Windrush Square, London (2006)

Windrush Square (often referred to by its original name, Brixton Oval[1][2]) is an open public space in the centre of Brixton, South London,[3] occupying an area in front of the Brixton Tate Library. After changing its name to Tate Gardens, it was again retitled and given its current moniker in 1998.[4] The square was renamed to recognise the important contribution of the African Caribbean community to the area, marking the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush.[5] It was the Windrush that in 1948 brought to the United Kingdom from Jamaica the largest group thus far of post-war West Indian migrants (over 800 declared their last residence in the Caribbean[6]),[7][8] 236 of whom had no abode on arrival and were temporarily housed in the deep-level air raid shelter in Clapham Common. Some 1.7 mile away, at the western end of Coldharbour Lane in Brixton, was the nearest employment exchange to the shelter. Many of these migrants eventually found accommodation in the area.[6]

The organization Black Cultural Archives is now housed at 1 Windrush Square in a Grade II-listed Georgian building, the former Raleigh Hall.[9]

On 22 June 2017, the African and Caribbean War Memorial – devised by the Nubian Jak Community Trust as the United Kingdom's first national memorial to African and Caribbean service personnel who fought in the First and Second World Wars – was unveiled in Windrush Square.[10][11][12]

Windrush Square is a pedestrianised open space.[13] The land is protected from development as it was formerly part of Rush Common.[14]

References

  1. ^ Brixton Oval, in boroughphotos.org.
  2. ^ Rosen, Jody (10 November 2014). "The Knowledge, London's Legendary Taxi-Driver Test, Puts up a Fight in the Age of GPS". The New York Times.
  3. ^ Couceiro, Sofia (23 April 2015). "Windrush Square: The historical centre of Brixton". London Live. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  4. ^ "Brixton Windrush Square opens", Urban 75, 27 February 2010.
  5. ^ "The story of the Windrush". Royal Museums Greenwich. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  6. ^ a b The story of the Windrush , in rmg.co.uk, Royal Museums Greenwich.
  7. ^ "London Borough of Lambeth | A short history of Brixton". Lambeth.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013.
  8. ^ Biedka, Elizabeth (9 June 2014). "A history of Windrush Square". Eden Harper.
  9. ^ "Black Cultural Archives is coming home 24 July 2014 – Black Cultural Archives moves back to Brixton and into a new heritage centre", Lambeth Talk, June 2014.
  10. ^ Quinn, Linda (26 May 2017). "Brixton's Windrush Square to be home of the brave". Brixton Blog. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  11. ^ Spark, Stephen (23 May 2017). "Brixton memorial will honour African and Caribbean troops". Soca News. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  12. ^ "First ever memorial to African and Caribbean Service Personnel unveiled in Brixton". GOV.UK. Ministry of Defence. 22 June 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  13. ^ "History of Windrush Square". The Brixton Society. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  14. ^ "Parks | Rush Common". Lambeth Council. Retrieved 19 April 2022.

51°27′38″N 0°06′55″W / 51.4606°N 0.1152°W / 51.4606; -0.1152

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