Close to 100 people attended the 19th Stoke Newington History Talks event in St Matthias Halls to hear about the transformation of the ‘Castle’ Pumping Station into a climbing centre, the lives of three social campaigners who were imprisoned for their actions and are buried in Abney Park Cemetery and finally, to catch a glimpse of a treasure trove of print material from the 1930s-50’s that was salvaged from a former local print shop.

The next event, will likely be in November. Join the events mailing list to be notified when tickets go on sale.

Lost in the Shed – Unearthing a Treasure Trove of Printing Material from the 1930s-50s

Recording

Summary

This presentation, Amir Dotan details the discovery and significance of a vast collection of printing materials from the 1930s to the 1950s. The items were salvaged from an abandoned shed that once belonged to the W.H. Jones printing firm.

Key Highlights:

• The W.H. Jones Legacy: The company operated on Green Lanes in Stoke Newington and produced a wide range of professional printing, from business cards and catalogs to council invitations (0:22-2:16).
• Accidental Discovery: The collection was uncovered by local artists clearing out the former print shop’s premises following the passing of a director, Jim Balding (2:19-3:42).
• Historical Snapshot: The 104 unique items provide a fascinating look at the local economy and social life of the era, including:
  • Piano Manufacturing: Stoke Newington was once a significant hub for piano production; the collection includes items from manufacturers like Leswin and Campbell & Co (7:32-12:56).
  • Civic History: Detailed documentation of the 1930s Clissold Road public swimming baths, including construction details and the grand opening by Prince George (12:58-19:30).
  • Builders and Trades: Marketing materials for Smith and Sons at Anvil House, demonstrating the area’s vibrant light industry (19:31-21:53).
  • Local Council & Commerce: Examples of council documents, menus for lavish banquets, and materials from the Hackney and Stoke Newington Chamber of Commerce (21:54-27:20).

The collection serves as a tangible record of Stoke Newington’s industrial past, capturing the graphic design, typography, and daily activities of a mid-20th-century London borough.

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I Fought the Law – Abney Park Cemetery’s Residents Behind Bars by Sam Perrin

Recording

Summary

In this talk, cemetery historian Sam Perrin explores the history of three radical figures buried at Abney Park Cemetery who fought for their beliefs and civil liberties, often facing imprisonment as a result.

Key figures discussed:

1. William Hone (0:55 – 16:02): A radical bookseller, journalist, and satirist who revolutionized print culture and investigative reporting. He was famously arrested for blasphemous and seditious libel (6:24) after publishing satirical pamphlets attacking the government (5:53 – 7:13). His triumphant acquittal set a major precedent for the freedom of the British press (9:05 – 9:18). He was later buried in Abney Park in 1842, with Charles Dickens in attendance (14:12).
2. Ethel Haslam (16:09 – 26:30): A militant suffragette and social justice campaigner who was arrested multiple times for her activism (19:44). Her protests included stoning the house of MP John Burns (22:16) and smashing shop windows in Piccadilly (22:57). While incarcerated in Holloway Prison, she endured force-feeding (24:00) and maintained her defiance against prison authorities. She remained dedicated to social causes until her death in 1963 (25:35).
3. Rebecca Jarrett (26:34 – 30:20): A former prostitute rescued by the Salvation Army who became a key figure in a major 1885 investigative exposé (27:44). Working with journalist W.T. Stead, she helped expose the ease of procuring young girls for prostitution, a campaign that ultimately led to the age of consent being raised from 13 to 16 years old (28:30 – 29:39). Despite serving time for her role in the investigation, her efforts contributed to significant legal reform regarding the safeguarding of women.

Slides

https://www.slideshare.net/HistoryofStokeNewing/i-fought-the-law-abney-park-cemeterys-residents-behind-bars-by-sam-perrin

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Power/Play: The Castle’s Evolving Role in Stoke Newington by Sebastian Carandini

Recording

Summary

This presentation explores the history and adaptive reuse of the Climbing Castle in Stoke Newington, tracing its evolution from a 19th-century water pumping station to a modern indoor climbing center.

Key phases of the building’s history include:

• Victorian Origins (1850s): Chief surveyor William Chadwell Milne designed the Stoke Newington pumping station to resemble a Scottish Baronial castle (0:29-4:24). This architectural choice was a form of ‘playful’ design, intended to reassure the public about water quality while masking the industrial nature of the site during the cholera epidemics (8:11-8:58).
• Period of Vacancy: After the pumping station ceased operations, the building faced threats of demolition in the 1970s. Local efforts, including those by school headmaster Michael Marland and the Victorian Society, helped save the structure, though finding an appropriate ‘use’ for its unique, non-standard interior proved difficult for years (9:33-10:27).
• Transformation into a Climbing Venue (1990s): The building’s vast, tall internal spaces, which once frustrated previous developers, were perfectly suited for indoor climbing. Nicholas Grimshaw Architects were hired to repurpose the site, integrating modern climbing infrastructure while respecting the historical fabric (13:36-14:42).

Legacy and Evolution:

• The Climbing Castle represents a successful fusion of Victorian industrial history and contemporary recreational play. By ‘inverting’ the mountain climbing experience to fit inside the former engine and boiler houses, the building has been reanimated as a vital community hub (15:36-16:40).

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