Forty years ago today the Afrikan community suffered one of its worst ever tragedies in the UK (at least up until the Grenfell Fire), known as the New Cross Massacre. (1) Fourteen young people died at the 18th and 16th year joint birthday party of Angela Jackson and Yvonne Ruddock respectively. To date, in spite of two inquests in 1981 and 2004 that both returned ‘Open’ verdicts (i.e. actual cause of death couldn’t be determined), it remains an unsolved crime. Many regard the lack of a satisfactory outcome of two inquests as an continuation of the establishment indifference that that spawned the “24 dead, nothing said” slogan. (2)
However, the 2004 inquest did advance the notion that the fire started in an armchair in the front room of 439 New Cross Road where the party took place. (3) This is in contrast to wide sections of the community who contend that the fire was caused by an incendiary device thrown from outside the house in a racist attack (which was also the view held by the police in the first instance). (4). Calls for a third inquiry due to the perception that the first two were marred by racism have yet to yield any results. (5)
Although the massacre did galvanise the community, this was never converted into a substantive broad-based movement. But perhaps the ideological fault lines were too deep to be reconciled, if the antipathy of a prominent member of the New Cross Massacre Action Committee, in reference to fellow committee members in September 1981 is to be believed:
“We have the small minority of blacks who believe in the “back-to-Africa” idea, or nonsense like hating the white man. These elements represent the ass-hole end of black politics.” (6)
One of the roles of this movement would have been to properly memorialize the massacre in the collective community consciousness, something acknowledged to be sorely lacking. As Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka, acknowledged a decade ago:
“Yet, thirty years on, many of our people, especially our youths, know nothing about this history; and we continue to endure the same injustices as well as disproportionately high: school exclusions/underachievement; deaths in custody; stop and search; DNA profiling; etc..” (7)
It appears that for many the New Cross Massacre exists on the fringes of their awareness, which has in turn been passed on to successive generations. In fact, we could query if we are saying enough about it. Too many know not the names of the martyrs, the loss suffered by their families, nor the impact on the scores of survivors (and their families too). We can at least begin by saying the names of those we know, meditating on the spirits of those we don’t and empathising with those that survived:
Patrick Cummings, 21 September 1964 – 18 January 1981
Andrew Gooding,18 February 1966 – 18 January 1981
Peter Campbell, 23 February 1962 – 18 January 1981
Gerry Paul Francis, 21 August 1963 – 18 January 1981
Steve Collins, 2 May 1963 – 18 January 1981
Patricia Johnson, 16 May 1965 – 18 January 1981
Rosaline Henry, 23 September 1964 – 18 January 1981
Lloyd Hall, 28 November 1960 – 18 January 1981
Humphrey Geoffrey Brown, 4 July 1962 – 18 January 1981
Owen Thompson, 11 September 1964 – 18 January 1981
Yvonne Ruddock, 17 January 1965 – 24 January 1981
Glenton Powell, 18 January 1966 – 25 January 1981
Paul Ruddock, 19 November 1958 – 9 February 1981
Anthony Berbeck, 17 August 1962 – 9 July 1983
(1) Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka (2011) Commemorate, Evaluate, Organise to Liberate! The Whirlwind Issue 9, p. 2-3.; Jimmy Nsubuga (14/06/19) Grenfell anniversary: Faces of the victims of the tower inferno who should not be forgotten. https://metro.co.uk/2019/06/14/grenfell-anniversary-faces-victims-tower-inferno-not-forgotten-9951822/
(2) Aamna Mohdin (15/01/21) How the New Cross fire became a rallying cry for political action. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/jan/15/how-the-new-cross-fire-became-a-rallying-cry-for-political-action
(3) Ibid
(4) Ibid.
(5) Poppy Brady (01/03/17) New Cross Fire Victim’s Cousin Demands New Enquiry. https://archive.voice-online.co.uk/article/new-cross-fire-victims-cousin-demands-new-enquiry
(6) Desmond Hunt (1981) An interview with Linton Kwesi Johnson, The Other Side ‘zine, https://standupandspit.wordpress.com/2014/06/10/linton-kwesi-johnson-1981/
(7) Mbandaka. Op. cit.
We ask the question:
New Cross Massacre 40 Years On – What’s Being Said Now?
1) What have we learned from the two inquests and should there be a third?
2) Did conflict amongst activists prevent a viable movement from developing out of the Massacre?
3) Why do successive generations know so little about the New Cross Massacre and how can this be rectified?
4) Has the community ever really come to terms with the impact of the New Cross Massacre
Our Special Guests:
Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and an Afrikan-Centred Education Consultant. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of almost 40 years standing, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Approach To Excellence.
Bro. Makonnen Sankofa: is a devout Rasta and journalist and author of the book, The Rise of Rastafari. Makonnen is also the founder of Africa Repatriation Group UK, which is a network to connect people together for those want to repatriate to Africa. He is also founder of the Black Books Webinar. Bro. Makonnen is also the nephew of Anthony Berbeck, the 14th victim of the massacre.