Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp
Encyclopedia
Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp was a peace camp
established to protest at nuclear weapons being sited at RAF Greenham Common
in Berkshire
, England
. The camp began in September 1981 after a Welsh
group, Women for Life on Earth, arrived at Greenham to protest against the decision of the British government to allow cruise missile
s to be based there. The first blockade of the base occurred in May 1982 with 250 women protesting, during which 34 arrests were made.
District Council but set up a new camp nearby within days.
The camp became well known when on 1 April 1983, about 70,000 protesters formed a 14 miles (22.5 km) human chain from Greenham to Aldermaston
and the ordnance factory at Burghfield
. The women's peace camp attracted significant media attention and "prompted the creation of other peace camps at more than a dozen sites in Britain and elsewhere in Europe". Another encircling of the base occurred in Dec 1983, with 50,000 women attending. Sections of the fence were cut and there were hundreds of arrests.
On 4 April 1984, the women were again evicted from the Common; again by nightfall the women all returned to reform the camp.
The camp consisted of nine smaller camps at various gates around the base. The first was called Yellow Gate and others included: Blue Gate with its new age focus, Violet Gate with a religious focus, and Green Gate which was exclusively women-only and did not accept male visitors.
The last missiles left the camp in 1991 as a result of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty
, but the camp remained in place until 2000 after protestors won the right to house a memorial on the site. Although the missiles had been removed from the base, the camp was continued as part of the protest against the forthcoming UK Trident programme
. The last four protesters to leave the site included Sarah Hipperson who had been part of the camp protest for a total of nineteen years.
A Commemorative & Historic Site on the site of the old camp was inaugurated on 5 October 2002 which features a circle of seven standing stones encircling the 'Flame' sculpture which represents a camp fire.
, including;
Peace camp
Peace camps are a form of physical protest camp that is focused on anti-war activity. They are set up outside military bases by members of the peace movement who oppose either the existence of the military bases themselves, the armaments held there, or the politics of those who control the bases...
established to protest at nuclear weapons being sited at RAF Greenham Common
RAF Greenham Common
RAF Station Greenham Common is a former military airfield in Berkshire, England. The airfield is located approximately south-southwest of Thatcham; about west of London....
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The camp began in September 1981 after a Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
group, Women for Life on Earth, arrived at Greenham to protest against the decision of the British government to allow cruise missile
Cruise missile
A cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
s to be based there. The first blockade of the base occurred in May 1982 with 250 women protesting, during which 34 arrests were made.
History
In December 1982, 30,000 women joined hands around the base at the Embrace the Base event. On 29 September 1982 the women were evicted by NewburyNewbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
District Council but set up a new camp nearby within days.
The camp became well known when on 1 April 1983, about 70,000 protesters formed a 14 miles (22.5 km) human chain from Greenham to Aldermaston
Aldermaston
Aldermaston is a rural village, civil parish and electoral ward in Berkshire, South-East England. In the 2001 United Kingdom Census, the parish had a population of 927. The village is on the southern edge of the River Kennet flood plain, near the Hampshire county boundary...
and the ordnance factory at Burghfield
Burghfield
Burghfield is a village and civil parish in West Berkshire, England, close to the boundary with Reading.-Location:Burghfield is about southwest of Reading...
. The women's peace camp attracted significant media attention and "prompted the creation of other peace camps at more than a dozen sites in Britain and elsewhere in Europe". Another encircling of the base occurred in Dec 1983, with 50,000 women attending. Sections of the fence were cut and there were hundreds of arrests.
The camp consisted of nine smaller camps at various gates around the base. The first was called Yellow Gate and others included: Blue Gate with its new age focus, Violet Gate with a religious focus, and Green Gate which was exclusively women-only and did not accept male visitors.
The last missiles left the camp in 1991 as a result of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty
The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty is a 1987 agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union. Signed in Washington, D.C. by U.S. President Ronald Reagan and General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev on December 8, 1987, it was ratified by the United States Senate on May 27, 1988 and...
, but the camp remained in place until 2000 after protestors won the right to house a memorial on the site. Although the missiles had been removed from the base, the camp was continued as part of the protest against the forthcoming UK Trident programme
UK Trident programme
The UK Trident programme is the United Kingdom's Trident missile-based nuclear weapons programme. Under the programme, the Royal Navy operates 58 nuclear-armed Trident II D-5 submarine-launched ballistic missiles and around 200 nuclear warheads on 4 Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines from...
. The last four protesters to leave the site included Sarah Hipperson who had been part of the camp protest for a total of nineteen years.
A Commemorative & Historic Site on the site of the old camp was inaugurated on 5 October 2002 which features a circle of seven standing stones encircling the 'Flame' sculpture which represents a camp fire.
See also
- Campaign for Nuclear DisarmamentCampaign for Nuclear DisarmamentThe Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament is an anti-nuclear organisation that advocates unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United Kingdom, international nuclear disarmament and tighter international arms regulation through agreements such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty...
- Faslane Peace CampFaslane Peace CampFaslane Peace Camp is a permanent peace camp sited alongside Faslane Naval base in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It has been occupied continuously, in a few different locations, since 12 June 1982...
- Helen JohnHelen JohnHelen John was the first full-time member of the Greenham Common peace camp, who has worked "fearlessly and relentlessly" to undermine the British and US military for 30 years. "She has broken into and damaged top-security establishments, stood against Tony Blair for parliament, and been assaulted...
Further reading
Several sets of papers related to Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp are held at The Women's Library at London Metropolitan UniversityLondon Metropolitan University
London Metropolitan University , located in London, England, was formed on 1 August 2002 by the amalgamation of the University of North London and the London Guildhall University . The University has campuses in the City of London and in the London Borough of Islington.The University operates its...
, including;
- Greenham Common Collection ref 5GCC
- Records of Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp (Yellow Gate) ref 5GCW
- Jayne and Juliet Nelson (Yellow Gate) ref 7JAN
External links
- Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp
- Greenham Common Camp Festival
- YourGreenham.co.uk
- UKWatch.net: Remembering Greenham Common (December 11, 2007. by Kate Hudson)
- Article on Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp by the International Museum of WomenInternational Museum of WomenThe International Museum of Women, , headquartered in San Francisco, California, is an online museum that covers women's issues world-wide.- Creation and expansion :I.M.O.W. was founded as the Women's Heritage Museum in 1985...
. - Imperial War Museum online exhibit and sound archive about the camp