorstep, and Logan lives some distance away in Hornchurch - an absolute no-no in a local election.

Neither could be exploited by the Labour Party, not least because their candidate lives in Upminster.

Logan has been out campaigning at Hilldene shops every Saturday with his rag-tag group of right-wingers, announcing that 'we must take back our country'.

Since when has it ever been our country anyway? I must have missed that bit in history when we were in control.

Logan actually has a long and quite notable history of defending council tenants - some even from Harold Hill despite his base on the other side of the borough.

Their leaflets reflected this - anti-ALMO material as well as opposition to the Havering Tory council's land grab on the 'Hill, which is winning stuff for any candidate.

The Residents' Association, despite being active in one part of the estate, were unable to field a candidate. I suspect because they too have problems finding suitable people from the local area.

The whole by-election has a sadness about it as the local white working class bites at the teether about perceived advantages given to immigrants and Black Africans. Ever heard the one about fighting for the crumbs from the rich man's table?

But, in truth, if you introduce X amount of foreign labour into a society where competition for jobs and housing is already intense then there is going to be a backlash.

But at least the middle classes and business people, the architects of the current policy, have an endless supply of cheap nannies and workers to employ (and exploit).

Calling Mr. Golightly!

Reader Teresa Stuart wrote asking whether anybody remembers a children's home she was resident at in the Sixties. She writes,

“I have been trying to find some information about a children's home I was in during the years 1962-3 in your area. I remember it was a very large old house in fabulous wooded gardens, run by Mr and Mrs Golightly and their dog!

I was very happy there and would love to know whatever happened to the place, whether it was social services owned/ran or charitable.

It was if I remember correctly also close to a church that we children from the home regularly marched to on Sunday mornings in our best clothes and a white ribbon in the girls hair and where we sat in a special pew at the back together. The nearby primary school had a playground that was divided by sex so boys and girls had no contact with each other.

The few months I was there were the happiest time of my childhood and Mr and Mrs Golightly were wonderful (we called him Mr G) so I would love to know more about them, but my internet researches have not been very helpful.

Can you help?”

What with the recent horrific news of Haut de la Garenne children's home in Jersey it's refreshing to read of happy memories of a life in a institution such as this.

If you can help Teresa then please email her at tessastuart@hotmail.com.

I was really heartened on the way home from work after reading a copy of London Lite: my street is the third cheapest in London.

With neighbors like I've got I'm not surprised that no frigger wants to live here.

Cheapest Street in the Capital
Harold Hill homes cost just £97k

Only two streets in London still have house prices averaging less than £100,000, a survey shows today.

The title of the cheapest goes to Leamington Close in Harold Hill, in the eastern borough of Havering. With price of £97,000, prices are less than a third of the typical London figure: £300,000 to £350,000. The second cheapest street is Willow Tree Walk in Bromley, where the average price is £93,300, says a survey, from property website Mouseprice.

Leamington Crescent is a cul-de-sac of Fifties red-brick blocks on the Harold Hill estate, near Romford. Most are council homes, but 10 have been sold under the right-to-buy law and five of them have been resold since. Clare Williams, 19, said she hoped to buy the one-bedroom council flat where she lives who her 13-month-old son Bailee.

“It's a bit grim, but it's what we can afford,” she said. “It's not a bad place to bring up my child. There are no gangs. Doctors, shops and a big playground are a short walk away.”

The third cheapest street in the survey is also in Harold Hill – Kingsbridge Circus – where the average price is £101,700. A Mouseprice spokesman said of Lemington Close: “Most property is ex-council flats, the prices attract first time buyers who can afford nothing else.”

2008 is certain to become the 'Year of the Widget' and another contribution to this wave of inventive applications is the History Now! Widget.

Launched in February 2008, it is an off-shoot project of the History Nexus website.

Read more...

Press Release

http://www.historynexus.net/widget.php

There are plans afoot to close the Post Office along Cambourne Avenue. If you are not aware, then thousands of small post offices are or will be shut because they are not profitable.

This argument is absolute madness. Post offices are a public service, and for those without their own transport and in particularly the elderly, they are a lifeline.

I, for one, use it every nearly every Saturday.

Going on the test of profitability, then other public services such as the NHS and rubbish collection would not exist: they are not profitable.

This is part of the absurd New Labour agenda for public amenities.

There is a petition in the shop itself and I would ask everybody to go down and sign it.

With spring approaching it's time to remind ourselves just how pretty Harold Hill can be.

Click on the pictures to enlarge.

A reader has emailed me the url for the new website of the Morris Dance pub.

The link is below and very good it is too:

http://www.themorrisdancer.net/

Another one bites the dust

In the great tradition of BNP councillors fighting to the bitter end for the British way of life, Alan Bailey, councillor for Gooshays, has... resigned.

He said the stress was too much for him... arr... poor thing...

Altough with the national recent crisis in that particular organisation means that there is more to this than meets the eye.

I've managed to find some pictures of the prefabs that existed in Harold Hill until the late 1960s.

They have been supplied by Linda Groves and were taken at their property on Clematis Close. The prefabs themselves are in the background of the shots, but they are the only known photos of the buildings that I'm aware of.

If you happen to know the family in the third picture then please feel free to email Linda because she'd like to get in touch.

Email Linda: lingroves353@yahoo.co.uk

A number of years ago when I was carrying out the original research for this project the name of John Simkin was dropped to me.

I would have approached him for an interview at the time but I couldn't find his whereabouts.

If only I had used Google!

He is, as I have recently found out, the author and creator of the hugely successful history website Spartacus Educational.

John has provided a personal statement which I've placed in the guestbook here.

He has also passed on some pictures of the anti-Vietnam war demonstrations that happened in London in 1968.

At the time three coach loads of Harold Hill youth traveled from the estate to attend these demos.

John Brady, the youth worker at the Albermarle, mentioned this in his extensive interview for this site here.

John Simkin's brother, David. is the central character walking away from 10 Downing Street. He tells me he was laughing because he had just biffed a copper with a placard – although he does say it was accidental.

Click on the photos to enlarge them.

At long last I’ve managed to place a number of essays written by other local historians onto this site.

There is a small piece written by the late Rita Coffin called Moving Out to Harold Hill which uses a number of essays written by 14 and 15 year olds in 1959.

They concern the experiences and hopes and dreams of these teenagers in the late 50s.

These essays were personally salvaged by Rita Coffin herself.

They are quoted in this website (here) and they form the backbone of a dissertation by Carla Isbell called Boyhood Strong, Girlhood Graceful: A Study of Working-Class Women's Lives on the Harold Hill Housing Estate.

This well-structured, academic essay by Isbell makes a number of valuable points and provides some interesting quotes from the three women she interviewed.

These schoolgirl essays from 1959 are available to read at central Romford library.

There are also two items that were written in tandem for Harold Hill’s 40th and 50th anniversary exhibitions by Brian Evans and Simon Donaghue respectively.

Both were librarians at Harold Hill library when they organised these exhibitions.

Of the two anniversary articles, the Donaghue item is the most thorough.

Of particular value are the interviews about life in the area before Harold Hill was built, and on living in the prefabs.

Simon Donaghue now works at the central reference library in Romford, but he has kept the research for the 50th anniversary and this is available for all to browse.

I have in my flat a number of folders of material gathered for this website project. It is my intention to pass all this on to Simon sometime soon so that everybody can gain access to the primary evidence that formed the backbone of this work.

You can read these essays by clicking on the link below:

www.haroldhill.org/other-historians/historians.html

Press Release

History Nexus launched – the next step for history on the internet

This winter a new history website called History Nexus has been launched.

Following along the blazing path of social bookmarking sites Digg.com and Del.icio.us, History Nexus makes best use of Web 2.0 architecture and aims to create a living community for the subject on the World Wide Web.

There are already a number of central focuses for history on the internet, such as the large directories on Yahoo and the Open Directory Project, but none offer the interaction that has come to be expected by users in recent years.

Initially, History Nexus offers the opportunity to submit, vote and comment upon history websites, but in the coming months’ new features will be added so that it will become a history portal.

The creator of History Nexus is Andy Walpole. Having authored and designed the popular local history website, Harold Hill: A People's History, he came to the conclusion that the subject was badly serviced by much that already existed:

“There are many sources for history on the web and some well-researched, imaginative websites, but there isn't a focus for all those different sites to come together.

“What exists is very bland. There are a number of directories but they amount to no more than a URL and a one sentence description. Even then they are not updated with many links pointing to non-existent sites.

“While a number of subjects, such as fashion and music are flourishing on the net, history is, at best, in a state of stagnation.

“It's time now for historians and those interested in the subject to come together in mutual respect and common cause: That being, to promote the subject on the World Wide Web to as big an audience as possible.

“The aim of History Nexus is to provide a central focus for the subject of history on the internet.”

The website is organised into several sections including local history, biographies, history courses and genealogy. This will expand into a multitude of new categories as and when the demand is created by users.

To access the website please go to the address at www.historynexus.net.

End

Below is a new history site that I've been working on for the past month.

www.historynexus.net

History Nexus is an on-line history community site. Submit and recommend a history website to others.

I've been meaning to place these pictures onto the site for some time.

They are taken from the excellent Friends of Dagnam Park website and were shot by
Mr J. Kennerson at 4am on the morning of June 21, 2006 in the Manor.

Click on photos below to enlarge and shrink.

In 1963 The Beatles paid a visit to the Romford Odeon during the height of “Merseybeat mania”. The review of this gig was written by a Quarles schoolboy called Malcolm Petts of Wigton Road and was published in a school magazine called the Quarles Examiner in the summer of the aforementioned year.

The grammar is a little cockeyed, but for a 15-year-old it still puts most of us adults to shame.

The transcript is below but for the original click on this image:

The Merseybeat in Romford

It was Sunday, sixteenth of June. That day, the Beatles and company, came to Romford, on a one night stand. It was difficult to reach the Odeon cinema, due to crowds of excited fans, who had heard that the artists had already arrived.

The Beatles could be seen at the rear windows of the cinema every now and again. They pushed open the tops window and were greeted with wild screams. Earlier the Beatles had been in danger of being crushed, trying to reach the Odeon. Their car had been severely dented.

Outside the front doors, programmes and photographs were quickly being sold before the performance. At 5.45 the fans poured in through the main entrances and long before 6pm, the cinema was crowded. All tickets had been sold within a few days of the box office open.

A few minutes to six o'clock great movement was behind the curtains. At last the compare Vic Sutcliffe, appeared on the stage. He opened the show, by introducing the Vikings. They played a very good composition called The Cruel Sea. This has just been released as a record. These five men and their music made very good listening. Sutcliffe appeared on again and introduced a singer from Trinidad, Michael London, who had a record in the charts there for twelve months. Unfortunately the audience were getting impatient, waiting for the next group, Gerry and the Pacemakers.

The compare tried his best to pass the time while the instruments were being changed over. The curtains parted and there were Gerry and the Pacemakers. Their act included a ballad and their recent hit How Do You Do It and I Like It.

In the spotlights one picked out a tomato that just missed Gerry Marseden's head, an orange thrown from the circle actually hit the drums of “the Pacemakers”, thus ended the first half of the exciting entertainment.

..... The sales of the ice cream finished, the curtains parted to reveal The Dakotas. After three numbers by this brave group, Billy J. Kramer proceeded onto the stage and tried his best, in view of the fact that the Beatles were the next act and the audience was getting excited. Billy J. sang his last song Do You Want to Know a Secret and said bye to his hysterical fans!

The exotic instruments that had flashed on and off the stage during these earlier performances were mainly supplied by Vox. Good lighting effects made the shows production efficient and lead to its appreciation by all.

By now the compare was fighting a losing battle against the fans. He had to waste a full three minutes while the equipment was once again changed. The audience began to chant “We want the Beatles”. After a few choruses of this, the curtains parted and signaled was usual – screams. The Beatles were on stage.

Their half hour programme included many tracks from their latest LP. Please, Please Me, There's a Place, PS I Love You, Chains, Anna, Misery and their latest hit From Me To You. Through their whole performance, it was impossible to listen to them comfortably, because of the frantic screams of their delirious fans.

During the show the Odeon staff had its work cut out, to stop fantastic numbers of girls, from getting onto the stage.

These four talented young men, George Harrison (lead guitar), Ringo Starr (drums), and the composers Paul McCartney (bass) and John Lennon (rhythm guitar) have enough compositions to last them... (*incomprehensible*).

Autograph books and messages were strewn all over the stage, thrown there by the audience.

To celebrate Paul McCartney's birthday, everybody was asked to join in the last number, Twist and Shout. And as the vibrations of this died away the curtain fell, opened and closed for the last time.

I know that there are a number of regular visitors to this site that drink in pubs on the 'Hill, but I think it would fair to say that local pubs hardly have a reputation for excellence.

Browsing the web the other day while at work I came across a website called fancyapint? It seems that the aim of this website is to visit and report on every public house within the M25 region. Searching for Harold Hill boozers on the site I came across reviews of nearly all the local pubs.

I have to say, the sacrastic, if not horrified reviews made me smile.

First up is the Morris Dance, which was, incidently, the first pub on the 'Hill. The reviewer is far from impressed:

'Once we managed to find the Morris Dancer (it's tucked away in a residential nook), we were faced by bricked up windows and entrance, so we assumed the pub had shut down, but no - it was just the back of the boozer. Our premature arrival at five to twelve was matched by a local frustratedly kicking his heels before being allowed in. Once inside, things didn't really get much better. The worn furnishings and seedy jakes (with the c-word scratched into the wall twice) matched the scruffy lawn outside; it's safe to say neither Alan Titchmarsh nor Llewelyn-Bowen have popped by yet. Young's Ramrod on tap was a highlight, though Phil Collins on the jukebox swiftly struck a blow for the opposition. Quite what 'he could hear calling in the air tonight remains a mystery; we didn't hang around to'

After that, he visits the Saxon King – on this website there is a 1956 article about this pub and Petersfield Avenue.

'Located on the same road as William the Conqueror, the survival of this Saxon King defies both history and good taste. (Indeed, both pubs are perhaps among the finest adverts for republicanism I've seen for a long time.) There's no chance of any privacy in the one long, narrow, and very grey room, which smelled strongly of disinfectant on our visit. The sense that we were intruding was intensified by the loud and expletive-laden conversations of some regulars. There's a rather unkempt beer garden and we sensed a vague air of menace. Perhaps we are overreacting. Free bar food, in the East End tradition, is apparently provided on Sunday lunchtimes, and there's a fish stall (skate knobs a speciality) outside. But this is very much a place for regulars, with the atmosphere of a residents' association club, not that of a public house.'

But the most savage criticism is for the Alderman near Hilldene shops:

'Is this the worst pub in Harold Hill? Certainly (though the competition is intense). The worst pub in Romford? I suspect so. The worst pub in London? Quite possibly ... perhaps it could in fact be the worst pub in Essex. The motto of the clientele appears to be 'why talk when you can shout?' (This is the edited version.) Whereas the saloon bar is merely rough, the laughably-named public bar is rough and tough and has had enough. We were careful to avoid eye-contact, and did a double-take when we overheard a bloke talking about a woman 'getting itself pregnant'.'

My brother, Chris Walpole, who is now in his late 40s, started his drinking life in the Duckwood at 15. As long as you kept yourself to yourself, he tells me, the management left you alone, and also there was less chance of running into trouble in this pub than the others.

I'm also told that earlier on in the 60s most pubs had live bands playing at the weekend.

If you have recollections of Harold Hill pubs from the 1950s onwards then drop me a line at history@haroldhill.org because I would be interested in reading and reporting back on these memories.

Calling Ian Barrow, Peter Foley, Brian Davey and Paul Ganey!

The above pictures were taken from a 1968 school play at Harrowfields called "Till Eulenspiegel" which was a classic German folklore tale.

The bottom picture from left to right features Ian Barrow, Peter Foley, Alan Spartley, Paul Ganey, Steven Curphey and Brian Davey.

Steven "Spyder" Curphey is in contact with Alan Spartley but would like to hear from Ian Barrow, Peter Foley, Brian Davey and Paul Ganey just to see how everybody has done over the decades.

If the Bürgermeisters are still around then drop him at line at spyder@compulsiongallery.com

Just stumbled upon a thread about Harold Hill on the upmystreet.com website.

Contributer Omnislashuk asked:

A long while ago there was a lengthy debate about Harold Hill in having which even appeared to spark enough interest to generate a website haroldhill.org. I no longer live in the area but am very interested in how this area has developed in the last couple of years... could anyone please give me some information?

There were several other contributions and then I responded with the following:

Hello,

Just relaunched the Harold Hill site after a redesign - got rid the some of surplus content.

Unfortunately due to a database failure the forum was lost which is a shame because there was some genuinely interesting contributions on there.

It's not really about contemporary Harold Hill - it's mainly about why Harold Hill was built and covers the early decades. In essence, it's about the 'baby boomer' generation and their experiences growing up on the estate.

No it doesn't really cover the regression of the area concerned - the latest point is the Right to Buy, which I questioned whether was a good thing.

I think the problems with Harold Hill were there from the beginning. One point I didn't put into the content was the fact that when Harold Hill was an LCC estate they gave preferential places to London tenants, not the sons and daughters of the first Harold Hill residents. There’s no doubt that the second and third wave of people moving in from London needed housing, but it never really gave an opportunity for the community to develop like it should have.

There’s been a number of problems that have hindered the estate over the decades.

Politically, it has never been represented well. There have been a succession of pretty lame MPs, and the Labour party councillors were either not particularly well-educated and quiet (and I don't mean this in a patronising way) or because it was seen as a safe seat (not any more though) they tended to be people like Arthur Latham who, while a local councillor, didn’t really care about the place.

Also as well, Harold Hill residents have in recent decades not really organised themselves into campaigning or political groups. I look at areas like Upminster where local residents have traditionally taken a far more active role in their own community. And at the end of the day, if you don’t ask you don’t get.

Other areas which I didn’t write about was the building of the tower blocks and the Briar Road estate in the late 60s and early 70s. This building was a travesty to the original design and even today it’s a really crap area to live. Even people on the long council house waiting lists don’t want to move there!

The part of the estate that has faired the worst is the Heaton ward. There are no amenities there in terms of parks, pub, community centres or anything of the sort.

As for crime or vandalism, that hasn’t really changed much over the decades. There’s always been a certain amount then as now.

Omnislashuk: Why do you state Docklands as your example of a thriving community? I think the development of Docklands over the last couple of decades has been appalling with the financial sector and all the big earners taking everything to the detriment of the community that was there before.

You can join in the debate by clicking on the link below:

http://tinyurl.com/2cecjv

As of this date the following websites have been prohibited from advertising on this site:

bnp.org.uk
debtbreak.com
hamptons.co.uk
heaven4sure.com
landlordassist.co.uk
newparty.co.uk
tenanteviction.org.uk
worldslastchance.com
yesloansuk.com

I will not allow dodgy political outfits, religious evangelicals, lone-sharks or parasitic companies to advertise here. If you come across such dodgy outfits then please email me and I will remove the advertising.

I’ve made some big changes to the Harold Hill history website.

When I first launched the site in 2004 it was an early attempt at webdesign. The coding was awful and there were many design bloopers that needed to be addressed. I’ve retained the main feel of the design of the site but it should be a considerably easier to read – especially the pages with large amounts of text.

I’ve changed the code from HTML Transitional 4.01 to XHTML 1.0 Transitional , added cascading style sheets and most importantly rebuild the website around accessibility guidelines as laid down by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)

'On this coming May Day Bank Holiday Monday, the Dalston Rio will be hosting the British premiere of East of Liberty, a documentary about gentrification and regeneration in the predominantly African-American neighbourhood of East Liberty in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

East Liberty was once one of Pennsylvania’s most prosperous areas, but disastrous urban planning in the 1960s saw both the central business area decimated and tower blocks erected leaving residents isolated in the sky.

But change is again coming to East Liberty. The traffic in the centre is once again flowing after being rerouted in the 60’s, the tower blocks are coming down and new shops are offering everything from yoga to organic food.

Everybody, seemingly, is a winner…

But then voices, excluded, marginalised and anxious began to emerge…

Chris Ivey, a seasoned filmmaker in Pittsburgh, first started working on the project in May 2005. He found himself filming a publicity stunt in which paint bombs were being launched by employees of the regeneration company from a giant catapult at a soon-to-be demolished tower block, East Mall. But, admist the revelry, he found residents far from happy.

“I was hired to document the tearing down of the high rises. At the same time I interviewed some of the residents who lived in the high rises and they weren’t happy at all because of the spectacle that was before them. They were really angry. It was their home, it was where they used to live, some for 30 years or more. Even though in many ways it wasn’t the best place to live it was all they had and to see strangers having fun by shooting paintballs at the block left them furious.”

And so began a journey of investigation in which previous silent rage was given space to talk.

Chris Ivey will be attending the event and answering questions at the end. On the prospect of showing the documentary here in London he said:

“I’m really looking to forward to coming to Hackney to show my film. Gentrification isn’t just happening here in the States, it’s also happening all over the world too. Sometimes it’s race, and sometimes it’s class, but it always comes down to the money – who has it and who doesn’t, and if you don’t have it you’ll get screwed.”

East of Liberty will be shown at the Dalston Rio at 1pm on May Day Bank Holiday - May 7.
The price of admission is £4.'

www.eastofliberty.hackneyindependent.org

www.myspace.com/east_of_liberty

www.hackneyindependent.org

Reading them though has made me realise why I wrote this history in the first place: It is ordinary people, not celebrities, who are the real heroes and inspiration in life.

Thanks go to all those have taken the time to fill in the form. It's good for the older generation to read and reminisce, but also it's great for the younger generation to read about how Harold Hill was once like.

On another note, long-term resident Del Smith and his wife have left the area and moved to deepest darkest remotest Scotland. Del was very key to this project both in terms of providing advice and proof reading.

The best of luck to the both of them.

Advertising! This website has been up and running for three years now, and I've decided to place some adverts on the site. This is only because I want to become a very rich man so I can escape from Harold Hill ;)

But seriously. This website has to pay for itself. I'll be lucky if I make £100 per year off these adverts. Which is the amount I have to find every August to pay for server space.

I've tried to keep the adverts tasteful and nothing stupidly rip-off.

Although, amusingly, I've noticed an advert to the right here from eBay - 'Council estates London. Find council estates London! Buy council estates!' In the light of recent stock transfer this is very apt.

It’s a mixture of personal memoir – the author having grown up on a mammoth municipal estate near Birmingham– and a history of council house construction theory and practice that starts, like this project, in the 19th century.

But unlike this website, it spends a number of chapters on the tower block construction phrase that reached its zenith in the UK at the end of the 1960s and the beginning of the 1970s.

Here in Harold Hill we had our own Modernist period (if you can call it that!) with the building of the Briar Road estate which replaced the popular but temporary prefabs.

There was even two tower blocks erected in Heaton ward.

I only made a passing reference to this (re)building period - that's another story for another time.

What I particularly like about Estates is the chapter on the psychology of poverty and social exclusion, which is based upon the authors own bitter personal memories of childhood.

This book is brimming with ideas and enthusiasm for the subject and although perhaps let down by a rather shallow appreciation of contemporary stock transfer, it’s well worth the £12 I paid for it.

A leaflet about a meeting

Minding my own business whilst working on my PC the other day a leaflet was shoved through my door.

Headlined ‘IMPORTANT: Tenant’s Community Meeting’ and issued by the ‘Gooshays strong caring action team’, it advertised a forthcoming public meeting at the Community Centre. The topic was the state of the flats around Gooshays: ‘we are appalled at the condition of the flats, at various locations in Gooshays’, it read (note: their grammar mistake, not mine). It continues: ‘There is an unacceptable level of dampness and condensation evident in many dwellings, which pose a serious detrimental health issue for residents. The local Authority have been invited, the Arms Length Management Organisation, and the local press.’

Hmm, I thought, sounds interesting. Being a local council tenant myself I can sympathise with this. Looking closer though it is quite obvious that the ‘Gooshays strong caring action team’ is actually the British National Party.

This was evident by the name and mugshot of Cllr. Alan Bailey on the back. It always makes me smile to see a photo of a BNP councilor as they all seem to have the same cross-eyed inbred look – and Cllr. Bailey is no exception to this rule.

Hold on, I thought, Bailey isn’t a council tenant. What’s more he doesn’t even come from or live on the estate – he lives in the posh part called Harold Park. Dampness and condensation is certainly not a daily feature of his home life.

Most strangely it didn’t even have the name British National Party on the leaflet. I can understand why they are coy with some of their policies, but even denying their name seems a strange and sinister way of publicising themselves.

This is the same Alan Bailey who, by the way, was convicted a year ago of assault after attacking a man in Harold Wood because… his wife is black! What a charmer.
(See http://conservativehome.blogs.com
/torydiary/2006/05/the_bnp_manifes.html)

At least Bailey attends the various committees that a councilor is expected to attend – although he’s never been known to actually open his mouth and contribute anything.

The BNP have jettisoned much of their fascist past (although not all their fascist members) and are now very much Tory popularist in appearance and policies.

They know how to play the game – that is, win elections. To do so you have to be as manipulative as the rest of the bastards. Beware of men in suits bearing false hopes.

Judging by the comments on this bulletin board, many people have strong views – so don’t be shy, make them known.

Andy

Harold who-where?

21 October 2005
A live radio show on Capital FM was bombarded with insults on Harold Hill last week, when people were invited to phone in with comments about the area.

The Richard Bacon Go Home show, on Capital FM on Thursday, October 13, attracted a surprising barrage of criticism from some 30 listeners living in and around the area.

During each show, Richard gives a brief weather report about one area of London. He talked about the climate in Harold Hill, but added he was unsure where it was, and asked listeners if they could help?

This kick-started the flood of negative comments.

Remarks, which were telephoned and texted in between 4pm to 7pm, included concerns about the town's derelict appearance and high crime rates, and ranged from the sarcastic to downright negative.

One person complained it was full of "old cars with no wheels", while another woman listener advised people to "never leave your car unattended there".

Another person sarcastically called the area "a hidden gem" and "picturesque", and that The Pompadours pub, in Hilldene Avenue, was "one of the loveliest pubs ever".

Other unflattering descriptions of the 'Hill included "scary" and "a karzy".

Only one person insisted Harold Hill was "not a dump".

Over the years, the area, with its lack of high street shops, has generally been portrayed as an undesirable place to live.

The Harold Hill estate dates from 1945, mostly housing ex-servicemen and to accommodate a residential overspill from London.

Residents have recently grown increasingly worried about intimidating groups of teenagers and vandalism.

The trouble has got so bad that the police and council are planning to introduce a Dispersal Order in and around the Hilldene Avenue shops within the next few weeks.

A Capital Radio spokesman said: "At the end of each weather report, the presenter quotes the temperature in a certain part of London. In the Harold Hill reference, Richard Bacon asked where it was, as he had never heard of it, which sparked an influx of calls and texts from listeners sharing their views of Harold Hill.

"No personal opinions of Capital Radio or Richard Bacon were broadcast."

Havering Council said more than £8 million has been spent on a regeneration programme for Harold Hill.

However, many residents feel this has not amounted to much.

Editorial: Time to go back up the hill

When Capital FM DJ Richard Bacon told his listeners he didn’t know anything about Harold Hill his audience soon brought him up.

Around 30 residents contacted the station by phone and text to describe Harold Hill in less than glowing terms.

Their view, in summary, made it sound like Dodge City located on a cross between a car breaker’s yard and a rubbish dump. If the area were a dog it would be a snarling, one-yed mongrel with mange.

Let’s be frank, this is not going to come as a shock to most of us – inside or outside the Harold area.

We have watched, over the years, as Harold Hill was pushed downhill by rubbish dumpers, the street gangs, the drug dealers and the nightmare neighbours.

Despite a considerable amount of money being spent on regeneration and numerous initiatives by police and council aimed at curbing crime and other anti-social behaviour, it still has a reputation lower than a snake’s belly in a wheel rut.

The unfortunate thing is that the scum that caused this are only a small percentage.

Most of the residents, here as elsewhere, are honest, decent, law abiding people who just want to live their lives in peace and quiet.

Although Denis O’Flynn points out that the area still has a lot going for it, I suspect Denis is a man whose glass is always half-full rather than half-empty.

I think it fair to say his enthusiasm is not shared by the majority. They are tired, dispirited and disillusioned. They no longer have pride in their area – and that breeds its own problems.

What Harold Hill needs is a concentrated, long-term, properly financed, carefully planned, sustainable plan of action aimed at ridding this benighted district of its malignant minority and its run-down image.

When I say long-term I mean years not weeks or months. This is not a problem that will disappear overnight; there isn't short-term solution.

Despite the best intentions and many good ideas of the authorities nothing so far attempted has caused more than an upward blip in the graph that is heading relentlessly downwards because as soon as any particular initiative ends the n’er-do-wells drift back out of the shadows to continue where they left off.

The fightback will not be easy, money and manpower will, as ever, be an issue.

But what is the alternative?

This work is licenced under a Creative Commons Licence.

There are now around 70 visitors per day to this site. Browsers come here directly through recommendations but also through the search engines.
The 20 most popular searches are, in descending order: harold hill, teddy boy suits, pictures of punks, harold hill a people s history, tonic suits, teddy boys, prefabs, sta press trousers, harold hill essex, housing in the 1800s, mick worwood, ackroyden, harold hill grammar, harrington jackets, harold hill romford, dagnam park, margaret thatcher riots, 1800 s housing, noak hill, harold park.
Also, there have been some surprising ways that people have accidentally found their way to haroldhill.org
For example the following terms have been used for search prompts: pictures of the farm on five, tennis courts in hornchurch, how to make gunpowder out of weedkiller and sugar, alien in romford, nineteenth century drinking habits, who instigated the highland clearances, vergeltungswaffen, I caught my brother trying on my knickers!

Standing up for our communities, and our interests!

What?
This special event has been called by a number of independent, radical local groups around the country who’ve been active in supporting their communities, and in particular working class local issues and campaigns.

If you would be interested in attending this gathering, see more information, right.

Like you, we are trying to stand up for our interests, our conditions and our environment, and to build up solidarity and community spirit in our own towns and communities.

This includes defending public facilities and green spaces, trying to improve housing conditions, campaigning for traffic calming, opposing destructive regeneration and development projects and so on.

Activists organise or participate in leafleting, newsletters, open meetings and campaigns, social events, social centres, and a wide range of grass-roots community initiatives.

Its not always easy, but we are doing our best - at the same time encouraging residents to speak up for themselves and to organise together and support each other.

But are we having the effect we’d like? What is our relationship with local residents’ groups and broad-based campaigns? Which issues should be our main priorities? How do immediate practical concerns link to the need for fundamental social change?

This event aims, through workshop discussions, to:
+ share information, local experiences and views about some of the key issues affecting our communities
+ establish better links and communication channels among radical, community-orientated local groups and individuals
+ promote anti-authoritarian and pro-working class politics, and collective, open forms of organisation.

When?
Saturday June 18th
11.15am– 5.30pm

Where?
Oxford House,
Bethnal Green Road, London E2

Tube: Bethnal Green, Central line
Buses: 8, 388, D3, 253, 106

Who?
The event has been jointly organised by the following groups:

+ Hackney Independent
www.hackneyindependent.org

+ Haringey Solidarity Group
www.haringey.org.uk

Any questions, email
infohackneyindependent.org or write to
CA c/o HSG, P.O.Box 2474, London N8

How?
Want to attend? Contact the Gathering group, as above for more information or to arrange accomodation for Friday or Saturday night.

Agenda

Provisional agenda

- 11.15am - Arrival / refreshments
- 1pm - Introduction to the event. Brief introduction/report from each group present.
- 2pm - First workshops/discussions session [See list below]
- 3pm - Break for refreshments
- 3.30pm - Brief plenary
- 3.45pm - Second workshops/discussions session [See list below]
- 4.45pm - Report backs from discussions. Plenary on how activists can work together better to support our communities and working class struggles…
- 5.30pm - End and clear up

Evening - Informal social

Note: if requested, we could organise an ‘overflow’ discussion on Sunday 19th, around midday…

Workshop/Discussion Themes

General
+ Fighting for the local services and facilities we need
+ Our neighbourhoods – improving our street scene and the environment
+ Decent and affordable housing for all
+ Regeneration, gentrification and planning
+ Workplace struggles and issues

Practical
+ How to set up local groups
+ Communication techniques and strategies (newsletters, mailing lists, leaflets etc)

Debate
+ Single issue campaigning
+ Interaction with existing residents’ groups
+ Council elections

How?
Want to attend? Contact the Gathering group, as above for more information or to arrange accomodation for Friday or Saturday night.

I'm still planning to place some articles and essays onto the 'Other Local Historians' section. Unfortunately, I don't have the software that would allow me to scan the documents into editable type instead of typing them up manually - they are far too big for that.
If you do have the software and scanner to carry out the task, I would be grateful if you could get in touch.

A belated Happy New Year to you all.
After the website launch in the summer of 2004 it took a while for the site to reach the top of the respective search engines. Thankfully now, it is getting there – just type Harold Hill into google and you will see what I mean. There are currently between 30 and 50 visits per day, not only from the UK but from all over the world, including the following countries: Australia, Belgium, South Africa, Canada, Germany, France, Estonia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Ireland, Brazil, China, India, Guam, Italy, Japan, Russian Federation, Czech Republic, United Arab Emirates, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Argentina, Hungary, Peru, Austria, Denmark, France, Sweden, Singapore, Israel, Malaysia, Turkey and Indonesia.
But, apart from Britain, the country where most traffic has come from is the United States. So a big hello to all those from across the Atlantic: we like you all really, it’s just that your President is a bit of a twat.
We unreservedly except you apologies - www sorryeverybody.com

The Friends of Dagnam Park website continues to present interesting and unusual pieces regarding pre-LCC history. See the pictures of fox hunting taken in the 1930s, and read Samuel Pepys diary entry from his stay at Dagnams.
Samuel Pepys is probably the most famous diarist in English history. Although it doesn't mention it in the extract, he apparently fled here to escape the Great Fire of London in 1666. London then was a much smaller place than what it is now, but he still could clearly see the fire burning from the distance of 15 miles.
I imagine that the best view must have been at the top of the hill where Central Park is now.

'I really enjoyed your website. Over the years Local History Magazine has tried to do its bit to encourage people to research and reminisce about public housing. As well as being local historians, both Susan and I have been active in the local community for many many years.
So when I see a local history or a website acknowledge the contribution ordinary people with strong convictions of some kind make to their local community I want to shout hooray! - So many local histories are devoid of any reference to people's beliefs or their struggles to change and improve things. I hate the 'onward and upward' approach as much as 'the good old days' approach.'

Dick Tarlton: Royal Observer Corps

The East End Legacy: My Family and Story

The First V1 Falls on London

Gallow Corner

Briar Road Estate / Prefabs

Harold Park and Harold Hill

Dagnam Park and Noak Hill

The first ever Harold Hill history website was launched on July 26. The website features an interesting and original mixture of articles, interviews, pictures and discussion board. Harold Hill is a much maligned area of a much maligned town (and in a much maligned county!), so a website such as this is essential both for contemporary and past residents. Although every region of Havering has a need for local history, the ‘Hill' in particular has a past that is quite separate from the rest of the borough. Built as part of the post-war New Towns expansion, it still remains a high point in the building of social housing in this country. That’s not to deny that Harold Hill doesn’t have its problems – much of which has come about through weak local political leadership – but this website looks at the area from a different angle. ‘Harold Hill: A People’s History’ is well worth a look for both local residents and those living in surrounding areas.

Well over 2,000 visits in two months have made this website a success. It’s now almost complete with just the Other Local Historians section to finish – a number of articles will be placed in this section soon. Unfortunately, hardly any new photographs have materialised, so, for the time being, there are still blank holes in the pictures section.
The most important aspect now is promoting the website to ensure that the maximum number of people are aware of its existence. This includes a publicity brochure, advertising and search engine placement – all of which takes money.
There are several avenues for public funding available; many are linked to the national lottery. After having already been turned down for an Arts Council grant, it is clear that help is needed to fully draw-out the most from any further application forms.
After an appeal to Suzanne Cawthorne in the Havering council regeneration department, a terse reply was received stating that details would be passed on to the external funding committee. One month later, no approach by this external funding committee has been made.
Echoing the 50th anniversary exhibition that was mostly built with volunteer labour and with no official council interest, the local government line is akin to ‘be damned Harold Hill and all who live there.’
All resources and attention are concentrated solely on Romford shopping centre. The fringes are left to rot.
Surely, a change has gotta come when local people receive the justice and service they deserve.
This website contributes to a better deal for Harold Hill and was built purely on volunteer labour. Hopefully it puts to shame those in positions – whether councilors or local government officers – who fail to carry out the duties they are paid to do.

PDF versions of the spin-off essays have now been launched. To access these click below. In order to view this format you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader which can be downloaded for free here.

'Never Again! Nye Bevan, Housing and Harold Hill'
'Now We Must Rebuild: The Greater London Plan, 1944'
'Margaret Thatcher: Reggae, Royalty and Riots'

A PDF version of this website has been launched and can be accessed here.
In order to view this format you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader which can be downloaded for free here.

Resident nets our history

A resident has launched a new website detailing the history of Harold Hill in an attempt to put the record straight.
The online history has been compiled by Andy Walpole, who says he is fed up with hearing people say bad things about his home town.
He said: "There was a crying need for local history, especially for Harold Hill as its history is quite unique from the rest of the borough.
"The criticisms of the area, including things like the Bronx, are based on ignorance because Harold Hill is tucked away in the corner of the borough and people don't pass through it.
"It has its problems, like anywhere else, but the website is to look at the area in a different light."
The website, called Harold Hill: A People's History, covers the foundations and beginnings of the area, education, recreation, work, religion, politics and youth movements.
It also includes personal histories from residents who were moved to the new estate from the post-war slums of London.
"Something which comes through when talking about their move to Harold Hill is the positive aspect of having green spaces all around and quality housing, which was way ahead of the rest at the time," he said.
Andy hopes more local residents will come forward to share their memories and put their stories online for future generations to find out about their home town.

The launch of the people's history has started with a spectacular bang. Since July 26 there have been well over 1,000 visits by people both local and national and including visitors from Australia, New Zealand, France, Sweden, Japan, Denmark, Austria, India, Ireland, Canada, Germany, Italy and the USA. So, introducing Harold Hill to the world!
On a negative note, although there have been a great deal of visitors to the website, there has still not been enough active contributions. If you think you can add to the contents of this website - either with pictures or stories - then please get in touch.

Andy takes town to world-wide audience

Harold Hill was put on the map world recently thanks to a very special website, rich in fascinating facts and history about the area.
The electronic history of Harold Hill was compiled by Andy Walpole.
His website, "Harold Hill: A People's History," was launched on July 26, and gets around 100 visitors a day.
The website covers topics such as foundations and beginnings of Harold Hill, as well as recreation, education, money, religions, politics and youth movements in the area.
Andy said; "Growing up in Harold Hill, it seemed like there wasn't any history around me - it was something that I wasn't taught about in school.
"The site features interviews, discussions, pictures, and articles and can be seen as a major contribution to local history."
The project started almost two years ago. Among the mountains of information on the website are personal insights from residents who were moved to the new estate from the post-war slums of London.
Andy continued: "It's interesting because the original residents had experienced a life that we would now associate with the Third World and it's important to collect their memories because their generation is dying out."
Andy completed the website in his spare time and gathered his information from local newspapers as well as carrying out a wide range of interviews with residents, old and new alike.
He added: "It became apparent to me that there was a crying need for a local history - especially for Harold Hill because its history is quite unique and separate from the rest of the borough.
"I feel proud to come from Harold Hill,and I think that this sense of pride will rub off on others too if they read the website."

Harold Gazette article

Putting the record straight with web history of Harold

by Iain O’Neill

A new website detailing the history of Harold Hill has been launched by a resident who wants to put the record straight and end the “ignorance” about the area.
The electronic history of Harold Hill has been compiled by Andy Walpole who says he is fed up with listening to people say bad things about his home area.
He said: “It became apparent to me that there was a crying need for local history – especially for Harold Hill because its history is quite unique and separate from the rest of the borough.”
Andy believes this separate history and the way Harold Hill was developed might be one of the reasons why the area has always been viewed with suspicion locally.
He said: “It’s a much maligned area and there needs to be a response to that.
“You can go down the road in Romford and hear people using terms like “The Bronx” and it’s ridiculous.
“Criticisms are based on ignorance because Harold Hill is tucked away out in the corner of the borough and people don’t pass through it. It has got its problems and they are there for a variety of reasons but the website is to look at the area in a different light.”
The website, called Harold Hill: A People’s History, covers areas including the foundations and the beginnings, recreation, education, disillusionment, money, work, religion, politics and youth movements.
It also includes personal histories from the residents who were moved to the new estate from the post-war slums of London.
Andy said: “It’s interesting because the original residents had experienced life that we would now associate with the Third World and it’s important to collect their memories because that generation is dying out. Something that comes through time and time again when talking about their move to Harold Hill was the positive side of the green spaces all around and the quality of housing – which was amazing for the time.”
Andy says Harold Hill has benefited from the meticulous planning that went into its design.
He said: “When Harold Hill was built there was absolute horror in Harold Wood, which was little more than a village at the time, but now Harold Wood has changed beyond recognition whereas Harold Hill still has it’s green spaces.”
He now hopes more local residents will come forward to share their memories and put forward their stories down for future generations to feel proud of where they are from.

'Harold Hill: A People's History [uncarved]

"The following piece was recently posted onto a web chat page under the title of ‘The Pickey Project’:

‘I’m planning on erecting a large fence with razor around Harold Hill and introducing a passport system to allow anyone under the age of 30 in and out in small groups of no more than one. I also want to take steps to introduce an immediate 1000 hours community service for anyone who commits any crimes against the old people that live there. The application of 24 hour manned gun turrets, CS gas and long distance lasers to be used as and when deemed fit in such areas could be a starting point.'
It is opinions like this, although rarely uttered in public in such a fashion, that have been prevalent in the areas surrounding Harold Hill for almost 60 years.

When the original working-class residents moved in from London they were viewed in the surrounding areas much the same way most people view asylum-seekers today: ‘the great unwashed’, work-shy, alcoholics and criminals.
We were seen as the barbaric horde, flooding out of the bomb-damaged slums, where, presumably, we should have stayed.

It is against this attitude, that I, as a Harold Hill resident and local community activist, set about writing a people's history of Harold Hill at the turn of 2003."

An excellent new site on working class history, culture and politics in Essex. Indeed, on one of the most maligned areas of one of the most maligned counties in the UK.

The stuff on youth movements is brilliant, including an account of a "love in" organised by Romford's only hippy, and the locals who were entrusted with writing the publicity for a free gig in a park and duly included an article entitled "all coppers are bastards".

The Money/Work/Religion/Politics bit includes "Margaret Thatcher: Reggae, Royalism and Riots".

Check this out - proper history!

Launched at Last! As I’m sure you’ll appreciate after reading this website, I’ve put a hell of a lot of work into this project – both in terms of research and design.
There is a lot of information here – some tens of thousands of words. Maybe I’ll need to edit the material to cut it down in size.
I am a little bit worried that it’s too academic, but I think that it is easy to read nevertheless.
And who are the intended readers? Obviously, there are the people of Harold Hill themselves - both contemporary and past. Many former residents now live in different parts of the country and abroad, and the internet is a cheap and effective way of reaching them.
I also hope that besides those living in Harold Hill, other Havering residents will read the contents of this website and learn a little more about a part of their own borough.
But the golden prize to me would be for somebody who has never even heard of Harold Hill to enjoy and learn from what is here – surely that is a mark of achievement.
One idea behind writing this was to produce something that I would have liked to read when I was 16 or 17. Growing up on a quiet suburban estate, it didn’t feel like there was any history around me – it was certainly something I wasn’t taught about in school. Maybe reading this at that age would have really opened my eyes.
Please supply any criticisms or comments to me personally by email or do so publicly on the forum.
Hopefully, if you like the website, you're recommend it to others. Spread the word!