Two years and counting

This is the second anniversary of this blog; so - time for a little retrospection.

Below is an account of how we are faring, in "hit" terms and our most popular postings.  This is followed by a cursory glance at some of the significant changes that have hit E7 since we started. Feel free to comment, and join a conversation on the good, the bad and the indifferent of Forest Gate's recent past.

In terms of output/contact/readership, since we started we:

• have posted 90 articles on this site
• receive over 250 visits per day to the site
• have a supporting Twitter account, with over 700 followers (@e7_nowandthen)

The five most viewed articles since the site was established have been (each with the hyperlink to the article and a reflective illustration):

• Fire Guts Famous Gym This blog's first post coincided with a fire at the former home of Wag Bennett, where Arnie Schwarzenegger lived in the mid 1960's while training to be Mr Universe.

Arnie and Wag, outside the gym
 and house on Romford Road. The
 house now boarded up,
 after a fire, two years ago.

• The Upper Cut Club, part 1 - the rise There is a plaque on an iron gate, next to Percy Ingle's on Woodgrange Road, denoting that on the site of the railway ventilation shaft behind the gate stood the Upper Cut Club. This was owned by Boxer Billy Walker and for one brief year, in the mid 1960's, showcased the very best in British and American popular music of the day.

Billy Walker, recently celebrating
 The Upper Cut's golden era

• The Forest Gate Good (and not so) Pub Guide A look at Forest Gate's remaining pubs, from a drinker's standpoint, with full notes on some of the area's now-closed, former pubs.

The Princess Alice (pre WW2 bombing),
 once a giant pub at the foot of
 Woodgrange Road, now a restaurant

• Christmas Day in the Forest Gate Workhouse In what is now a refurbed block of flats on Forest Lane is a building that has been a maternity hospital, but which was originally constructed in the mid 19th century as an Industrial School, for the children of workhouse inmates from East London. This is a contemporary press account of conditions in that Workhouse school in the mid 1890s.

Christmas day in the Workhouse

• The Rise and Decline of Forest Gate's Jewish Community Forest Gate hosted a significant Jewish community from the 1890s until the Second World War. This post looks at the growth and decline of that community and particularly its Synagogue, which was for many years the largest in Essex.

Former West Ham Synagogue,
 Earlham Grove

The last twelve months

Meanwhile, the five most viewed posts, of those published in the last year, have been (with hyperlink and illustration):

• 24-hour Forest Gate Gourmet Trail An illustrated wander around six Forest Gate eateries, with a different meal/nibble at each. Delicious - follow the trail, and be ready to let out your belt a notch or two!

CoffE7 - part of the gentrification
 of Forest Gate - but with a damn
 good breakfast and coffee offer!

• Fascists in 1930's Forest Gate Forest Gate hosted a thriving Fascist group in the 1930's, with a base close to Wanstead Flats. The British Union of Fascist held rallies on the Flats. Many rare photos included in this blog.

Woodford Road site of Fascists' 1930's
 Forest  Gate HQ and bookshop

• Forest Gate Industrial School Story This post gives a history of the Industrial School, mentioned above - from its origins, extending to its more recent post-school story.

Site of Forest Gate Industrial
 School, Forest Lane

• Tragic End to World War 1 Romance Local resident, Paul Holloway, has recently self-published There are No Flowers Here - a touching story of his Forest Gate grandmother's romance with local lad Jack Richardson. Two posts summarise the story, and its tragic end on the World War 1 battlefields. 

Jack Richardson - one
 half of the tragic romance

• Wanstead Flats Saved from Post World War II Development Wanstead Flats had a busy part to play during the Second World War. In its immediate aftermath there were plans for considerable housing construction there to accommodate East Enders bombed out during the conflict. This post examines the struggle.

Map produced by Wanstead Flats
 Defence Committee, showing
 areas planned for the "land grab"

Retrospective glance

Clearly, there have been significant changes to the area in the short time that we have been running - most notably the continued "gentrification"/house-price-lunacy that has affected the area.

Arm-in-arm with this has been an explosion of related social activities - most notably the massive improvement to the local food and drink offer. We've seen the opening of three independent coffee shops in a little over the two years (Kaffine, CoffeE7 and Compotes) and a serious upgrading of the local alcohol range, thru the new Forest Tavern, eclectic Wanstead Tap and the recently revamped and face-lifted Golden Fleece.

The up-market food options are beginning to emerge, too. There are already good cheese, organic veg, bread and charcuterie stalls on Woodgrange market, together with regular tasty options and menus at the Tap, Tavern and CoffeE7, and a bit more initiative from Aromas, the best Indian eat-in/takeaway around. On the horizon are the eagerly awaited Pie Republic, on Upton Lane and the well-trailed Pyramid Pizza at the junction of Forest Lane and Woodgrange Road.

One downside on the foodie angle is the imminent demise of the popular Siam Cafe on Woodgrange Road, closing this weekend, after a reported (and shocking) hike of 140% in the rent, come lease renewal time.

Brik-aBrak has gone upmarket too, with The Emporium, some interesting offers at Woodgrange Market and frequent pop-up "vintage fairs" in a variety of local venues. Environmental and related conservation issues are moving up the agenda apace, with the recently established (but yet to open) Community Garden on Earlham Grove and the frequent "Clean up Wanstead Flats" forays, so effectively run and supported.

The Arts are beginning to assert themselves more vigorously, with live music regularly on show at the Tavern, the Tap and CoffeE7, and the emergence on an interesting Arts trail in the district.  All of these initiatives are backed and their efforts re-enforced by the recently established, on-line E7 Magazine (www.E7magazine.com).

The downsides are almost the flipsides of some of the above. With gentrification has come the pricing out of local young people from being able to afford to live independently in the area in which they were brought up - always a serious sign of social dysfunctionality (like the fate of the Siam Cafe - see above). Some of the area's old boozers, notably the Live and Let Live (or in its case, Die) have gone under and some of our few local historic treasures (Old Spotted Dog, Wag Bennett's old gym) are being left to rot and decay under our eyes.

Heritage under threat - The Old Spotted
 Dog, boarded up, and rotting

But there is life in the Old Dog yet - in an odd kind of way - at least on the football terrace side of things. Clapton FC has been one of the true success stories on English non-league football over the last couple of season. Two years ago you could count the number of spectators at the Old Spotted Dog ground in the length of time it took to line up and take a corner kick (about 30 fans).

In a recent match (on an international break, when major league football was not being played in the country) over 400 showed up. The "Tons" are widely regarded as having some of the best non-league support in the UK, lead by the dedicated Ultras (pyros, banners, chants and all). And now they have an appearance in their first cup final in years to look forward to on 2 May. Just such a shame that the club's owner seems to hostile and disinterested.

Pyros and anti-homophobia
 demos - there's more than just
 football, supporting Clapton FC,
 at The Old Spotted Dog ground,
 these days

Politically, E7 continues to be an all red patch in the one party state that is Newham. But the local councillors seem to be very effective within the extremely limited scope within which they are able to operate - particularly the three young women councillors in Forest Gate North and the more experienced Diane Walls in Forest Gate South.

A shame that their efforts are clouded by the absurdity of the Mayor appointing a personal "Advisor on Forest Gate" - on a sinecure - who is not from among them. We'll return to this in a future post.

In summary, it would seem that overall, the Forest Gate's curate's egg is mainly good, but unpalatably expensive for the children of the last generation's inhabitants, and longer established eateries - which leaves a rather sour taste in the mouth, of an otherwise story of sweet success. (Ok - a strained metaphor too far. I'll get my coat).

Local rail crashes in the Spring of 1953

 There were two train crashes in the Forest Gate area - one underground, one overground - within 7 weeks of each other, in the spring on 1953, with no apparent connection between them. This blog is posted on the 62nd anniversary of the first of them.

That, which was the more serious, crash occurred on the Central Line, between Stratford and Leyton on the evening of 8 April. There were signal failures on the track, so train drivers were expected to proceed with caution on a cautious, "stop and proceed", basis.

However, a train heading eastbound towards Epping ploughed into the back of a stationary train waiting in the tunnel between Stratford and Leyton just before 7pm, leaving twelve passengers dead and 46 injured. It was the worst crash on the London Underground in its history, until the Moorgate crash in 1975. 

The driver of the 6.55pm Epping train, Mr Besley, ran into the back of a Hainaught bound train and was hurt but survived. He was later charged with having ignored the 'stop and proceed' rules by a Public Enquiry.

He  passed a signal at Red, and because the tunnel curves round, he did not see the other train which was standing still until it was too late.

12 people were killed in the accident, although the British Pathe News clip shown below states that 8 adults and one child were killed. 

Still from Pathe Newsreel, recording  (inaccurately)
 details of the Stratford accident.  See here,
 to download the clip, from their website

The public enquiry into the crash (see image of cover), published on 24 September 1953, recorded that there were 12 fatalities, and 46 passengers injured. Amongst the injured was Mr Besley, who had to have his leg amputated

This was not the first fatal accident on this stretch of line. On 5 December, 1946, a signal failure on the Central line near Stratford meant that trains running on that section of line had to follow the "stop and proceed" rules, allowing them to continue very slowly past a red light after having waited for a minute. On this occasion, there was one fatality with 3 people injured.

Cover of Stratford collision report

It seems strange that lessons learned from the 1946 were not learned, and remedial action taken that could have avoided the 1953 accident.

Blurred press cutting of 1946 accident

An underground train, about to depart
 into the East-bound tunnel, at Stratford

Forest Gate rail crash, 24 May 1953

Less than two months after the April 1953 Stratford crash, the 1953 Forest Gate rail collision occurred - on 24 May.

Though less serious than the Stratford accident, this more-local-to-us event, provoked some press attention and a Ministry of Transport Enquiry, which we consider, below.

This accident took place a week before the Coronation, and forced its way into local newspapers, despite otherwise blanket coverage of the Coronation preparations and celebrations, nationally and locally. The cutting is reproduced, below; it states:

Stratford Express, 27 May 1953

Stratford Express, 27 May 1953

"Blue flashes from the electric wires lit up the bedrooms of Hampton and Sebert Roads, Forest Gate early on Sunday, when they were awakened by the terrific noise of breaking wood and shattered steel as an electric train ploughed through a goods train and cut it in half. 

Only pausing to throw coats over their night clothes, men and women snatching up blankets and sheets raced to the Southend and Shenfield lines where they cross over near Sebert Road. 

Four wagons were destroyed 

They reached the scene just as the passengers in the electrified train got free and began helping the driver who was trapped in the cabin. Some of the women returned home to make tea for the passengers who were shaken up, and the rescue workers. 

The driver of the electric train, motorman Walter Coley, 52, of 17 Bennetts Castle Lane, Dagenham was the only very seriously injured person and he was taken in a critical condition to Queen Mary's hospital, Stratford. 

By Tuesday, his condition was "satisfactory" and yesterday (Thursday) was stated to be "still satisfactory". 

The electric train was a staff one, out of Liverpool Street, picking up and dropping off workmen between there and Gidea Park. 

It smashed into the goods train at 4 a.m. as that train crossed over from the up electric line to the up main line. Four wooden goods' wagons were completely destroyed, blocking all four lines (two up, two down), with debris. Wheels and chassis were buried in all directions. 

Driver's cab ripped open 

The front of the electric coach was badly ripped open. The first two coaches were derailed and their windows smashed. Although there were several workmen on the train, none were badly injured. Some received bruises and minor cuts as they were thrown about by the jolt. Mr William Garwood of Orchard Street, Chelmsford fell heavily and injured his back. He was also taken to Queen Mary's hospital. 

The guard on the goods train. Mr George Dawson, 25 Culcross Buildings, Kings Cross was also taken to hospital with shock, but was not detained. 

Bus shuttle service 

All electric power was shut off between Stratford and Ilford and a bus shuttle service was put into operation between the two stations.  

The buses called at Forest Gate, Manor Park and Maryland stations. Many were packed with parents and children going to London to see the Coronation decorations. At times, long queues waited outside Ilford station. 

A half-hourly all-stations service from Shenfield started and maintained until the line was back in operation for the Whit-Monday crowds. 

Seaside excursions to Southend and the East Coast were barely affected. By 8.40 a.m. breakdown gangs with oxy-acetylene cutters had cleared one down line and the "seaside specials" were passed slowly through. 

Normal steam service was resumed at 5.30 p.m. when the main line was also cleared."

Some of the rolling stock damage
 incurred by Forest Gate collision

 The Ministry of Transport launched an enquiry five days after the collision, as is normal in the event of rail accidents, on the still nationalised British Railways network. The report (see cover, below) was published on 8 October 1953.

Cover of Forest Gate collision report

The salient points of that report are that:

• The accident took place at 3.58 on the electrified four-track Liverpool Street - Shenfield line, between Forest Gate and Manor Park stations. 
• An "Up" freight train was travelling slowly over the junction, when an electric passenger train travelling at about 35 mph passed at danger the colour light signal protecting the crossover and struck the freight train.
• Two coaches of the passenger train and 13 of the freight train were damaged. 
• No lives were lost 
• The motorman of the electric train escaped with superficial head wounds, shock and severe bruising, the guard (of the electric train) sustained a fractured rib and wrist, and the guard of the freight train was severely shaken.
• In spite of his injuries, the guard of the electric train continued to protect the train and "attended to passengers in a praiseworthy manner."
• Fire and ambulance services were called, and attended promptly.
• All four lines were blocked. The "Down" line was opened for traffic at 8.40 am on the same morning, but the opening of the other three lines was delayed until the following morning by the comparatively slow working of the cranes. 
• The night was fine, clear and still and dawn was just breaking. The rails were dry.

Map, showing detail of Forest Gate
 collision, from the inquiry report

The body of the report examined, in great detail, the circumstances around the collision, including the state of signals, brakes, physical state of the drivers, rolling stock and weather and came to the final assessment that:

I can only conclude that Motorman Coley was not alert and had ceased to pay attention to signals for the few critical moments  ... and that he suddenly came to consciousness a momentary before the collision in time to cut off power and apply the brake. 

Motorman Coley was still shaken from the accident when he gave his evidence, but I formed the impression that he was frank and truthful. The vagueness of his account of what happened immediately before the collision may well have indicated the lack of his alertness at the time. He is 52 years of age and has a good record during his service of 35 years..... I can find no excuse for his lapse.

50th anniversary of Rolling Stones' "insulting behaviour" outburst in Forest Gate.

The Rolling Stones entered Forest Gate's history with a minor splash on 18 March 1965. We have pulled together some contemporary images and reflections of the events, below - in a kind of blog of the bog.

The band were passing through the area after a gig in Romford, and wanted to take a pee. Denied access to a toilet, three of them took matters into their own hands, and left their mark on the wall of a local service station.

Three of the group were subsequently arrested and four months later fined £5 each, at West Ham magistrates court, for "insulting behaviour".

Publicity shot of Rolling Stones in the summer of
 1965. Left to right: Keith Richards (saw "nothing"),
 Brian Jones (fined £5, with £5.5s costs),
 Mick Jagger (fined £5, with £5.5s costs), Bill Wyman
 (fined £5 with £5.5s costs for "insulting behaviour",
 not guilty of "using insulting language",
 Charlie Watts (sitting in the car, reading newspaper)

The Stones were reaching the peak of their popularity in the UK, at the time of the original incident and  were sitting at number 1 in the British charts with their double A sided hit - Play with Fire and The Last Time. They were chart-topping with (I can't get no)Satisfaction when they appeared in court in July 1965.

Christopher Sandford, in his The Rolling Stones: the first fifty years, provides a graphic account of the evening's events:

Sorry events on 18 March 1965 ... when the Stones wound up a two-week, 28-date tour of old Art Deco British fleapits with a boisterous performance at the ABC Romford. It was the town's first real rock concert the words entered the language alongside RIOT and ANIMALS in the next week's Havering Post.

  

Around eleven o'clock that night, Ian Stewart, was driving the Stones in Mick Jagger's new black Daimler up the A118 in to central London. Stu turned the car into Francis service station where, according to the attendant, 41-year old Charles Keeley, "a shaggy-haired monster wearing dark glasses alighted to enquire, "where can we have a leak here?"

Ian (Stu) Stewart; an original
 member of the Rolling Stones,
 but driver of the car on the
 night in question

Apparently struck by the phrase, Mr Keeley asked the Stones to move on. The forecourt wrangling then became noticeably bitter. Mick Jagger allegedly remarked, "We piss anywhere, man" a line that was taken up by Keith and Brian, who repeated it in 'a kind of chant', it was later said in court. Bill Wyman took the opportunity to relieve himself against a nearby wall.

A small crowd began to gather, and some of them yelled encouragement to Bill, while Keeley himself yelled the opposite, as Brian jumped up and down pulling his patented "Nanker" facial contortion. An honourable exception to the growing furore was Charlie, who remained seated in the car, apparently reading the evening newspaper.

It's perhaps not impossible to feel sympathy for the middle-aged petrol-pump attendant, whose premises had been so bewilderingly converted in the space of a few minutes from a quiet suburban retail outlet in to the scene of a pagan ritual.. After a bit, a dramatically bearded young man, referred to as Goatboy wandered over to politely ask (for autographs). Bill then asked what the fuck he was meant to sign it with.

Brian jumped up and down again, pulling the corners of his eyes down, while simultaneously sticking his little fingers up his nostrils. This went on until Bill returned to the car, which then accelerated away, one occupant - believed to be Keith Richards - making "a parting gesture with two fingers."

Summoned for insulting behaviour, Jagger, Jones and Wyman were each fined five pounds, with costs, when the case reached East Ham (it was in fact, West Ham) magistrates court on 22 July. Keith Richards, in his first ever appearance in the box was called as a witness. He testified that he saw "nothing happen" at the service station."

Poster for the Southend gig, the night
 before the Forest Gate incident

Stephen Davis, in his Old gods, almost dead provides a little more colour to events in the service station:

"They stopped at a service station, but the attendant took one look and told them to get lost. Mick gave him some lip and was told to get of the forecourt. "Get off my fucking foreskin", yelled Brian, pulling a repulsive nanker (face). "We'll piss anywhere, man", Mick said, and the Rolling Stones lined up, peed on the wall, marking their territory, and roared off into a defensive blast of naughty language and rude gestures. Someone got the plate number, and the incident was splashed all over the press. Months later, they were dragged to court, charged with insulting behaviour and obscene language, and fined five pounds each."

Unsurprisingly, perhaps, the Newham Recorder's account of the events (in their post-trial edition of 25 July), was a little more restrained:

Newham Recorder 25 July 1965

Magistrate raps three 'Rolling Stones' - insulting behaviour fines

Three members of the chart-topping Rolling Stones pop group, who were alleged by the prosecution to have urinated against the boundary wall of a London garage, were each fined £5 at West Ham, London Magistrates Court on Thursday.

Bill Wyman, 23, bass guitarist, Mick Jagger, 21, singer and Brian Jones, guitarist and harmonica player were all found guilty of using insulting behaviour whereby a breach of the peace may have occurred.

Wyman was found not guilty of using insulting language to the annoyance of passengers. The three were also ordered to pay between them a total of 15 guineas costs.

The Chairman of the Magistrates, Mr AC Morey, told them: "Just because you have reached the exalted heights of your profession this does not mean you have the right to act like this."

Mr Kenneth Richardson, prosecuting, said Wyman, Jagger and Jones stopped at the Francis Service Station, Romford Road, Forest Gate, late on March 18. Wyman used disgusting language in asking an attendant if he could use the toilet.

Westgate House, on Romford Road,
 currently situated on the site of
 the "insulting behaviour" incident

After being told the toilets were being reconditioned and being refused permission to use the private toilet, they urinated against the boundary wall of the service station "without taking steps to conceal this act."

He added: "They assumed they had the right to treat the property of others with the utmost contempt".

Wyman, in evidence, said the group did not have time to go to the dressing room after a show at the Romford Odeon because they had to rush out to avoid the fans. When they could not find a toilet at the garage they got back into their car and drove off.

Denial

Jones and Jagger also denied using insulting behaviour. Jones said he had been laughing at the attendant's childish behaviour. He was not too aggressive.

Jagger said he had "never been in a bad enough mood to want to hit anyone." The group were very happy about having a record at the top of the Hit Parade. He had been "to nearly every country we could make money in" and had never been in trouble with the police."

The West Ham Magistrates Court register for the period sits in the Newham archives, today.  Below we reproduce extracts relating to their case, from July 1965.

West Ham magistrates court register for July
 1965 (1)

Court details of offences of William
 George Wyman, Michael Philip Jagger,
 Lewis Brian Jones (Newham archives) (2)

Court details of fines of William
 George Wyman, Michael Philip Jagger,
 Lewis Brian Jones (Newham archives) (3)

Unfortunately, we have been unable to track down a poster for the Stones show on the evening of their Forest Gate splash, but we have traced one from the previous evening's show, in Southend (see above). It was part of the 28-date tour referred to, above, and shows that on it they were supported by The Hollies and Dave Berry.

And, what of the Francis service station? It was located at 176-180 Romford Road, but is now long gone. In its place, today sits the Westgate House residential care home, pictured above.

Doubtless some of its residents will recall the previous incarnation and infamy of their current abode.

The Wyman version

Bill Wyman was always regarded as the Stones' in-house archivist and he provides perhaps the most detailed account of the incident and its aftermath in his 1990 memoirs Stone Alone. Below we quote, directly from it, as "an insider's", although inevitably self-justifying, account of the incident:

It was a perfect concert, a fitting end to a very strong tour. We were all in a great mood. At 11.10, with excellent police security, we rushed straight off stage, jumped into a car before the fans could leave the theatre and headed back to town. Twenty minutes later, I needed to use the toilet, so we pulled into the Francis Service Station in East London. I asked the attendant if I could use the toilet. He said 'There isn't a toilet.' I replied 'This is a big garage, and there are service bays and showrooms, so there must be one.' He said, 'There isn't, so get off my forecourt.'

Absolutely bursting to go, I returned to the car, where I explained what had happened. Mick took my hand and said 'Come on Bill, we'll find you a toilet.' Then Mick, myself, Joey Page and Brian returned to the attendant and asked him once more if we could use the toilet. He started screaming at us, 'Get off my forecourt! get off my forecourt!'

A fuller view of Westgate House, many
 of whose residents doubtless recall
 the case of the leaking Stones.

Brian suddenly started dancing around pulling a 'Nanker' face and singing 'Get off my foreskin!' The attendant once more told us to leave. We walked across the forecourt into the adjoining side road, went about ten yards up this road and proceeded to pee against the wall. We returned through the forecourt, yelled a few insults at the attendant, got back into the car and continued our journey.

We considered the incident closed, but two days later the Daily Express ran a story that surprised us. Mr Eric Lavender, a customer who had been at the service station, said there was an 'incident which led to him and a mechanic reporting two members of the of group to the police. Mr Charles Keely, on duty at the garage as night breakdown-mechanic, said it was about 11.30pm when a big black car pulled up and a long-haired type wearing dark glasses got out'.

'After an incident, he told the people with the car to move off. 'Mr Lavender told them their behaviour was disgusting,' he said, ' and they started shouting and screaming. They went back to the car and I took a note of the number.' Mr Lavender was quoted as saying that if the police did not prosecute, he would press for a private prosecution. Later a Metropolitan Police spokesman, confirming that an incident was reported, added 'It is believed that members of the Rolling Stones were involved. Inquiries are in hand.'

Three months later the case reached East (sic) Ham Magistrates Court, London. Fifty policemen were on duty outside, where a crowd of nearly 300 surrounded the gate leading to the court and waited behind a police cordon on the pavement across the road. Inside the spectators' gallery was packed with about sixty teenage fans, three policemen standing either side of the gallery.

Mick, Brian and I were summonsed for insulting behaviour. I was further charged with using obcence language. We were allowed to write down our addresses, to keep them secret from the fans. We denied using insulting behaviour by urinating against a wall and pleaded not guilty. Charlie and Keith, who had come for moral support, listened from the back of the court.

Prosecuting, Kenneth Richardson said, 'If the magistrates were satisfied that the disgusting behaviour had taken place, it was no great crime, but it was regrettable behaviour, and the three might themselves agree in time. They are well known to certain sections of the public, and it is wrong that they should show such disregard for the feelings and morals of others.'

Magistrates' Chairman AC Morey asked Keely: 'You have talked about long-haired monsters. Did that influence you in bringing the charge?'
Keely:'The conception of long-haired monsters did not influence my decision to complain, although it might have started the ball rolling. It made me determined not to let them go to the staff toilet.'
I told the court, ' We finished two shows at the Romford Odeon at 10.45. We didn't have time to go to the dressing room after the show, because as soon as the curtain fell, we had to leave the stage and rush to the car to avoid fans.'

Brian, giving evidence, said, 'We drank only Coca-Cola and tea. We were very happy because we had had a great night. I was not aggressive. We were laughing a lot because Mr Keely's behaviour was so comical. We are rather more mature than that.'

Mick said, ' I think we were at the top of the hit parade at the time and we were discussing our forthcoming American tour. We had every reason to be happy. I've never been in a bad enough mood to want to hit anyone. We have played in many places from Texas to Miami, to Helsinki, and this is the first time we have been in any trouble with the police..' Keith also gave evidence and said that he saw no incident at the service station.

The wall in question - baptised by
 three Stones, according to Bill Wyman

Our defending counsel, Dale Parkinson said, 'This is a trivial case, and you are making a mountain out of a molehill.'

We were all found guilty of using insulting behaviour, whereby a breach of the peace may have occurred. We were each fined £5, and ordered to pay 15 guineas costs. We all gave notice to appeal.
I was also found not guilty on the other charge of using obsence language. The magistrates' chairman said, 'Whether it is the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, or anyone else, we will not tolerate conduct of this character. Because you have reached the exalted heights of your profession, it does not mean you have the right to act like this. On the contrary, you should set a standard of behaviour which should be a moral pattern for your large number of supporters. You have been found guilty of behaviour not becoming of young gentlemen.'

Brian said later, 'We've always had a wild image. We built ourselves on the fact. Groups like the Hollies envy our image a little. The garage incident was grossly exaggerated. The kids in court were amused by an incident blown up out of all perspective. It may do us some harm, but I doubt it. There's always America.'

Charlie said, 'I kept out of trouble. I was asleep in the back of the car, man.' After the hearing, we were smuggled out of the court, and driven back to town. The episode did us no damage with our fans and might even have persuaded a few people that we were human!



Forest Gate's proud suffragette legacy

The East End was a centre of radical political and trade union activity in the 1880's - most famously for the Matchgirls' Strike, in Bow in 1888 and the historic Dockers' Strike of 1889. What is, perhaps, less well known is that the area became one of the earliest centres agitating for votes for women, around the same time.

The Women's Suffrage Society held meetings at Stratford Town Hall in the late 1880s, one being reported in the Stratford Express in 1887. Some of the women involved then, and a little later,  were to play prominent roles in Women's and wider politics in Newham over the next half century - notably Rebecca Cheetham.

She was the first warden of the Canning Town's Women's Settlement, 1892 - 1917 (whose own history is closely related to that of Durning Hall - see last week's post). She became a co-opted member of West Ham Council's Education Committee, from its inception in 1903, until her death in 1939, and person after whom the eponymous nursery in Stratford is named.

.

Rebecca Cheetham, Newham
 Suffragette and educational reformer

Another prominent figure, though less well-remembered today, was Minnie Baldock, who played a significant role in Forest Gate's suffragette story - see below for a brief biography.

Minnie Baldock, 1908

Together with local MP, Kier Hardie, Minnie held a public meeting in 1903, to complain about low pay for women in the Canning Town area. She was also involved in the West Ham Unemployed Fund and in 1905 became an Independent Labour Party candidate in the election for the West Ham Board of Guardians (the body that oversaw the local administration of the Poor Law and workhouse, and whose elections were open to female voters). She joined the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) later that year and became active in heckling prominent political figures in public meeting halls across London.

On 26 January 1906, Minnie Baldock established a branch of the WSPU (known commonly as the Suffragettes) in Canning Town, in an attempt to recruit working class members to the cause. By September that year, open-air Suffragette public meetings were being held in Upton Park (see extract form Stratford Express, 28 Sept 1906).

Stratford Express,
29 September 1906

There was soon a branch of the WSPU in Forest Gate, as the extract from the Stratford Express of 25 January 1908, below, suggests. The writing may not be very distinct in the cutting reproduced, but the contents are clear - the WSPU was up, running and strong in Forest Gate in 1908. It says:

Votes for Women

Stratford Express, 25 January 1908

On Friday, at 102 Clova Road, Forest Gate, Mrs Pethwick- Lawrence (another person with Durning Hall connections), hon. treasurer of the National Women's Social and Political Union addressed a meeting of local ladies (some forty persons)on the subject of "Women's enfranchisement" giving the reasons leading her, with so many others, to advance the cause.

Special emphasis was placed on the matter of female labour and on its successful entry into so many vocations, yet commanding scarce more than two thirds remuneration of that given to men and on the fact of women who having to support themselves by their own labour, finding themselves face to face with the trade union organisations working for the reservation of the labour market wherever possible for the male sex.

The result of Mrs Lawrence's eloquent address was a considerable addition to the local union, recently started, and which is organising an energetic campaign in the immediate constituencies".

A small, but fascinating article, which makes uncomfortable reading about the sexist historical nature of many trade unions, and how much (or little?) things have changed in over a century, in the struggle for equal pay in the workforce.

102 Clova Road is a modest, middle class, house, which recent photo below, suggests was a rather small place in which to accommodate a meeting of 40 people, even in 1908. The adjacent property (104) - also shown below - is a much larger one. Could there have been an error in the Stratford Express account, in describing the exact location of the meeting, one wonders?

102 Clova Road, today -
scene of  January 1908 meeting

104 Clova Road - a far larger property - more likely to have been able to accommodate 40 people, at a meeting

In an unpublished PhD thesis for the University of Greenwich, Diana Elisabeth Banks-Convey states that Minnie Baldock became a paid organiser for the Forest Gate branch of the WSPU - although, unfortunately does not source this statement, as she writes:

Despite this new organisation, with its links with working class women in West Ham, the WSPU maintained its branches in both Forest Gate in the north and Canning Town in the south. ... However, Minnie Baldock, despite being a leading light in South West Ham Labour, joined the Forest Gate organisation and was a paid organiser for them, speaking at many meetings throughout the East End.

We have discovered a lengthier Stratford Express account of another WSPU meeting held in Forest Gate, later that year(17 October 1908), reproduced below. This seems to have been a well-attended, determined, session, painting a very vivid picture of the struggles that suffragettes faced in attempting to win the vote, over a century ago.

It provides a salutary local lesson for those people who say they can't be bothered to vote in the forthcoming general election, of the hardships endured by our foremothers (?), to establish that very right, today.

Enthusiastic meeting at Forest Gate

Stratford Express,
 19 October 1908

Artist's impression of Earlham Hall,
Earlham Grove, in 1897,
 while under construction

Organised by the Forest Gate branch of the National Women's Social and Political Union, a meeting was held in Earlham Hall on Monday evening. There was a good attendance of members. A few men occupied seats at the rear of the hall. Mrs Sleight presided, supported by members of various local surrounding branches.

Miss Hewitt, hon. treasurer of the branch referred to the promised demonstration at the House of Commons on Tuesday by Suffragettes. She stated that a demonstration was going to the Prime Minister to ask that a Bill for Women's Suffrage might become law without any further delay. They had no reason to think that the delegation would have any better reception than previous demonstrations had had.

  

Referring to the "courageous women" who would certainly be arrested and sent to prison for the parts they would take in the affair, the speaker said that it was impossible for them all to be arrested, but it was as great a punishment almost for them not to go to prison as it was for the leaders who suffered that indignity. She knew, of course, that on Wednesday they would hear it stated that by their conduct they had put back their cause forty years, and also that they had made other women ashamed of their sisters; but it was their duty to try and show people that it was a difficult business, and that they were prepared to pay any harsh penalty to secure the enfranchisement of women (Hear, hear).

They would hear that women were ashamed of their womanhood and of their sex, but they wanted to make women admire the courage and ability of their leaders, who were prepared to face ridicule and imprisonment for their great ideal. At present they were practically outlaws in a free country. They would stand hand in hand, in spite of the ridicule of the world (Applause). ...

Before the conclusion of the meeting a messenger arrived to say that warrant officers were waiting outside for Mrs Pankhurst and others, who had failed to appear at Bow  Street Police Court in answer to summonses that afternoon. It was discovered, however, that they had not come to arrest the women, but to tell them that they must appear the next afternoon. The charge against them was that of inciting a riot.

Miss Friedlander went on to say that by this means the Government thought they were going to stop them, but they were mistaken, for arrangements had been made for the work to be carried on by able lieutenants during the temporary absence of their leaders. (Applause)

Mrs Sleight said that mounted dragoons and warrant officers had no terrors for them. Men must feel proud that their wives, sisters and sweethearts would willingly suffer for their rights. ...Miss Hewitt invited the men present to ask questions, but received no response.

Miss Flowers, speaking of what they were prepared to do for the sake of the cause, said : "Think what it means to be dragged through the streets like criminals, and before hostile and unsympathetic men" (This remark was greeted with loud laughter by the men present.)

Replying to a question, Miss Hewitt said she did not expect that the enfranchisement of women would create a paradise or Utopia, but without the vote, they could do nothing. (Applause).

Mr John Gordon sang a solo and a collection was held.

On that stirring note, we are sad to report that we have no further information on the activities of the Forest Gate branch of the WSPU (but would love to hear from anyone who has). We do, however, have more on the Minnie Baldock story.

Below we offer a pen portrait, from the available material, of this one-time paid organiser of the Forest Gate branch of the WSPU.

Minnie Baldock, a brief biography

Minnie Baldock, c 1909

Born in Poplar in about 1864, as a girl, Minnie worked in a shirt factory and married Harry Baldock, around 1890. The couple had two sons, Jack and Harry. They lived together at 23 Oak Crescent Canning Town, at the time of the 1891 census, both described as general labourers, with their 10 month old son, Harry (see extract, below). The house no longer exists, and the site today is a green open space, near the Canning Town fly-over (see photo, below).

1891 census entry for the
 Baldocks  - Oak Crescent,
 Canning Town

          Oak Crescent, today

Minnie became a member of the recently formed Independent Labour Party (ILP) in the 1890s, and Harry - from 1901 until 1907 - was an ILP councillor for the Tidal Basin ward of West Ham Council.

The family does not seem to appear locally, in the 1901 census.

In 1903, along with her local MP, Kier Hardie, Minnie organised a public meeting to complain about low pay for women in the area. She was involved in the administration of the West Ham Unemployed Fund. In 1905 she became the ILP candidate in the election for the West Ham Board of Guardians.

As mentioned above, she joined the WSPU in 1905, and was soon very active, within it, heckling prominent politicians (like prime minister Henry Campbell-Bannerman)and demonstrating outside their houses, in central London.

It is probable that she was part of the group, including socialist activists, Kier Hardie, George Lansbury, Julia Scurr and Dora Montefoire, that organised a march of 1,000 women from the East End to Westminster, to lobby for welfare assistance for the unemployed in 1906.

Minnie Baldock, left - handing out Suffragette
 leaflets in Nottingham, 1907

In November of that year another march took place, when 4,000 women from West Ham, Poplar and Southwark marched down Whitehall, bearing banners with messages such as 'Work for our men', 'Food for our children' and 'Workers of the world unite', accompanied by a band playing The Marseillaise.

When the working class, Lancashire-born, and later prominent Suffragette, Annie Kenney moved to London, in 1906, she stayed, at the recommendation of fellow socialists, with Minnie Baldock in Eclipse Street in Canning Town. Minnie had local contacts gained from her actions, above, and, through her husband, Harry, with various local trade union branches. She helped Annie make connections in the area and assisted in finding speaking engagements for her.

In 1906 Minnie, together with Annie Kenney,  was instrumental in establishing a branch of the WSPU on her home patch, of Canning Town.  The pair met frequently with Sylvia Pankhurst, who was extremely active in Bow and introduced a young local cigarette factory worker, Daisy Parsons, to the movement. Daisy would later be part of the East London Suffrage Movement's 1914 deputation to meet the prime minister, Asquith. In 1936, she became West Ham's first female mayor.

Daisy Parsons, far left, on Suffragette
 deputation to Downing Street,
 February 1914

Minnie, herself,  soon became a full-time organiser for the WSPU, for Forest Gate (see above), and toured the country addressing meetings.

She was arrested in a demonstration outside the House of Commons in February 1908 (see video clip, below) and sentenced to a month in Holloway prison. The Daily Mirror described her involvement thus:

Mrs Baldock drove round with a megaphone and shouted 'Votes for Women' as far up the stairs of St Stephen's entrance as the megaphones could send the words. Other women with megaphones drove past in cabs shouting their battle cry.

Much of our information about Minnie comes from a small article about her, published in Votes for Women, on 18 June 1908. It reads:

Mrs Baldock, as a working woman, knows the difficulties and sorrows of their lives, and has now given up all work to fight for political power. She brings to her work the experience gained as a Poor Law Guardian and by work in the Independent Labour Party, on Distress Committees etc. Mrs Baldock was one of the first militant suffragettes in London, heckling Mr Asquith at his Queen's Hall meeting in December 1905, and holding up the banner at the Albert Hall. In October 1906 and again in February 1908, she suffered imprisonment for her enthusiasm.

In February 1909 Minnie was heavily involved in a recruiting and propaganda campaign for the WSPU in the West Country.

The Baldock family lived at 490 Barking Road, Plaistow at the time of the 1911 census, though Minnie was not present on the night of the count - presumably campaigning elsewhere in the country. Harry snr. was described as a driller/hole cutter in the shipbuilding industry, and the two sons were also employed in that industry, in that census.

490 Barking Road, today

1911 census, Baldocks (minus Minnie)
 at 490 Barking Road 

Minnie became seriously ill with cancer in late 1911, and was operated on in the New Hospital for Women (now the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital, Bloomsbury). She went to Brighton, for a while for recuperation, and never returned to work with the WSPU.

It has been speculated that she disapproved of the increasingly militant tactics being adopted by the organisation (e.g. arson) , because continued to hold membership of the Church League for Women's Suffrage.

In January 1913, Minnie and Harry snr moved to Southampton. In her later years, she lived in Hamworthy, near Poole, where she died aged about 90, in 1954.

Screengrab from YouTube clip of
Votes For Women,
which can be accessed here

In 2011 Poole museum, and National Lottery funded commissioned a short film celebrating the life of Minnie Baldock, The Right to Vote. It was written by Kate O'Malley and starred Michelle O'Brien. You can access it via the hyperlink in the caption to the screengrab, above.