[3] There had been some early complaints from neighbours about excessive noise from the party. Smithyman and his friend may well have come to the door and couldnt get in but someone wouldve at least remembered two white boys approaching the venue - but nobody recalls this. 1 He lived at Westacre, Norfolk, England. [19][20], St. Andrew's Church in Brockley has a strong connection with the victims, as many of them attended the youth club there. Among the victims was 16-year-old Yvonne Ruddock, who had been celebrating her birthday with around 50 guests when the blaze broke out in the early hours of Sunday, 19 January. Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4. On 1 March, the Daily Mail falsely reported that several of the fire survivors were arrested and would face severe charges in what black Britons saw as an attempt to undermine the demonstration and the black communitys inquest into the house fire. And that was when I decided I've got to move, I've got to get out of here.". Protesters travelled from across England to attend the eight-hour march, which set off from Fordham Park in New Cross a short walk from the scene of the fire. When the illness was first recorded in detail, it was called ignis sacer (or, "holy fire,") and according to Lapham's Quarterly, that first in-depth mention came way back in 994. Until 2011 he was Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck College, University of London. 1 He held the office of Deputy Lieutenant (D.L.) Initially. The only way was to march through London and disrupt it as much as we could.. The Witch Trials of JK Rowling makes sensible points. A 14th person, Anthony Berbeck, was described as having died "following trauma brought on by the fire". In October 2002, Lewisham council installed a special stained-glass window at the church in their memory. Presenter posts Home Secretary warns political correctness has created a 'blind spot' for Islamist extremism to operate 'This is not the way to conduct an interview': Smiling Iranian foreign minister says women in his country Now the CHICKENS could get vaccines! [33] In March 2018, poet Jay Bernard's performance work investigating the fire, Surge: Side A, won the 2017 Ted Hughes Award for new poetry. He had been traumatised by the death of his friends in the blaze.[7]. View Anthony Birbeck, MBE, FRSA'S professional profile on LinkedIn. How the hell did someone walk in that house from off the street, start the fire and walk back out? On the night of the fire, nine black youth died. Required fields are marked *. When safety doesn't come first! Joan Ruddock, Labour MP for Lewisham Deptford, has worked closely with the families and was responsible for securing a second police inquiry. Lovers rock tracks pumped from a sound system as revellers jostled for space on the dancefloor. ", Mr Haynes was burnt from his fingers to the top of his arms, 06 May 04 Theion TVnewsletter is a daily email full of suggestions of what to watch as well as the latest TV news, opinions and interviews. The house had been full the night before, with revellers celebrating the sixteenth birthday of Yvonne Ruddock and the eighteenth birthday of her friend Angela Jackson. Username. THAMES NEWS 17.8.83 INQUEST INTO DEATH. England, 16 Feb 04 Parliament says nothing. ER 2002-05 People started panicking and screaming. The blaze killed 13 young black people aged between 14 and 22, and one survivor killed himself two years later.[1]. Your email address will not be published. [9] This second inquest also resulted in an open verdict. 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Racists like to boast about their accomplishments., The Black Peoples Day of Action demonstration (March 1981). | Barling's London", "Hideously diverse Britain: Memories of the New Cross tragedy never fade", "New Cross Fire Memorial Window at St. Andrew's Church, Brockley, London SE4 - detail", "New Cross fire: Memorial service and commemorative plaque unveiling", "New Cross Fire - New Cross Road, London, UK", "Memorial plaque for New Cross fire victims unveiled", "New Cross Fire Memorial in Fordham Park", "13 Dead, Nothing Said" exhibition at Goldsmiths, "13 Dead, Nothing Said" | 16 May 2017 27 May 2017" Exhibition notes, "Photographs uncover 1981 New Cross march for racial equality", "Blood Ah Go Run: New Cross Fire 1981 Documentary", "Linton Kwesi Johnson - New Crass Massahkah", https://www.discogs.com/release/4627678-Sir-Collins-New-Cross-Fire-Page-One, "Jay Bernard wins Ted Hughes new poetry award", "Jay Bernard's 'personal and brave' poetry wins Ted Hughes award", "British writer launches poetry show based on 'New Cross Massacre' which killed 13 Blacks", "Alex Wheatle on the Life Story That Inspired Steve McQueen's Latest Small Axe Film", "Steve McQueen To Co-Direct BBC Race Relations Documentary Series 'Uprising', "30 years after the New Cross fire: challenging racism today", Remembering the New Cross Fire 30 Years On - promotional video, "New Crass Massahkah: Remembering the fire at 439 New Cross Road", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=New_Cross_house_fire&oldid=1141325113, Glenton Powell, age 16 (died in hospital), Yvonne Ruddock, age 16 (died in hospital), This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 13:53. The New Cross Fire was a significant turning point in Britain in terms of black Britons, the police and the medias relationship and intergenerational alliance to expose racism, injustices and the plight of black Britons. The Action Committee sought to raise awareness of the tragedy, raise money for the bereaved, and establish the true cause of the fire. Already serving a life sentence for two murders, including that of his pregnant 22-year-old girlfriend April Sheridan, Smithyman gave a chilling account during 40 taped interviews of how the fire started. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. A new investigation into the blaze that killed 13 young black people at a London party 23 years ago suggests that a group of adults inside the house was to blame. "Nobody sent condolences, nobody behaved as they do nowadays or indeed as they would have done then if white children had been lost.". In the immediate aftermath of the blaze, the police were accused of not properly investigating what happened while the government and Royal Family were silent on the issue without so much as a message of condolences to the families affected. Many of the victims' families and the survivors attended the event. Anthony Cross. New Lille, Hauts-de-France, France jobs added daily. Maurice Boyd Birkbeck and Thomas Anthony Birkbeck, all estate agents. People listen to everything that comes out about the New Cross fire only to get [hopes] built up and then torn back down. For some it was seen as a chance to lay to rest the ghosts of 439 New Cross Road. NF logos and W*gs Out written on rucksacks; N***rs Out scratched into school desks. Policies Link opens in new tab . [26] Both were installed in 2012. When they arrived, heavy smoke and flames were coming from the home. A short service of Remembrance will take place on Friday 17 January at 11a.m. Over the years, a number of reviews and follow-up enquiries have been conducted. "Even comedians who know . He tweets @DrAaronAndrews. I'm a Feng Shui expert and these are the three things I will never allow in a bedroom. [1] Nefertiti Gayle, Every Time Me memba (no date) reproduced in Beverley Bryan, Stella Dadzie and Suzanne Scafe, The Heart of the Race: Black Womens Lives in Britain, London, 1985, pp. A survivor was so horrified by what he saw that he killed himself two years later. Recommended option. One week after the fire, on 25 January, a meeting was held at the Moonshot Club in New Cross, attended by more than one thousand people. This article accompanies Aaron Andrews piece Truth, Justice, and Expertise in 1980s Britain: the Cultural Politics of the New Cross MassacreinHistory Workshop Journal issue 91, where it is available on free access. What is that? Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner. Yvonne loved soft, sweet girl music. Id travelled down from Rugby [in Warwickshire] and wanted to hear rastaman music, he says with alaugh. 439, New Cross Road. In early April, an estimated 943 peoples were stopped and searched by the police under Sus laws, an addendum to the 1824 Vagrancy Act, and 188 black youths were arrested. Save my name and email address in this browser for the next time I comment. He smashed his hip into 163 pieces, damaged his sciatic nerve and up until this day cannot feel anything below his knee. Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4. She told reporters at the time: I ran to the living room and saw the top of the armchair, the curtains, ablaze. "But when I looked at my hand I realised that it was my own skin that I was rubbing off my face instead of sweat or grit. The second inquest has been an unprecedented opportunity for families, survivors and the police to try and provide answers to questions which have haunted them all for the past 23 years. Nine people were killed and 20 injured in a blaze which engulfed a house early this morning in south London. Forty years on, and for the first time on British television, the story of the fire and its aftermath are being told in Uprising, a three-part BBC One series which begins tonight at 9pm. Beaming Prince Harry and Meghan enjoy a date night at exclusive $4,200-A-YEAR Repli-Kate! 1 . By February 9, four more black teenagers had succumbed to their fire injuries. In the face of this silence, activists from across London established the New Cross Massacre Action Committee. Numbers swelled as the march neared the city; young people jumped over school gates and curious shoppers joined the demonstration. Several theories on the cause of the fire have emerged over the years. . After being told of what Smithyman had claimed, she told the MoS: 'The case has never been investigated properly. 1981: Nine die in New Cross house fire. Stephen Anthony Birbeck, American city official. Prince Andrew 'fears he won't be able to afford Royal Lodge if King Charles cuts his 250K grant - but is Can you solve this trivia riddle? Volunteers took statements from partygoers because of the black communitys deep mistrust of the police. The New Cross Massacre exposed the indifference and disdain with which government and the media have treated the loss of Black lives. See Photos. 13 Apr 1922, d. 21 Mar 2008 Citations Police initially thought the inferno was caused by a firebomb thrown through a downstairs window. Inquests into the deaths were held in 1981 and 2004. Emotionally, its no good for us, as survivors, in particular. [citation needed] Additionally, reggae producer Sir Collins, whose son Steve died in the fire, released a tribute album in memory of the victims. Please use the search above if you cannot find the record you require. On March 2, an estimated 20,000 demonstrators including members of the Black Panther Party, Black Parents Movement, and Black Youth Movement, marched in one of the most massive demonstrations against racial injustice in British history. The History of Radical Mas Bands at Notting Hill Carnival, Crush the Despicable! It will then cause further division which makes it harder for us to get to the bottom of anything.. The next morning he received a telephone call telling him Gerry was dead. Leverage your professional network, and get hired. ', A Met spokesman said: 'We thoroughly investigated the circumstances of the fire in 1981. Magdalene Edwards, now 57, survived the fire by jumping from a window while three months pregnant, but her 16-year-old stepsister Rosalind Henry died. The person said 'There was a fire at the party Gerry did not make it.' There was no shock.. Police reopened the investigation into the fire in 1997 after lobbying by relatives and local MP Joan Ruddock. They felt as if no one cared about their loss. 17,029 pages were read in the last minute. For many, it seemed as though Black lives did not matter. This is a proven fact. His other roles included the leads in HBO's first ever mini-series . Mr Haynes, who jumped from a window, suffered life-changing injuries including 140 skin grafts from first degree burns. Thats what counselling does for you; every Monday, I end up crying my eyes out because of things that Id blocked out for years., Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. The silence over the loss of thirteen lives was also filled by music and poetry. Anthony Cross. Today, the New Cross Fire remains unsolved. This week, a new inquest will be opened into all 14 deaths following an extensive forensic reinvestigation by police which includes an analysis of the movement of people at the house party. No one has ever been charged in connection with the fire, which forensic science subsequently established started inside the house. But what can I tell you, I am here, I am alive. See Photos . Find 10 people named Stephen Birbeck along with free Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok profiles on PeekYou - true people search. | Artists like Linton Kwesi Johnson, Benjamin Zephaniah, and Johnny Osbourne also wrote poems and songs, telling the story of the massacre, and condemning the silence which followed it. And Im still in therapy because Ive only just realised how much the fire affected me. New Zealand. Join Facebook to connect with Anthony Birbeck and others you may know. Pub puzzle depicting a 'common phrase' stumps thousands - before the What lack of sleep REALLY does to your face: Expert reveals the warning signs your skin is suffering. Uprising connects three chapters in recent British history through powerful testimonials and archive footage: the New Cross fire and the Black Peoples Day of Action, when 20,000 people marched on central London to protest against the silence from the state. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? We expand the work of History Workshop Journal, and continue the democratising spirit of the History Workshop movement. Thirteen young Black Britons, including Yvonne and her brother Paul, lost their lives as a result of the fire. Through the occupation of urban space, the marchers filled the silence rendered by the states indifference to the loss of Black lives and proclaimed: Come what may, we are here to stay. In 2002, a new action in the High Court led to an order for a second inquest, which was held in 2004. The verdict was disputed by those who believed that the fire had been the result of a racist arson attack, and the conduct of the Inner South London Coroner, who oversaw the inquest, caused particular dismay, exposing systemic flaws in the investigation of controversial deaths. Survivor season 41: Who is host Jeff Probst? All rights reserved. Voltaires Enlightened Racism. "The phone rang the next morning. After police failed to find the culprit, the local community adopted the slogan '13 dead, nothing said'. We got there early and crowds began to build. A 14th victim died in 1983. 20072023 Blackpast.org. On 18 January 1981 he was at a party held at 439 New Cross Road, London, SE14 6TA that claimed 13 lives as a result of a fire and subsequently became disturbed following the deaths of his best friends. John La Rose, the founder of the UKs first black publisher and specialist bookshop New Beacon Books, said at the time: This outrage in the heart of London the Prime Minister says nothing. Berbeck actually escaped the fire, but became mentally disturbed and died after falling from a balcony, a possible suicide. in the Civic Suite. Police notes seen by the MoS state that a senior officer wrote in a 1993 Home Office briefing document: 'He (the arsonist) describes the motive for the fire as a stupid prank purely to scare the partygoers because they had refused them entry to the party.'. 2 . 1 Anthony Leng Birbeck. Covering: Cooke Township, Newville Borough, North Newton Township, Penn Township, South Newton Township, West Pennsboro Township, Lower Mifflin Township, Upper Mifflin Township, Upper Frankford Township Office Hours: Monday - Friday: 8:30 am - 4:00 pm people of colour disproportionately impacted by coronavirus. The people who know what really happened are already dying out and are going to take that to their grave. Moreover, local far-right extremism and the longer history of racist arson attacks in the area suggested that the fire was a deliberate attack. Exclusive: A lot of people refuse to do their research because they want to believe that a white person did it; how did the alleged white arsonist get past the doors and into the party? Wayne Haynes told The Independent. Today's 29,000+ jobs in Lille, Hauts-de-France, France. He is currently working with 20 other survivors to push for a third inquest in hopes to change the open verdicts, which were returned two times previously in 1981 and 2004, to one which reflects the fact that the victims were unlawfully killed. No one has ever been charged in relation to the incident. Our colleague, Andrew Behan, has researched this young man:Anthony Alexander Berbeck was born on 17 August 1962 in Lewisham, the son of Wilfred P. Berbeck and Cynthia L. Berbeck ne Whyte. Cordelia J Birkbeck. Initially. Film director Steve McQueen, who made a BBC documentary on the tragedy earlier this year, said the blaze and its aftermath were 'momentous events in our nation's history'. In the immediate aftermath of the fire, a New Cross Massacre Action Committee (NCMAC) was set up, chaired by John La Rose, which organised a "Black People's Day of Action" on 2 March 1981, when some 20,000 people marched over a period of eight hours through London, carrying placards that bore statements including: "13 Dead, Nothing Said". True justice would look like 65 Black people, who were affected by the fire, being made multi millionaires by the Government where they havent received compensation, the 58-year-old said. Mel B reveals her Spice Girls bandmates knew about the 'abuse' she suffered while she was married to Stephen Do YOU know how much a flooded home costs to repair - and is it covered on your insurance? Lottery and the Arts Council to produce two anthologies of interpreters' stories and a play about a couple in a cross-language relationship, for the Soho Theatre, London. Despite this, it wasnt long before the police began to blame the victims. Then they questioned eight black youths who subsequently claimed they had been forced to make false statements. Pedestrian, 49, who swore at 77-year-old cycling on the pavement who then veered into road and was struck by Are you allowing your bank to rip you off? Its a state ofbarbarism.. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in. The New Cross Fire tragedy highlighted hostility between black Britons, the police and the media. In the early morning on Sunday 18 January 1981, a fire broke out at 439 New Cross Road in the London Borough of Lewisham. I am an experienced Counsellor, offering affordable counselling to those who feel burduned by emotional problems in their lives. The meeting concluded with a march to the scene of the fire and a demonstration there, which blocked New Cross Road for several hours. Other occupants: Sylvia K Birbeck. Marion County Fire Rescue crews responded to a mobile home on Northeast 86th Lane at 12:41 a.m. The new police inquiry, involving fresh interviews with witnesses, has now formally established that the blaze started when a naked flame was applied to a foam-filled armchair in the living-room. Theres so much more to this story. Join Facebook to connect with Anthony Birbeck and others you may know. [21][22] On 16 January 2011, a memorial service was held there, with speakers including George Francis, chair of the New Cross Fire Parents' Committee, Lewisham Council leader Steve Bullock and Joan Ruddock, MP for Lewisham Deptford.[23]. On 18 January 1981 he was at a party held at 439 New Cross Road, London, SE14 6TA that claimed 13 lives as a result of a fire and subsequently became disturbed following the deaths of his best friends. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, Fresh inquiry into New Cross fire set to blame adults at house party, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Up to 20% off & extra perks with Booking.com Genius Membership, Extra 25% off kitchen appliances using this AO discount code, 10% off sale orders 100+ with this Soak & Sleep discount code, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK March 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this March, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. Michael Smithyman, who had been jailed for killing his pregnant girlfriend, was the subject of a police report submitted to the Home Office and was reinterviewed by an elite Scotland Yard unit in 1993. Within months an inquest returned an open verdict. The disaster claimed a 14th victim two years later when 20-year-old Anthony Berbeck took his own life in 1983 because of what an inquest judge called "trauma brought on by the fire". Name.