U N C O V E R E D

B R O A D W A T E R F A R MR a c e , R i o t s a n d R e g e n e r a t i o n

H a r i n g e y

LIVING ON TOPOF EACH OTHERBroadwater Farm is a housing estate inTottenham that is notorious for a riot in1985, but which is now one of the safestplaces in Haringey.

In World War II, 3.5 million houses inLondon were damaged or destroyed bybombs. Instead of rebuilding the oldrows of houses, they were cleared awayto make room for ‘modernist’developments like the Barbican and theRoyal Festival Hall.

Tower block estates were seen as a boldnew way of living, and whenBroadwater Farm was finished in 1973 itwon awards for its futuristic design. But,like other estates around the country, itwas soon dogged by unemployment,poverty and crime.

“The design of the estate, with it’s tunnelsin the sky linking the various blocks anddark car parks, made the estate ahaven for criminals,” says Paul Denehy,Broadwater Farm’s Estate Manager.

“They built the estate on stilts with carparks underneath. That’s where all theguys hung out,” says former residentClassford Stirling. “People used it fordrugs, crime, all different things. Peoplegot scared to come over here, even thepolice. We had a stage where it was ano-go area.”

Just three years after it was finished, theDepartment of Environment suggested itshould be demolished. At the same timetension between ethnic minorities andthe police was growing.

“People objected to the way the policetreated black and ethnic minoritypeople and they took to the streets,”says Classford. “Riots were happeningeverywhere, in Bristol, Brixton,Manchester. No one’s condoning it, butyou have to look at what built up thefrustration; things were at an all time lowwith the police.”

Racism, poverty, unemployment andunfair policing meant that in October1985, following riots in Handsworth andBrixton, tension on Broadwater Farmexploded.

DID YOUKNOW... Broadwater Farmused to be... a realfarm and a dairy!

DID YOUKNOW... The blocks were builton stilts to protect itfrom theunderground RiverMoselle whichflooded Tottenhamfor hundreds of yearsuntil the 1960s.

DID YOUKNOW... The estate was sopopular when it wasfirst built thatdesperate would-betenants entered alottery to win a homethere.

YOUTH ACTION“Things were getting out of control onthe estate,” says Classford Stirling, whohelped set up the Broadwater FamYouth Association in 1981. “There was anold chip shop that had been closed foryears and we just took it over - kickedthe door off and threw all the stuff overthe balcony. We cleaned it up andcreated an organisation that hadpower - real power. We got youngpeople into local politics and peoplelistened. Things were changing. PrincessDiana invited herself down to play poolin the club.”

But the success of the Youth Associationdid little to ease the tension betweenblack residents and the police.

RUNNING RIOTIn October 1985 the police arrestedFloyd Jarrett, a member of the YouthAssociation. While they were searchinghis mother Cynthia Jarrett’s house, shesuffered a heart attack and died.

“There was a protest,” remembersClassford. “Because it was such a largecrowd - and it wasn’t just black people -the police blocked off the road.Somebody threw a stone and itescalated from there. People began torip up pavements and it became a war- literally. They broke into a shop, got allthe cans in the trolleys and used themas weapons.”

The riot lasted through the night. 58police officers and 24 people weretaken to hospital with injuries, and oneofficer, PC Keith Blakelock, was killed.Three estate residents were sent toprison for his murder before theirconvictions were overturned.

“You can’t imagine what this place waslike after the riot,” says Classford. “Theplace looked like a war zone. Therewere two police every 20 yards, all overthe estate morning, noon and night.Doors were being kicked off - it was likeyou were in a military zone. It wasoccupied.”

DID YOUKNOW...Before, and since, theriots, housing expertsfrom across Europeand America visitedthe Farm to learn fromthe Youth Associationand residents.

DID YOUKNOW...In 1985 JamaicanReggae star JuniorDelgado’s song‘Broadwater Farm’,about the crime andpoverty on the estate,predicted the riots thatwould occur a fewmonths later.

DID YOUKNOW...After the riot, 350people werearrested,160 werecharged and 40were sent to prison.9165 police officerswere put on stand-byand 271 homes wereraided by armedpolice.

THE GREATESTATEThanks to the Youth Association andother community groups, just one yearafter the riot, crime had fallendramatically and police and racerelations had improved. Now, after £33million of investment and two decadesof community action, things are evenbetter.

“It’s still dark under the blocks but it wasfar darker with the walkways overheadas well,” says Paul Denehy, the EstateManager. “Standing in the mainentrance of the estate used to feel likeyou were underground. When we firstknocked it all down, people couldn’tbelieve how open and spacious it felt.They were standing there looking up atthe sky.”

And the only place you’ll find youngpeople hanging around now is thecommunity centre, built in the 1990s tohold sports clubs for young people.

“I started playing football after I gotsigned for the team and from there onI’ve had chances for clubs,” says 17-year-old Antwon. Ozzie, who’s beengoing to the centre for over 10 years,says, “We’re all connected as a familynow. As coaches we’re guiding theyounger ones and getting trained at thesame time.” The centre also runsmidnight football to keep kids off thestreet at night.

“Some people think that BroadwaterFarm is a bad place because of what’shappened in the past and becausethere’s lot of black people. But whenyou come here it’s not really like that.We all get along.” says 12-year-oldShaun.

"We've had people come from all overthe world,” says Paul. “Sometimes theylook at the structural redesign,sometimes at the solutions we've foundto a community this diverse. Even anadviser to Bill Clinton wanted to talk tous about the integration of blackyouths. There's a whole range of lessonsto be learned from Broadwater Farm.”

DID YOUKNOW...In 1985 there were875 break-ins, 50muggings and 50assaults inBroadwater Farm. In2005, there was onehouse burglary.

DID YOUKNOW...There are over 150CCTV cameras onthe estate.

DID YOUKNOW...25 young footballersfrom BroadwaterFarm are nowtraining at Arsenal.Three girls have goneto Tottenham Hotspur.

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This booklet was produced by young people at Exposure, Haringey’s award-winningyouth media charity, with help from BTCV, Broadwater Farm Community Centre andresidents, and Classford Stirling. It was paid for by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

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