Brixton
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Brixton is an area of South London, England, part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is bordered by Stockwell, Kennington, Camberwell, Tulse Hill and Herne Hill.
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[edit] History
First recorded as Brixistane in 1067 (which means 'at the stone of Brihtsige'), Brixton remained mostly waste land until the beginning of the 19th century, the main settlements being near Stockwell, Brixton Hill and Coldharbour Lane. With the opening of Vauxhall Bridge in 1816, improved access to Central London led to a process of suburban development. The largest single development, and one of the last in suburban character, was Angell Town, laid out in the 1850s on the east side of Brixton Road, and so named after a family which owned land in Lambeth from the late 17th century until well into the 20th. It was part of Surrey until the creation of the County of London in 1889.
[edit] Brixton today
Brixton is an inner London suburb 3.3 miles (5.3 km) south of Charing Cross and is the unofficial capital of the Jamaican and Caribbean community of London. Windrush Square between Lambeth Town Hall and the Tate Library was created to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the arrival of the modern Afro-Caribbean community on the Empire Windrush.
Modern day Brixton is home to six big housing estates: Myatts Field off Vassall Road; Angell Town off Brixton Road on the boundary with Camberwell; Loughborough in the centre of Brixton; Moorlands Estate, situated off Coldharbour Lane; St Matthew's, located in the fork between Brixton Hill and Effra Road; Tulse Hill a little further South of St. Matthews. It is in these six estates that a significant proportion of Brixton's population lives.
People come from miles around to shop in the busy Brixton market. On Sunday mornings the last of Saturday night's ravers rub shoulders with the first of the church-goers. An influx of middle-class people into Brixton over the last 20 years has resulted in the gentrification of the area: sushi and noodle bars now abound. Having said that, Brixton retains a certain edge. The area remains notorious for drugs and people will come from miles around to buy and sell. The local council and the police run campaigns against drugs but the mere fact that is necessary shows the extent of the situation.
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[edit] Entertainment
There is a significant clubbing and live music scene. Large venues include the Carling Academy (changed from Brixton Academy in 2004), The Fridge and Mass. A range of smaller venues such as the Windmill, Jamm, The Telegraph, Plan B, the 414, the Effra Tavern, and the Grosvenor are a major part of London's live music scene, drawing performers with international reputations.
[edit] Brixton riots
Brixton was the scene of anti-police riots in April 1981 and September 1985. In both cases the riots saw young Black British men (who were joined by White British youths) reacting to concerns over discriminatory and heavy-handed police "stop-and-search" policies under the notorious 'sus law'. Following the 1981 riots, the Government appointed Lord Scarman to report. Although the Brixton area subsequently saw pioneering community policing initiatives, the continued death of young black men in police custody (and in one case the death of a man holding a gun-shaped cigarette lighter) coupled with general distrust of the police led to smaller scale protests through the 1990s. See Brixton riot (1981), Brixton riot (1985) and Brixton riot (1995)
[edit] Brixton in song
References to Brixton in song started with the release of 'Whoppi King' by Laurel Aitken in 1968 and 'Brixton Cat' by Dice the Boss in 1969. This was eventually followed in August 1975 by a song written and sung by Geraint Hughes and Jeff Calvert (who billed themselves as "Typically Tropical"): two white men who told the story of a Brixton bus-driver "goin' to Barbados" with Coconut Airways to escape the rain in London.
The 1979 song "The Guns of Brixton" by The Clash deals with law enforcement violence in Brixton. Written by Paul Simonon, who grew up in Brixton, it had a reggae influence and showed the reggae roots of both Brixton and Paul Simonon's musical background.
Before a 'Jamm' gig, well-known punk band The Misfits were involved in a fight and thrown into Brixton Prison, which led them to write their famous song 'London Dungeon'.
Ian Hunter's 1981 album 'Short Back 'n' Sides' contains a track called 'Theatre of the Absurd' which refers to the Brixton law enforcement problem. "Play me some, play me some, play me Brixton power," is the chorus line, and the issue of race is opened with the first lines, "My tea turns seven shades darker as I sit and write these words. And London's gettin' paler, in my Theatre of the Absurd." The production of the record was overseen by Mick Jones of the Clash.
Eddy Grant's 1982 album 'Killer on the Rampage' contains the smash 'Electric Avenue', a reference to a shopping street in central Brixton, one of the first in the UK to have electric street lighting installed (when Brixton's character was very different). The song evokes images of poverty, violence and misery while also celebrating the vibe of the area.
The song "Waiting for the Worms" from Pink Floyd's "The Wall" has a rally leader, possibly Pink - the protagonist of the concept album - speaking into a megaphone to a racist rally mob, which acts as some of the lyrics to separate verses of the song. The very first lyrics heard from the megaphone are, "We have been ordered to convene outside Brixton town hall..." The album was released in 1979, two years before the start of the anti-racist riots of 1981.
In 1999 the U.S. Bombs album "The World" was released with the song entitled "Joe's Tune", which referenced Brixton and the plight of the poor.
The town also featured in the underground UK grime smash 'Southside' By Various Artists and in the song "Has It Come To This?" by UK rapper The Streets.
[edit] Brixton in film
Director Richard Parry shot a film here (released in 2001) called South West Nine (SW9), referring to the postcode covering much of central Brixton. Confusingly, this postcode is officially that of Stockwell - although the northern part of Brixton falls within the boundary - whereas SW2 (the Brixton Hill sorting office) also covers Tulse Hill A204 Road, Streatham Hill and Brixton Hill.
'Reg Llama of Brixton' was mentioned in the (farcical) opening credits of the seminal 1975 comedy film Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Brixton was also mentioned in the film "V for Vendetta" as being the location where the first riots against Chancellor Adam Sutler's authoritarian British government broke out, which resulted in Sutler calling out the army to try and stop growing public support for "V".
The film Johnny Was, with the exception of a number of flashback sequences, is set entirely in Brixton.
In the 1957 film 'The Prince and the Showgirl' starring Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe, Olivier's character (Charles, the Prince Regent) asks Elsie Marina (played by Monroe) where she lives, to which Monroe replies "Brixton Water Lane".
[edit] Nelson Mandela
Brixton's symbolic role as the "soul of Black Britain" led to a 1996 visit by Nelson Mandela. This included a brief visit to Mandela Street, part of a modern housing development constructed in the mid 80s and named after the former South African president. Mr Mandela also visited the Brixton Recreation Centre during his visit.
[edit] Brixton bombing
In 17 April 1999 neo-nazi bomber David Copeland planted a nail bomb in Electric Avenue, which exploded on market day by the Iceland supermarket at the junction with Brixton High Street. Around 50 people were injured, including a toddler, who had a nail driven through his skull. Copeland was sentenced to six life sentences in June 2000 after also bombing Brick Lane, the heart of East London's Bangladeshi community, and a gay pub in Soho.
[edit] Brixton Gun Crime
Brixton is notorious for its gun crime, which is linked largely to local gangs and its growing crack problem. A number of shootings were reported in Brixton last year, including the shooting of two teenagers in the local McDonalds, in front of many innocent bystanders. The main shooting hotspots are found around Coldharbour Lane, with Angell Town, Loughborough Junction, Tulse Hill and Myatts Fields being among the worst affected. The Metropolitan Police's "Operation Trident" has made some attempt to decrease the amount of gun crime in the area, with armed police and riot van response units now patrolling areas of Brixton, after a number of fatal shootings occurred in South London over the recent months. Lambeth holds the most homicides and gun enabled crime in London, which is largely focused around Brixton, with 15 deaths and 239 shootings in 2006 alone. The last few years has seen problems escalating amongst some youths from Brixton and nearby Peckham in the adjacent borough. Many Gang members in the PDC (Poverty Driven Children) and The Muslim Boys are located in the Brixton area as well as various other gangs including some members from the Stockwell crew. All predominately young individuals involved. http://www.urban75.org/brixton/features/shooting-boards.html http://www.guardian.co.uk/gun/Story/0,,2021003,00.html
[edit] Brixton market
The heart of Brixton is the Market, open every day selling produce from all over the world. The song "Electric Avenue", written and sung by Eddy Grant in 1982, refers to part of the market (come out of the tube, turn left then left again), so named because it was the first streets in Britain to be lit with electric lamps, in 1888 (Brixton itself is mentioned in the lyrics at the very end of the song). The market sells a huge range of Afro-Caribbean products as well as reflecting the many other communities in the local area with Indian and Vietnamese supermarkets and South American butchers amongst the shops and stalls.
Brixton is also home to a 1970s purpose built skatepark, named Stockwell Skatepark. Brixton also has a windmill built in 1816, and surrounded by houses built soon after, as London expanded. The Windmill pub (see above) is named after it.
[edit] Transport
[edit] Roads
Brixton sits on several main roads. The A23 London to Brighton road runs North-South through the area. There is also the A203 which links to Vauxhall Bridge along with the A204 and A2217. Brixton was due to be a major interchange of the South Cross Route, part of the London Ringways plan, which was cancelled in the 1970s.
[edit] Rail and Underground
Trains operate from Brixton railway station between London Victoria and Kent. Tube services are available to Central London on the Victoria line.
[edit] Buses
Brixton is a main meeting point for many London buses routes: 2, 3, 35, 37, 45, 59, 109, 118, 133, 159, 196, 250, 322, 333, 345, 355, 432, P4 and P5.
[edit] Trams
Transport for London has proposed building the Cross River Tram from Camden Town to Brixton via central London.
[edit] Famous people from Brixton
Three people who have lived in Brixton have blue plaques marking their former homes:
- Vincent van Gogh lived in a Boarding House in Hackford Road, Brixton, London[1]
- Havelock Ellis pioneer sexologist lived at Dover Mansions on Canterbury Crescent[2]
- CLR James the writer and black political activist lived in Railton Road.[3]
Other notable people with Brixton connections include:
- Current London Mayor Ken Livingstone grew up and lived for many years in Brixton
- Former British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan was born in Brixton.
- Former British Prime Minister John Major spent part of his childhood in a two-room flat off Coldharbour Lane, and started his political career as a Lambeth Councillor while still living in the area.
- Freddie Davies the comedian and actor was born in Brixton in 1937.
- David Bowie was born in Stansfield Road, Brixton.
- Paul Simonon the bass player for The Clash is from Brixton.
- Mick Jones the guitar player for The Clash is from Brixton.
- Drum and bass producer Dillinja is from Brixton.
- The band Alabama 3 (A3 in the USA) who recorded the theme tune to The Sopranos were formed in Brixton and hang out here.
- Linton Kwesi Johnson is a long time Brixton resident
- House music duo Basement Jaxx formed in Brixton.
- Fruitbat of power-pop punk band Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine is a life-long Brixton resident.
- Sharon Osbourne, wife of Ozzy Osbourne, was born in Brixton.
- Mike Skinner of the band "The Streets" moved to Brixton c.2000 to pursue his recording career. Some of his songs deal with living in Brixton.
- Skin, former singer of the band Skunk Anansie, grew up in Brixton
- Stereo MC's, acid jazz/club dance group, was formed and is still based in Brixton
- Cult novelist Martin Millar lived here, and most of his novels are set in and around Brixton.
- Environmentalist James Lovelock, famous for proposing the Gaia hypothesis, was born and spent his childhood in Brixton.[4]
[edit] Mythology
- Sir Walter Raleigh is said to have had a house in Brixton and been visited there by Queen Elizabeth I, who travelled by barge up the (now underground) Effra River to meet him. However, the name of Raleigh Hall appears to have no links to Sir Walter, and the Effra is not known to have been navigable south of Kennington.
- A brief mention of Brixton is made in the Sherlock Holmes adventure The Adventure of the Three Garridebs (1924).
[edit] See also
- Urban75 - an independent UK e-zine based in Brixton
[edit] External links
- Urban 75 e-zine feature articles, reviews, contemporary photography and "Brixton then and now" photos
- An article on where to shop for food in Brixton
- Friends of Windmill Gardens - a site giving more information on the Brixton Windmill.
- Voice Online - Online version of The Voice newspaper based in Brixton.
- Brixton Doubles - London photography blog with features from Brixton.
- CPCG for Lambeth - Community led forum for consultation and engagement with the police
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.001002006005/chooseLetter/V
- ^ http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.001002006005/chooseLetter/E
- ^ http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.001002006005/chooseLetter/J
- ^ http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/scienceandnature/story/0,,1675518,00.html
