Broadwater Farm
Encyclopedia
Broadwater Farm, often referred to simply as "The Farm", is an area in Tottenham
, North London
, straddling the River Moselle
. The eastern half of the area is dominated by the Broadwater Farm Estate
("BWFE"), an experiment in high-density
social housing
built in the late 1960s. The western half of the area is taken up by Lordship Recreation Ground
, one of north London's largest park
s.
The area acquired a reputation as one of the worst places to live in the United Kingdom following the publication of Alice Coleman
's Utopia on Trial in 1985, a perception made worse when serious rioting
erupted later that year. However, following a major redevelopment programme crime rates have dropped dramatically with a burglary rate of virtually zero. It is also one of the most ethnically diverse locations in London; in 2005 its official population of 3,800 included residents of 39 different nationalities.
Broadwater Farm is situated in the valley of the Moselle
, approximately six miles (10 km) north of the City of London
. It is situated in a deep depression
immediately south of Lordship Lane
, between the twin junctions of Lordship Lane and The Roundway. It is immediately adjacent to Bruce Castle
, approximately 547 yards (500 m) from the centre of Tottenham
, and 1.2 miles (2 km) from Wood Green
.
on 22 July 1872 the area was still extremely rural, despite its proximity to London and the growing suburb of Tottenham
. Aside from a small group of buildings clustered around neighbouring Bruce Castle
, the only buildings in the area were the farmhouse and outbuildings of Broadwater Farm, then still a working farm.
Following the construction of the railways to Tottenham and Wood Green
, development in the surrounding area took place rapidly. However, due to waterlogging
and flood
ing caused by the River Moselle
, Broadwater Farm was considered unsuitable for development and remained as farmland. By 1920, Broadwater Farm was the last remaining agricultural land on Lordship Lane
, surrounded by housing on all sides.
In 1932 Tottenham Urban District Council
purchased Broadwater Farm. The western half was drained and converted for recreational use as Lordship Recreation Ground, while the eastern half was kept vacant for prospective development and used as allotments
. Heavy concrete
dikes were built to reduce flooding of the Moselle in Lordship Recreation Ground, whilst on the eastern half of the farm the river was covered, to run in culvert
as far as Tottenham Cemetery.
began on the site of the allotments, and an area of the south eastern part of the park was used to replace the allotments destroyed by the building of the estate. As initially built, the estate contained 1,063 flats, providing homes for 3,000–4,000 people. The design of the estate was inspired by Le Corbusier
, and characterised by large concrete blocks and tall towers.
Because of the high water table and the flood risk caused by the Moselle
, which flows through the site, no housing was built at ground level. Instead, the ground level was entirely occupied by car parks
, and the buildings were linked by a system of interconnected walkways at first floor level known as the "deck level". Shops and amenities were also located on the deck level.
The 12 interconnected buildings were each named after a different World War II
RAF
aerodrome
. The most conspicuous buildings are the very tall Northolt and Kenley towers, and the large ziggurat
shaped Tangmere block.
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By 1973, problems with the estate were becoming apparent; the walkways of the deck level created dangerously isolated areas which became hotspots for crime and robbery, and provided easy escape routes for criminals. The housing was poorly maintained, and suffered badly from water leakages, pest infestations and electrical faults. More than half of the people offered accommodation in the estate refused it, and the majority of existing residents had applied to be re-housed elsewhere. In 1976, less than ten years after the estate opened, the Department of the Environment
concluded that the estate was of such poor quality that the only solution was demolition. This decision was unwelcome to residents, and relations between the community and the local authority became increasingly confrontational. A process of regeneration began in 1981, but it was hampered by a lack of funds and an increasingly negative public perception of the area.
By the time that Alice Coleman's critique of 1960s planned housing, Utopia on Trial, was published in 1985, the estate was regarded as being representative of unsuccessful large-scale housing projects. When a major exhibition by Le Corbusier
in the mid-1980s proved unable to attract sponsorship, the refusal of sponsors to be associated with his name was attributed to the "Broadwater Farm factor".
The book's criticism of alleged "lapses of civilised behaviour" on Le Corbusier inspired estates, claiming that residents of such buildings were far more likely to commit and to be victims of anti-social behaviour, were highly influential on the Thatcher
government. Although the book focused on Tower Hamlets and Southwark
and did not in fact cover Broadwater Farm, by the time of the book's publication the estate was becoming synonymous with this style of estate, and the government began to put pressure on Haringey London Borough Council
to improve the area.
Although the demographics of Broadwater Farm at the time were roughly 50% black
and 50% white
, the Tenants' Association was all white and regarded with increasing distrust by black residents and white residents not connected with the Association. In 1981, residents set up the rival "Youth Association", which was widely applauded by many members of the local black community for challenging the perceived harassment by the controversial Special Patrol Group
of local youths and of black residents of the estate. In 1983, the council gave the Tenants' Association an empty shop to use as an office and a vague authority to "deal with local problems", heightening antagonism between the Tenants' Association and Youth Association, which in turn set up its own youth club, advice centre, estate watchdog and local lobbying group.
A number of initiatives aimed at providing activities for disaffected local youths and at integrating the mixture of ethnic communities in the area appeared to be succeeding; Sir George Young
, then Minister for Inner Cities, secured significant funding for improvements. Broadwater Farm began to be seen as a case study in regenerating a failed housing development. Princess Diana
paid a visit to the estate in February 1985, to commend the improvements being made, but much of the apparent progress was superficial. The problems caused by the deck-level walkways had not been solved; children from Broadwater Farm were still under-achieving academically in comparison to the surrounding areas; the unemployment rate stood at 42%; and perhaps most significantly of all, given later events, the mutual distrust between the local residents—particularly those from the Afro-Caribbean community
—and the predominantly White British and non-local police force had not been effectively addressed.
in Birmingham
, which were indicative of a period of rising racial tension, during which some police methods such as raids, saturation policing and stop and search tactics increased the frustration of some members of the black community.
Broadwater Farm resident Floyd Jarrett was arrested by police on 5 October 1985, having given false details when stopped with an allegedly false tax disc
. While he was in custody, four officers attended his home to conduct a search. During the search, his mother Cynthia Jarrett collapsed and died. It has never been satisfactorily concluded how and why Cynthia Jarrett died, and whether it was a heart attack or due to police actions.
The next day, 6 October 1985, saw a small demonstration outside Tottenham police station
, which initially passed off relatively peacefully other than a bottle being thrown through one of the station's windows. At 3.15 pm two officers were attacked and seriously injured by the crowd, suffering gunshot wounds. Three journalists were also treated for gunshot wounds.
to Broadwater Farm was surrounded and attacked. As further police officers made their way to the area, rioters erected barricade
s on the deck level and the emergency services withdrew from the deck level. At 9.30 pm fire broke out in a newsagent
on the deck level of the Tangmere block. Firefighter
s attempting to put out the fire came under attack, and police attended to assist them. As the situation escalated, police and firefighters withdrew. In the withdrawal, PC
s Keith Blakelock and Richard Coombes became separated from other officers. A group of around 40 people attacked them with sticks
, knives
and machete
s, leading to PC Blakelock's death and serious injuries to PC Coombes. As news of the death spread, the rioting subsided. Local council leader Bernie Grant
claims to have been misquoted as saying that "What the police got was a bloody good hiding".
Three local residents, Mark Braithwaite, Engin Raghip and Winston Silcott
, were convicted of PC Blakelock's murder. However, three years later their convictions were overturned when it was discovered that police notes of their interviews had been tampered with. The person or persons guilty of the murder have never been identified. But in 2010, a man was arrested on suspicion of murdering PC Blakelock.
After the events of 1985, Broadwater Farm became the focus of an intensive £33 million regeneration
programme in response to the problems highlighted by the riots. The all-white Tenants Association was restructured more accurately to reflect the community, and residents' concerns seriously addressed by the authorities. A local management team was brought in to oversee improvements to the estate and to collect rents and enforce regulations, instead of continuing to attempt to run the estate centrally from Haringey Council's
central offices. The deck level was dismantled and the overhead walkways demolished, with the shops and amenities relocated to a single ground-level strip of road to transform the semi-derelict Willan Road into a "High Street
" for the area. The surrounding areas were landscaped and each building redesigned to give it a unique identity. A network of council-run CCTV
cameras was installed to monitor the streets and car parks, and each building staffed by a concierge
to deter unwanted visitors. Two giant murals were painted which now dominate the area, one of a waterfall on the side of Debden block and one depicting Mahatma Gandhi
, Martin Luther King, John Lennon
and Bob Marley
on Rochford block. Disused shops left empty following the withdrawal of businesses after the riots were converted into low-cost light industrial
units to provide employment opportunities for residents and prevent capital from flowing out of the area. Since the redevelopment, the flow of people leaving the estate has slowed to a trickle, and there is now a lengthy waiting list for housing.
or outdoor
assault
on Broadwater Farm, and only a single burglary
, from which all property was recovered and the suspect arrested; this compares with 875 burglaries, 50 robberies and 50 assaults in the third quarter of 1985 immediately preceding the riot. In an independent 2003 survey of all the estate's residents, only 2% said they considered the area unsafe, the lowest figure for any area in London. The estate also has the lowest rent
arrears
of any part of the borough.
In 2005 the Metropolitan Police
disbanded the Broadwater Farm Unit altogether as no longer required in an area with such a low crime rate.
, once the home of Rowland Hill
, inventor of the postage stamp, is on the north side of Lordship Lane
immediately opposite Broadwater Farm. It was built by William Compton in the 16th century, and has been a public museum since 1906. It houses the public archives of Haringey Council
, as well as a large display on the history of the postal system.
Broadwater Farm is home to the Broadwater United football
coaching programme. Set up in the aftermath of the events of 1985 with the intention of providing a focus for local youths, it has subsequently produced a number of professional footballers, including Jobi McAnuff
, Lionel Morgan and Jude Stirling
, son of the programme manager Clasford Stirling.
's Award for 2007.
Broadwater Farm contains three primary schools
, the general Broadwater Farm Primary School and the Moselle and William C Harvey schools for pupils with special needs. An ongoing programme is underway to integrate the three schools onto a single campus. Secondary education is provided by nearby Woodside High School, formerly named White Hart Lane School, approximately 200m outside the Broadwater Farm area.
, and approximately 2 km from the Shopping City supermall at Wood Green
.
. Bruce Grove railway station
, 400m east of the estate, connects the area to central London. Because of the narrow streets, double-decker
and bendy buses
are unable to serve the area. From 11 February 2006 the W4 route, which utilises Alexander dennis Enviro 200 to navigate the narrow streets and sharp bends, was diverted to run into the estate, providing direct public transport links for the first time. A number of other bus routes run along Lordship Lane
, immediately to the north and Philip Lane to the south. Turnpike Lane tube station
is within walking distance to the south west.
, Somalis
and Congolese. In 2005, approximately 70% of residents were from an ethnic minority
background and 39 different languages were spoken on the estate.
Tottenham
Tottenham is an area of the London Borough of Haringey, England, situated north north east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:Tottenham is believed to have been named after Tota, a farmer, whose hamlet was mentioned in the Domesday Book; hence Tota's hamlet became Tottenham...
, North London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
, straddling the River Moselle
River Moselle (London)
The River Moselle, also referred to as Moselle Brook, is in North London and flows through Tottenham towards the Lea Valley. The river was originally a tributary of the River Lea, but it now flows into Pymmes Brook, another Lea tributary....
. The eastern half of the area is dominated by the Broadwater Farm Estate
Housing estate
A housing estate is a group of buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Accordingly, a housing estate is usually built by a single contractor, with only a few styles of house or building design, so they tend to be uniform in appearance...
("BWFE"), an experiment in high-density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
social housing
Council house
A council house, otherwise known as a local authority house, is a form of public or social housing. The term is used primarily in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Council houses were built and operated by local councils to supply uncrowded, well-built homes on secure tenancies at...
built in the late 1960s. The western half of the area is taken up by Lordship Recreation Ground
Lordship Recreation Ground
Lordship Recreation Ground is a public park in Tottenham, London Borough of Haringey.It is over 20 hectares in size. Access is from Lordship Lane and from opposite Downhills Park in Downhills Park Road. It stretches approximately 750m north-south. The River Moselle runs through the park from west...
, one of north London's largest park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
s.
The area acquired a reputation as one of the worst places to live in the United Kingdom following the publication of Alice Coleman
Alice Coleman
Alice Mary Coleman is emeritus professor of geography at King's College London. She is noted for directing the 1960s Second Land Use Survey of Britain and for analyses of land use planning and urban design taken up by the political right....
's Utopia on Trial in 1985, a perception made worse when serious rioting
Broadwater Farm riot
The Broadwater Farm riot occurred around the Broadwater Farm area of Tottenham, North London, on 6 October 1985.The events of the day were dominated by two deaths. The first was that of Cynthia Jarrett, an African-Caribbean woman who died the previous day from a stroke during a police search of her...
erupted later that year. However, following a major redevelopment programme crime rates have dropped dramatically with a burglary rate of virtually zero. It is also one of the most ethnically diverse locations in London; in 2005 its official population of 3,800 included residents of 39 different nationalities.
Location
River Moselle (London)
The River Moselle, also referred to as Moselle Brook, is in North London and flows through Tottenham towards the Lea Valley. The river was originally a tributary of the River Lea, but it now flows into Pymmes Brook, another Lea tributary....
, approximately six miles (10 km) north of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. It is situated in a deep depression
Depression (geology)
A depression in geology is a landform sunken or depressed below the surrounding area. Depressions may be formed by various mechanisms.Structural or tectonic related:...
immediately south of Lordship Lane
Lordship Lane (Haringey)
Lordship Lane connects Wood Green with Tottenham High Road . It lies in the London Borough of Haringey and forms part of the A109 road.-History:...
, between the twin junctions of Lordship Lane and The Roundway. It is immediately adjacent to Bruce Castle
Bruce Castle
Bruce Castle is a Grade I listed 16th-century manor house in Lordship Lane, Tottenham, London. It is named after the House of Bruce who formerly owned the land on which it is built. Believed to stand on the site of an earlier building, about which little is known, the current house is one of the...
, approximately 547 yards (500 m) from the centre of Tottenham
Tottenham
Tottenham is an area of the London Borough of Haringey, England, situated north north east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:Tottenham is believed to have been named after Tota, a farmer, whose hamlet was mentioned in the Domesday Book; hence Tota's hamlet became Tottenham...
, and 1.2 miles (2 km) from Wood Green
Wood Green
Wood Green is a district in north London, England, located in the London Borough of Haringey. It is situated north of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of the metropolitan centres in Greater London.-History:...
.
Early history
Until the opening of the nearby Bruce Grove railway stationBruce Grove railway station
Bruce Grove railway station in the centre of Tottenham was originally a station on the Stoke Newington & Edmonton Railway which opened on 22 July 1872. It is part of the Seven Sisters branch of the Lea Valley Lines. The station is not far from Bruce Castle, and takes its name from Bruce Grove, a...
on 22 July 1872 the area was still extremely rural, despite its proximity to London and the growing suburb of Tottenham
Tottenham
Tottenham is an area of the London Borough of Haringey, England, situated north north east of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:Tottenham is believed to have been named after Tota, a farmer, whose hamlet was mentioned in the Domesday Book; hence Tota's hamlet became Tottenham...
. Aside from a small group of buildings clustered around neighbouring Bruce Castle
Bruce Castle
Bruce Castle is a Grade I listed 16th-century manor house in Lordship Lane, Tottenham, London. It is named after the House of Bruce who formerly owned the land on which it is built. Believed to stand on the site of an earlier building, about which little is known, the current house is one of the...
, the only buildings in the area were the farmhouse and outbuildings of Broadwater Farm, then still a working farm.
Wood Green
Wood Green is a district in north London, England, located in the London Borough of Haringey. It is situated north of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of the metropolitan centres in Greater London.-History:...
, development in the surrounding area took place rapidly. However, due to waterlogging
Waterlogging
Waterlogging or water logging may refer to:* Waterlogging , saturation of the soil by groundwater sufficient to prevent or hinder agriculture...
and flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
ing caused by the River Moselle
River Moselle (London)
The River Moselle, also referred to as Moselle Brook, is in North London and flows through Tottenham towards the Lea Valley. The river was originally a tributary of the River Lea, but it now flows into Pymmes Brook, another Lea tributary....
, Broadwater Farm was considered unsuitable for development and remained as farmland. By 1920, Broadwater Farm was the last remaining agricultural land on Lordship Lane
Lordship Lane (Haringey)
Lordship Lane connects Wood Green with Tottenham High Road . It lies in the London Borough of Haringey and forms part of the A109 road.-History:...
, surrounded by housing on all sides.
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
purchased Broadwater Farm. The western half was drained and converted for recreational use as Lordship Recreation Ground, while the eastern half was kept vacant for prospective development and used as allotments
Allotment (gardening)
An allotment garden, often called simply an allotment, is a plot of land made available for individual, non-professional gardening. Such plots are formed by subdividing a piece of land into a few or up to several hundreds of land parcels that are assigned to individuals or families...
. Heavy concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
dikes were built to reduce flooding of the Moselle in Lordship Recreation Ground, whilst on the eastern half of the farm the river was covered, to run in culvert
Culvert
A culvert is a device used to channel water. It may be used to allow water to pass underneath a road, railway, or embankment. Culverts can be made of many different materials; steel, polyvinyl chloride and concrete are the most common...
as far as Tottenham Cemetery.
The Broadwater Farm Estate
In 1967, construction of the Broadwater Farm EstateHousing estate
A housing estate is a group of buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Accordingly, a housing estate is usually built by a single contractor, with only a few styles of house or building design, so they tend to be uniform in appearance...
began on the site of the allotments, and an area of the south eastern part of the park was used to replace the allotments destroyed by the building of the estate. As initially built, the estate contained 1,063 flats, providing homes for 3,000–4,000 people. The design of the estate was inspired by Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
, and characterised by large concrete blocks and tall towers.
Because of the high water table and the flood risk caused by the Moselle
River Moselle (London)
The River Moselle, also referred to as Moselle Brook, is in North London and flows through Tottenham towards the Lea Valley. The river was originally a tributary of the River Lea, but it now flows into Pymmes Brook, another Lea tributary....
, which flows through the site, no housing was built at ground level. Instead, the ground level was entirely occupied by car parks
Parking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
, and the buildings were linked by a system of interconnected walkways at first floor level known as the "deck level". Shops and amenities were also located on the deck level.
The 12 interconnected buildings were each named after a different World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
aerodrome
Aerodrome
An aerodrome, airdrome or airfield is a term for any location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve cargo, passengers or neither...
. The most conspicuous buildings are the very tall Northolt and Kenley towers, and the large ziggurat
Ziggurat
Ziggurats were massive structures built in the ancient Mesopotamian valley and western Iranian plateau, having the form of a terraced step pyramid of successively receding stories or levels.Notable ziggurats include the Great Ziggurat of Ur near Nasiriyah, Iraq; the Ziggurat of Aqar Quf near...
shaped Tangmere block.
Deterioration
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is the government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the United Kingdom...
concluded that the estate was of such poor quality that the only solution was demolition. This decision was unwelcome to residents, and relations between the community and the local authority became increasingly confrontational. A process of regeneration began in 1981, but it was hampered by a lack of funds and an increasingly negative public perception of the area.
Utopia on Trial
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
in the mid-1980s proved unable to attract sponsorship, the refusal of sponsors to be associated with his name was attributed to the "Broadwater Farm factor".
The book's criticism of alleged "lapses of civilised behaviour" on Le Corbusier inspired estates, claiming that residents of such buildings were far more likely to commit and to be victims of anti-social behaviour, were highly influential on the Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
government. Although the book focused on Tower Hamlets and Southwark
Southwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
and did not in fact cover Broadwater Farm, by the time of the book's publication the estate was becoming synonymous with this style of estate, and the government began to put pressure on Haringey London Borough Council
Haringey London Borough Council
Haringey London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Haringey in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. Haringey is divided into 19 wards, each electing three councillors. Haringey London Borough...
to improve the area.
The Tenants' Association and the Youth Association
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
and 50% white
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
, the Tenants' Association was all white and regarded with increasing distrust by black residents and white residents not connected with the Association. In 1981, residents set up the rival "Youth Association", which was widely applauded by many members of the local black community for challenging the perceived harassment by the controversial Special Patrol Group
Special Patrol Group
The Special Patrol Group was a unit of Greater London's Metropolitan Police Service, responsible for providing a centrally-based mobile capability for combating serious public disorder and crime that could not be dealt with by local divisions....
of local youths and of black residents of the estate. In 1983, the council gave the Tenants' Association an empty shop to use as an office and a vague authority to "deal with local problems", heightening antagonism between the Tenants' Association and Youth Association, which in turn set up its own youth club, advice centre, estate watchdog and local lobbying group.
Early regeneration projects
Despite the lack of funds and unwillingness on the part of the council to commit to regeneration, by 1985 it appeared that progress was being made in solving the area's problems. Pressure from the Tenants' Association and the Youth Association forced the council to open a Neighbourhood Office. In 1983, a tenants' empowerment agency, Priority Estates Project, was appointed to coordinate residents' complaints and concerns, and residents were included on interview panels for council staff dealing with the area.Sir George Young, 6th Baronet
Sir George Samuel Knatchbull Young, 6th Baronet is a British politician. He is currently the Leader of the House of Commons and Lord Privy Seal, and has served as a Conservative Party Member of Parliament since 1974, having represented North West Hampshire since 1997, and Ealing Acton before...
, then Minister for Inner Cities, secured significant funding for improvements. Broadwater Farm began to be seen as a case study in regenerating a failed housing development. Princess Diana
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
paid a visit to the estate in February 1985, to commend the improvements being made, but much of the apparent progress was superficial. The problems caused by the deck-level walkways had not been solved; children from Broadwater Farm were still under-achieving academically in comparison to the surrounding areas; the unemployment rate stood at 42%; and perhaps most significantly of all, given later events, the mutual distrust between the local residents—particularly those from the Afro-Caribbean community
British African-Caribbean community
The British African Caribbean communities are residents of the United Kingdom who are of West Indian background and whose ancestors were primarily indigenous to Africa...
—and the predominantly White British and non-local police force had not been effectively addressed.
Background to the riot
There had been earlier riots in Brixton and in Handsworth1985 Handsworth riots
The second Handsworth riots began on 9 September 1985 and finished two days later. The riots were reportedly sparked by the arrest of a man near the Acapulco Cafe, Lozells and a police raid on the Villa Cross public house in the same area. Hundreds of people attacked police and property, looting...
in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, which were indicative of a period of rising racial tension, during which some police methods such as raids, saturation policing and stop and search tactics increased the frustration of some members of the black community.
Broadwater Farm resident Floyd Jarrett was arrested by police on 5 October 1985, having given false details when stopped with an allegedly false tax disc
Vehicle licence
A valid vehicle licence is required by law in some countries to be displayed on any registered motor vehicle if it is to be used or kept on a public road.-Worldwide:...
. While he was in custody, four officers attended his home to conduct a search. During the search, his mother Cynthia Jarrett collapsed and died. It has never been satisfactorily concluded how and why Cynthia Jarrett died, and whether it was a heart attack or due to police actions.
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
, which initially passed off relatively peacefully other than a bottle being thrown through one of the station's windows. At 3.15 pm two officers were attacked and seriously injured by the crowd, suffering gunshot wounds. Three journalists were also treated for gunshot wounds.
Murder of PC Keith Blakelock
At 6.45 pm a police van answering a 999 call999 (emergency telephone number)
999 is an official emergency telephone number in a number of countries which allows the caller to contact emergency services for urgent assistance....
to Broadwater Farm was surrounded and attacked. As further police officers made their way to the area, rioters erected barricade
Barricade
Barricade, from the French barrique , is any object or structure that creates a barrier or obstacle to control, block passage or force the flow of traffic in the desired direction...
s on the deck level and the emergency services withdrew from the deck level. At 9.30 pm fire broke out in a newsagent
Newsagent
A newsagent's shop , newsagency or newsstand is a business that sells newspapers, magazines, cigarettes, snacks and often items of local interest. In Britain and Australia, these businesses are termed newsagents...
on the deck level of the Tangmere block. Firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
s attempting to put out the fire came under attack, and police attended to assist them. As the situation escalated, police and firefighters withdrew. In the withdrawal, PC
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
s Keith Blakelock and Richard Coombes became separated from other officers. A group of around 40 people attacked them with sticks
Club (weapon)
A club is among the simplest of all weapons. A club is essentially a short staff, or stick, usually made of wood, and wielded as a weapon since prehistoric times....
, knives
Knife
A knife is a cutting tool with an exposed cutting edge or blade, hand-held or otherwise, with or without a handle. Knives were used at least two-and-a-half million years ago, as evidenced by the Oldowan tools...
and machete
Machete
The machete is a large cleaver-like cutting tool. The blade is typically long and usually under thick. In the English language, an equivalent term is matchet, though it is less commonly known...
s, leading to PC Blakelock's death and serious injuries to PC Coombes. As news of the death spread, the rioting subsided. Local council leader Bernie Grant
Bernie Grant
Bernard Alexander Montgomery Grant , known simply as Bernie Grant, was a politician in the United Kingdom, and was Labour member of Parliament for Tottenham at the time of his death....
claims to have been misquoted as saying that "What the police got was a bloody good hiding".
Three local residents, Mark Braithwaite, Engin Raghip and Winston Silcott
Winston Silcott
Winston Silcott is a British man of Afro-Caribbean descent, who, as one of the "Tottenham Three", was convicted in March 1987 for the murder of PC Keith Blakelock on the night of 6 October 1985 during the Broadwater Farm riot in north London...
, were convicted of PC Blakelock's murder. However, three years later their convictions were overturned when it was discovered that police notes of their interviews had been tampered with. The person or persons guilty of the murder have never been identified. But in 2010, a man was arrested on suspicion of murdering PC Blakelock.
Reconstruction
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
programme in response to the problems highlighted by the riots. The all-white Tenants Association was restructured more accurately to reflect the community, and residents' concerns seriously addressed by the authorities. A local management team was brought in to oversee improvements to the estate and to collect rents and enforce regulations, instead of continuing to attempt to run the estate centrally from Haringey Council's
London Borough of Haringey
The London Borough of Haringey is a London borough, in North London, classified by some definitions as part of Inner London, and by others as part of Outer London. It was created in 1965 by the amalgamation of three former boroughs. It shares borders with six other London boroughs...
central offices. The deck level was dismantled and the overhead walkways demolished, with the shops and amenities relocated to a single ground-level strip of road to transform the semi-derelict Willan Road into a "High Street
High Street
High Street, or the High Street, is a metonym for the generic name of the primary business street of towns or cities, especially in the United Kingdom. It is usually a focal point for shops and retailers in city centres, and is most often used in reference to retailing...
" for the area. The surrounding areas were landscaped and each building redesigned to give it a unique identity. A network of council-run CCTV
Closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors....
cameras was installed to monitor the streets and car parks, and each building staffed by a concierge
Concierge
A concierge is an employee who either works in shifts within, or lives on the premises of an apartment building or a hotel and serves guests with duties similar to those of a butler. The position can also be maintained by a security officer over the 'graveyard' shift. A similar position, known as...
to deter unwanted visitors. Two giant murals were painted which now dominate the area, one of a waterfall on the side of Debden block and one depicting Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
, Martin Luther King, John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
on Rochford block. Disused shops left empty following the withdrawal of businesses after the riots were converted into low-cost light industrial
Light industry
Light industry is usually less capital intensive than heavy industry, and is more consumer-oriented than business-oriented...
units to provide employment opportunities for residents and prevent capital from flowing out of the area. Since the redevelopment, the flow of people leaving the estate has slowed to a trickle, and there is now a lengthy waiting list for housing.
Crime rates
Since the regeneration, Broadwater Farm now has one of the lowest crime rates of any urban area in the world. In the first quarter of 2005, there was not a single reported robberyRobbery
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
or outdoor
Street crime
Street crime is a loose term for criminal offences taking place in public places. It has moved to occupy the place once held by mugging. According to London's Metropolitan Police Force, street crime is:...
assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
on Broadwater Farm, and only a single burglary
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
, from which all property was recovered and the suspect arrested; this compares with 875 burglaries, 50 robberies and 50 assaults in the third quarter of 1985 immediately preceding the riot. In an independent 2003 survey of all the estate's residents, only 2% said they considered the area unsafe, the lowest figure for any area in London. The estate also has the lowest rent
Renting
Renting is an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property owned by another. A gross lease is when the tenant pays a flat rental amount and the landlord pays for all property charges regularly incurred by the ownership from landowners...
arrears
Arrears
Arrears is a legal term for the part of a debt that is overdue after missing one or more required payments. The amount of the arrears is the amount accrued from the date on which the first missed payment was due...
of any part of the borough.
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
disbanded the Broadwater Farm Unit altogether as no longer required in an area with such a low crime rate.
Places of interest
Bruce CastleBruce Castle
Bruce Castle is a Grade I listed 16th-century manor house in Lordship Lane, Tottenham, London. It is named after the House of Bruce who formerly owned the land on which it is built. Believed to stand on the site of an earlier building, about which little is known, the current house is one of the...
, once the home of Rowland Hill
Rowland Hill (postal reformer)
Sir Rowland Hill KCB, FRS was an English teacher, inventor and social reformer. He campaigned for a comprehensive reform of the postal system, based on the concept of penny postage and his solution of prepayment, facilitating the safe, speedy and cheap transfer of letters...
, inventor of the postage stamp, is on the north side of Lordship Lane
Lordship Lane (Haringey)
Lordship Lane connects Wood Green with Tottenham High Road . It lies in the London Borough of Haringey and forms part of the A109 road.-History:...
immediately opposite Broadwater Farm. It was built by William Compton in the 16th century, and has been a public museum since 1906. It houses the public archives of Haringey Council
London Borough of Haringey
The London Borough of Haringey is a London borough, in North London, classified by some definitions as part of Inner London, and by others as part of Outer London. It was created in 1965 by the amalgamation of three former boroughs. It shares borders with six other London boroughs...
, as well as a large display on the history of the postal system.
Broadwater Farm is home to the Broadwater United football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
coaching programme. Set up in the aftermath of the events of 1985 with the intention of providing a focus for local youths, it has subsequently produced a number of professional footballers, including Jobi McAnuff
Jobi McAnuff
Joel Joshua Frederick Dave "Jobi" McAnuff is a professional footballer who plays for and captains Reading F.C.. He is a midfielder and has played for Jamaica.-Early career:...
, Lionel Morgan and Jude Stirling
Jude Stirling
Jude Barrington Stirling is an English footballer playing for Notts County. He is most comfortable at right or left back, but is also able to play as a centre-back, winger or defensive midfielder.-Luton Town:...
, son of the programme manager Clasford Stirling.
Schools
In 2007 a new Children's Centre opened on the estate, with nursery places for 104 children. It is considered one of the best designed nursery schools in the world, and won the Royal Institute of British ArchitectsRoyal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally.-History:...
's Award for 2007.
Broadwater Farm contains three primary schools
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
, the general Broadwater Farm Primary School and the Moselle and William C Harvey schools for pupils with special needs. An ongoing programme is underway to integrate the three schools onto a single campus. Secondary education is provided by nearby Woodside High School, formerly named White Hart Lane School, approximately 200m outside the Broadwater Farm area.
Shops
Following the riots, many shops in Broadwater Farm withdrew from the area, and those that remained closed following the demolition of the deck level. Broadwater Farm is consequently extremely poorly served by shops. Haringey Council has provided 21 small "enterprise units" at a deliberately low cost to entice firms to open in the area, but these have proved hard to fill. However, Broadwater Farm is only 400m from the shops and supermarkets of Tottenham High RoadTottenham High Road
Tottenham High Road is the main thoroughfare through the district of Tottenham, in the London Borough of Haringey. It runs from Edmonton in the North to Stamford Hill in the South . It follows, for the whole of its length, the course of the erstwhile Roman Road, Ermine Street...
, and approximately 2 km from the Shopping City supermall at Wood Green
Wood Green
Wood Green is a district in north London, England, located in the London Borough of Haringey. It is situated north of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of the metropolitan centres in Greater London.-History:...
.
Transport
Due to the waterlogged ground and lack of population prior to the containment of the Moselle, Broadwater Farm was bypassed by the UndergroundLondon Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
. Bruce Grove railway station
Bruce Grove railway station
Bruce Grove railway station in the centre of Tottenham was originally a station on the Stoke Newington & Edmonton Railway which opened on 22 July 1872. It is part of the Seven Sisters branch of the Lea Valley Lines. The station is not far from Bruce Castle, and takes its name from Bruce Grove, a...
, 400m east of the estate, connects the area to central London. Because of the narrow streets, double-decker
Double-decker bus
A double-decker bus is a bus that has two storeys or 'decks'. Global usage of this type of bus is more common in outer touring than in its intra-urban transportion role. Double-decker buses are also commonly found in certain parts of Europe, Asia, and former British colonies and protectorates...
and bendy buses
Articulated bus
An articulated bus is an articulated vehicle used in public transportation. It is usually a single-deck design, and comprises two rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint...
are unable to serve the area. From 11 February 2006 the W4 route, which utilises Alexander dennis Enviro 200 to navigate the narrow streets and sharp bends, was diverted to run into the estate, providing direct public transport links for the first time. A number of other bus routes run along Lordship Lane
Lordship Lane (Haringey)
Lordship Lane connects Wood Green with Tottenham High Road . It lies in the London Borough of Haringey and forms part of the A109 road.-History:...
, immediately to the north and Philip Lane to the south. Turnpike Lane tube station
Turnpike Lane tube station
Turnpike Lane tube station is a station at Turnpike Lane on the Piccadilly Line of the London Underground, between Manor House and Wood Green stations, and in Travelcard Zone 3.It is located within the London Borough of Haringey...
is within walking distance to the south west.
Demographics
There are currently between 3800 and 4000 residents of Broadwater Farm. Following the events of 1985 a number of local residents left and were replaced mainly by recent immigrants, particularly KurdsKurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
, Somalis
Somali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
and Congolese. In 2005, approximately 70% of residents were from an ethnic minority
Minority group
A minority is a sociological group within a demographic. The demographic could be based on many factors from ethnicity, gender, wealth, power, etc. The term extends to numerous situations, and civilizations within history, despite the misnomer of minorities associated with a numerical statistic...
background and 39 different languages were spoken on the estate.