Firemen and police in front of the flame-ravaged house in New Cross Road, Magdalene Edwards lost her step-sister Roseline, These 13 teenagers were killed in the blaze, London police officers inspecting the house after the fire, Karl Wright tried to rescue a girl who jumped from a window, Police hold back demonstrators marching to protest the police's handling of the investigation, How the Daily Mirror covered the tragedy in 1981, Grieving protesters march from New Cross to the House of Commons - the lady in the glasses is the mother of Roseline, Oleander Agbetu was supposed to go to the party, Police officers used a wall of riot shields to hold back demonstrators marching from New Cross to the House of Commons, Michael Smithyman said he had gatecrashed the party, A demonstration took place outside the inquest, Brixton riots burned 40 years ago but UK 'still has long way to go' with race relations, Survivor of horror fire which killed 13 wants new investigation after murderer confesses. New Cross is fundamental because it contains all the features of racism that black people in Britain have long suffered: the racial violence, police abuse, neglect by the state; in turn, it tells us of the communitys resistance. At the time, it was exhilarating to feel the resistance, but on reflection there is a flipside. Open-Plan Reception. This large three bedroom extended Victorian terraced house boasts original features throughout. My faith has carried me through whatever I have experienced in life.. She remembers that they were expecting 70-80 people but more than 300 turned up and she realised that this was a movement of change something different has happened. Build your dream home with lots of room to spare. 3 bedroom end of terrace house for sale in Como Road, London, SE23 - Rightmove. Such a tragedy should have provoked national mourning but there was silence. Deptford Market is less than ten minutes walk away and has a thriving local market, joined in recent years by a new wave of establishments including Buster Mantis, a local bar renowned for its infamous Steam Down jazz nights; Winemakers Deptford, an exceptional natural wine bar and shop, serving outstanding European cooking from its small kitchen; Forest for all houseplant related needs and Marcella (sister restaurant to Artusi in Peckham) for excellent homemade pasta and seasonal Italian cuisine. Rare opportunity to purchase this substantial five bedroom semi detached Victorian house situated in the sought after Telegraph Hill Conservation area with superb views over London. Local call rate, 020 7313 3660 Collectively, we remember the event as the New Cross massacre, where there has been no justice for 14 black young people. As they marched with chants such as black people united will never be defeated, Hassan Howe recalls that people just joined in, swelling their ranks. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Deptford, Deptford Bridge and St Johns stations are all within walking distance. The apartment has been comprehensively redesigned by architect and designer Dominic Weil. The youngest victim was Andrew Gooding who was 14. Weekly meetings were held and momentum built up for the National Black Peoples Day of Action, which was to be an eight-hour event on 2 March 1981. A mural has been revealed in honour of 14 young black people killed by a fire in south London 41 years ago. I am old enough to have walked to school and seen chalk directions to NF meetings. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. . Officers eventually concluded that the fire broke out at 5.40am beside an armchair inside the front room of the terraced house at 439 New Cross Road where Yvonne Ruddock, 16, one of the victims of the fire, had been having a joint birthday party with Angela Jackson, who survived. George Francis, Gerry's father and chair of the New Cross Parents' Committee, told BBC London: "Some people have gone mental through this fire. I cannot be sure of this. Although it happened before I was born, the New Cross fire in 1981 and the National Black Peoples Day of Action that followed are landmarks in my identity; growing up in a Caribbean family in the 1980s, they are part of our collective memory. When I interviewed Leila Hassan Howe, who in 1981 was deputy editor of Race Today, for a profile last year in the Guardian Black Lives series, she explained that by the time of New Cross there was a militancy in the black population and we had to take a stand. The anger is evident in Gutzmores voice as he recalls the silence from those in authority and the New Cross campaigners 13 dead, nothing said slogan. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Elegant Three Bedroom Townhouse With Garage, Terrace and Garden. Just over a month later Brixton erupted in uprisings against police abuse, which spread across the nation and the decade. Neighbouring Addresses This spacious, bright, contemporary three bedroom house enjoys a fantastic industrial-conversion aesthetic, Crittal-style floor to ceiling windows, high ceilings and beautifully symmetrical accommodation throughout. This is according to the current Zoopla estimates. Paul Edward Ruddock was born on 19 November 1958 and in 1980 he married Sandra J. Lagey (b.1959) in the Camberwell registration district He died, aged 23 years, on 9 February 1981 as a result of injuries sustained in a fire at a birthday party being held at 439 New Cross Road, London, SE14 6TA on 18 January 1981. It made sense National Front supporters would call us n***** , spat at us and threw rubbish as we walked. Map data OpenStreetMap They claimed that the fire was ignited from inside. That was the last time we saw her alive.. Out of the ashes of the New Cross fire, we saw the spirit, determination and organisation of black communities across Britain. The house was packed with around 200 people and the party was in full swing. lthough it happened before I was born, the New Cross fire in 1981 and the National Black Peoples Day of Action that followed are landmarks in my identity; growing up in a Caribbean family in the 1980s, they are part of our collective memory. I survived because I managed to jump out of the window and I am still haunted at the scene of all these young people panicking when we realised we were going to die. New Cross Road, London SE14. As Paul Gilroy commented recently, photographs of the young people who lost their lives were carried as a demonstration that their humanity mattered. Forty years on, recalling the events seems vital, especially in this moment of renewed optimism after the Black Lives Matter protests, because the legacies of New Cross still resonate. Tenure: LeaseholdLease Length: approx. Measuring over 3000 Sq Ft and currently arranged internally as four separate flats, this double fronted Victorian house requires complete refurbishment throughout. His book The New Age of Empire: How Racism and Colonialism Still Rule the World will be published by Allen Lane on 4 February, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. by Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward - Sales, Peckham Rye. Armza Ruddock whose children Yvonne and Paul both died, it was a racist attack and it is a widely held assumption in the black communities that the fire was started by fascists most likely using a petrol bomb. The response from the police at the time sparked frustration and anger within the community, which resulted in a flurry of political activity, including the march the Black Peoples Day of Action. New Cross and the day of action remained in the peoples consciousness for decades. Local call rate, 020 3909 6611 New Cross Road London SE14 6TA What sort of street is this? The only time there was a sense of safety was when we were in church, a youth club or our parties and dances. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Spacious semi detached Victorian house located in the popular Telegraph Hill conservation area. The disaster claimed a 14th victim two years later when 20-year-old Anthony Berbeck took his own life in 1983 because of what an inquest judge called trauma brought on by the fire. Grade II listed Georgian/Victorian-cusp semi-detached house of 1562 square feet. "People started climbing over each other. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. New Cross Gate is ten minutes walk away and offers identical services city wide. (LogOut/ What can be learned from the legacy of the outcry and activism that followed? As the gravity of the situation sunk in, people started to panic. Covering over 2,100 sq ft, this house also benefits from a 100 ft rear garden & lower ground floor basement. There was a party atmosphere, it was filled with young people laughing and dancing. Families were treated as suspects and they werent interested in finding the perpetrators. The media were largely silent or supported the view that the black youngsters had caused the fire themselves. A day later, The Sun screamed The Day The Blacks Ran Riot in London. They neglected to follow up leads of an arson attack by white racist perpetrators. Support was so widespread that 50 of the 19,000 raised for the families came from black prisoners at Wormwood Scrubs. A second inquest in 2004 accepted the fire was started deliberately, but rejected that it was a racist attack. Location<br><br>Living at The Arc means experiencing every side of the capital's complex character. From the start, we believed the police didnt conduct the investigation with the utmost professionalism and urgency. I travelled down from Birmingham to speak at the 2014 march and remember how raw the emotion was about the fire and aftermath. Which possibly could have been suicide. You can get in touch by filling in the form below, anonymously if you wish. Greece train crash: Inside 10 seconds of terror after worst ever head-on smash sparks derailment blaze leaving 38 dead, Man, 43, died after being held down by security guards at Sainsbury's, Woman, 37, found dead in posh flat near racecourse as man charged with murder, Full list of school closures today as tens of thousands of teachers walk out how to check latest advice for parents, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). The blaze killed 13 young black people aged between 14 and 22. An alternative setup gives you four bedrooms and one reception. Police raids on parties and accusations of brutality were ever present. The kitchen is positioned at the end of the hallway, down a short flight of stairs, and is configured as a galley; an arrangement accentuated by a pair of linear hobs. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Let us know in the comments section. Excellent potential to extend, subject to relevant permissions. ", - How 'New Cross Massacre' became reference point to how little value British institutions placed on black young lives, by author Alex Wheatle. The documentary series that invites a closer listen. But I am young enough to have missed the daily violence and could naively wonder whether the letters stood for New Flowers. We pay respect by giving voice to social justice, acknowledging our shared history and valuing the cultures of First Nations. Full name | Length of occupancy | Telephone number* (*Where Available), 431b, New Cross Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6TA, 435, New Cross Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6TA, Flat 3, 435, New Cross Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6TA, 437, New Cross Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6TA, 439a, New Cross Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6TA, Flat B, 441b, New Cross Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6TA, Flat C, 441c, New Cross Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6TA, 441, New Cross Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6TA, 443, New Cross Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6TA, Flat 3, 447, New Cross Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6TA. Endwell Road. Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Louis Farrakhan A White Mans Heaven Is A Black MansHell, Murderer of Malcolm X Talmadge Hayer African American history month2023, African American history month 2023, Malcolm Xs family plan to sue FBI, CIA, NYPD for hisdeath. Magdalene and Roseline danced on the second floor, others partied on the third floor and people spilled out to chat on the narrow staircase. The 16-year-old Yvonne Ruddock was having a joint birthday party at her family . Last November it emerged that a double murderer confessed to being at the scene. Added on 28/11/2022 by Urban Spaces, Loft Living & Unique Properties 020 3910 0873 Local call rate 1/5 1,100,000 St. Donatts Road, New Cross Terraced 3 1 Host Yvonne died as did her brother Paul, 22. He died, aged 23 years, on 9 February 1981 as a result of injuries sustained in a fire at a birthday party being held at 439 New Cross Road, London, SE14 6TA on 18 January 1981. Initially the police said they thought the party may have been firebombed. The lack of an official response to New Cross demonstrated the value placed on black lives in Britain. The victims, aged between 14 and 22, were celebrating a 16th birthday when the fire. It's up to you if you choose Nationwide, or a different lender, to suit your mortgage needs and circumstances. A month later, when 45 people were killed at a Dublin disco, the Queen and the prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, immediately sent their condolences. Home Office briefing documents seen by Mail on Sunday states: "It is suspected that Smithyman was the other person with [name removed for legal reasons] when the fire started and it is our belief he will admit his full complicity in the matter "He (the arsonist) describes the motive for the fire as a stupid prank purely to scare the partygoers because they had refused them entry to the party.". We were not taken seriously as a community.. The first bedroom has an original, marble Victorian fire place. A Met spokesman said: "We thoroughly investigated the circumstances of the fire in 1981. If anybody wants to trace the roots of Black Lives Matter, January 18, 1981 should be written bold. Saying nothing in the face of racism was - and is - complicity, whether it is the media at the time ignoring that the violence happened at all or police harassment and neglect or laughing at the jokes of racist comedians or agreeing with casual hatred conveyed over the kitchen table. Endwell Road Brockley, SE4. A number of the survivors were detained for questioning and activists exposed how children were encouraged to sign false statements. He described how dozens of teenagers and young people trapped upstairs in the house after the stairs collapsed resorted to jumping out of the second floor windows, how it was so hot peoples skin was peeling back and how in the aftermath he had 140 skin grafts. There have been two inquests in April 1981 and in February 2004 which both returned open verdicts. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. All units and doors are of birch-ply. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Terraced House, 439a, New Cross Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6TA, 439, New Cross Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6TA, Flat B, 441b, New Cross Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6TA, Flat C, 441c, New Cross Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6TA, 441, New Cross Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6TA, Flat 3, 447, New Cross Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6TA, Flat 2, 447, New Cross Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6TA, Flat 1, 447, New Cross Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6TA, Flat 5, 447, New Cross Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6TA, Flat 3, 449, New Cross Road, New Cross, London, SE14 6TA. OnTheMarket > 14 days Marketed by Amity Estates - Catford. Michael Smithyman said he had gatecrashed the party with an accomplice who started the fire after they were refused entry. As a teenager I remember passing the ruined house at 439 New Cross regularly on my way to college at Goldsmiths. But early on January 18, 1981, 13 black partygoers including Magdalenes stepsister Roseline Henry were killed when the fire ripped through the three-storey Victorian house. Superbly located, this 4 bedroom semi-detached house offers access to a range of open spaces. The media were a key target and Gutzmore remembers marching up Fleet Street, with high-rise buildings on both sides funnelling the sound we were making. 18th May 2022. Ten years before, in 1971, a Caribbean house party had been attacked by firebomb in Sunderland Road, in nearby Forest Hill, leaving 22 injured. Something went wrong, please try again later. The cold silence of the white establishment conveyed a brutally simple message that the loss of young black lives was simply unimportant. A unique opportunity to acquire this beautifully designed brand-new town house in the vibrant location of South East London, which is a showpiece on this historic residential street. Front and rear gardens with large open plan kitchen and dinning area perfect for the whole family! He was one of more than 100 youngsters who had gathered at 439 New Cross Road to celebrate 16-year-old Yvonne Ruddock's birthday. Put it this way, 40 years ago I would not have been a university professor writing this piece for a national newspaper. 2019. Local call rate, 020 3856 4168 View all SE14 properties for sale. A location teeming with Old Street's tech-focuse Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Wayne Hayes, who was 17 at the time, recalled the carnage in an interview for HuffPost last year. I have never forgiven them. Marketed by Winkworth, Forest Hill and New Cross. 439, New Cross Road. At the Black Peoples Day of Action on March 2, 1981 to protest against the indifferent police inquiry and the lack of empathy from civic authorities, I cannot remember a single MP marching with us. The party had started the night before on January 17, 1981 but the fire started around 5.40am the following morning. Joseph is frustrated that we are still stuck on the question does racism exist in Britain?, adding that if this is where we still find ourselves in the debate, were not making it out of the ghetto any time soon. More properties from this agent. 020 8022 7092. I would spoil her fun if I didnt go.. Local call rate, 020 3909 0407 Kehinde Andrews is professor of black studies at Birmingham City University. Gutzmore remembers that they were keen not to rush into the march, we needed to give ourselves time to organise and mobilise properly. Ensure you're up to date with our latest advice on how to avoid fraud or scams when looking for property online. In 1978 Deptfords Albanys Empire community theatre was burned down, with the national front claiming responsibility. He closed the door but when we opened the door to leave all we could see was thick black smoke and we realised we needed to get out.. (LogOut/ I remember thinking, God please dont forsake me when I jumped. The march was the biggest gathering of black people we had seen besides the Notting Hill Carnival.