New Year's day morning 1890 - Remembering the 26 Children

 

This morning a small group of Councillors and local historians met in West Ham Cemetery at the memorial to the 26 young boys (see below) who suffocated to death following a fire at the nearby children's Workhouse.  

Author John Walker, who has written a recent book on the fire and the Workhouse "Out of Sight, Out of Mind -Abuse, Neglect and Fire in a London Children’s Workhouse, 1854 - 1907" read out the names and ages of the victims. In his book John  makes it clear who should have been held responsible for this "accident". "Although cleared by the inquest, the management was culpable: it had locked them in their dormitories, so the staff could celebrate the new year in, off site.

Many thanks also to local historian, Alan Regin MBE, who is a font of knowledge about the cemetery and is trying to locate the exact locations of the boys grave. 

Protest outside Warehouse K - Oppose the hostile environment and there is no place for hate in our borough

Yesterday evening I walked from Newham Dockside along Royal Docks to join Councillor colleagues and local residents protesting outside the historic Warehouse K which is the site of a proposed Immigration detention centre.  

Local Newham Councillors have set up a campaign group - Newham Against the Immigration Centre https://twitter.com/NewhamAgainst

We joined a protest organised by the Newham Branch of the SUTR. Local Cllr Dr Rohit Das Gupta was the first speaker. He described how the local ward Councillors had met via zoom today with the developers to make clear their opposition to the proposal. 

As well as a wide range of local residents and activists, Cllr James Beckles, Cllr Shaban Mohammed, Cllr Anam Islam, Cllr Belgica Guaña and Cllr Suga Thekkeppurayil (final speaker) were there supporting the protest. 

Councillors who are on the Strategic planning committee would not be able to attend since by law they have to remain completely neutral until they have heard the actual planning application. The application for a change of use into a 24/7 detention centre with 35 custody cells is thought to be heard next month. 

There was a wide range of speakers addressing the protest. I spoke as Newham Deputy Mayor and made it clear that we are opposed to this "prison" being built in Newham and we will do everything we can do to stop it.  I also pointed out that this warehouse was built in 1855 for imported tobacco and therefore in all likelihood produce from American slave plantations was stored here and now the Home Office is proposing to jail migrants in the same building. This is an outrage. 

Darul Jannah Community Centre 2nd anniversary & Student Prize Awards

I was really pleased tonight to be a guest at the Darul Jannah community centre in my ward, alongside Cllr John Whitworth, Cllr Anam Islam and Cllr Shaban Mohammed as well as local Police and other community activists.

The centre has been open for 2 years and the ceremony tonight involved making speeches, listening to prayers, islamic hymns and giving out prizes for achievements and attendance to the students who have religious classes at the centre. There was a fantastic hymn by a group of young girls.

In my speech I compared the Darul Jannah Islamic tradition of a strong inclusive community, charity and love of family with the close knit, socialistic community that I knew growing up as a child in North Wales.

Towards the end, newly elected Newham Councillor, Moniba Khan, also attended. The centre gave everyone a delicious meal afterwards. 

Far From the Western Front: South Asian Stories of the First World War

After a Labour Party canvass session in Forest Gate last month, Councillor Anam Islam took Councillor John Whitworth and I to this exhibition in the Minhaj-Ul-Quran Cultural centre in Romford Road.

This was a fascinating examination of the untold contribution made by South Asian troops to the British victory in the first world war and the hardship and ill treatment that many of them received while doing their bit for King and Empire.

The sacrifice and bravery of so many South Asian troops in the deadly trench battles in France and Belgium is beginning to be recognised but many also served and suffered in difficult, unhealthy and at times, murderous campaigns in Gallipoli, the Middle East and Africa.

This is a story not only about those who "volunteered" to be soldiers (instead of sometimes facing starvation and poverty if they remained at home) but about the impact of separation on their wives and children.

The brutality of war and colonial rule is made clear. I for one was not aware that 47 Muslim Indian troops were publically executed by British firing squads at Singapore in 1915 following a bloody anti-colonial mutiny.

But there is no doubt I think that the contribution of South Asian troops to victory in 1918 (and also 1945) is immeasurable. We owe all of them our thanks and respect.

This story is also somewhat personal to me. My maternal Grandfather, fought alongside South Asian troops in Gallipoli and later in the European trenches. . Whatever the rights and many wrongs of the First World War, I think we have to understand and honour all of those who took part. I thank the organisers of this exhibition for educating me and reminding us of a previously untold history. 

Communists, Masons & War: Forest Gate South Labour doorknock 18.3.17 with Lyn Brown MP

Picture collage from last Saturday in Forest Gate South ward,West Ham CLP, London. Our MP, Lyn Brown (with her Labour attack dog Cara), local councillors and party activists out knocking doors and talking to residents about Council services and national issues.

We also gave out leaflets on the Labour party campaigns about "Education not Segregation" and "Our NHS is underfunded".

I had an interesting conversation with some students from India whose home state Kerala, (and also in West Bengal state), is controlled by the Marxist Communist Party of India. They were not supporters but recognised that in their state they have the highest levels of literacy, women to men ratios and life expectancy in India.

While door knocking we had a discussion with long serving members on how in the 1970s the Freemasons in Newham Council (Councillors and Council officers - used to have a lodge in East Ham Town Hall) were kicked out of the local party and the Council for alleged corrupt practices.

After the canvass Cllr John Whitworth, Cllr Anam Islam and I went to see the excellent "Far from the Western Front" First World War Exhibition in the Minhaj-Ul-Quran mosque in Romford Road which is due to finish tomorrow. 

Reception for Councillor Anam Islam

The picture is from the reception held this evening in the Palm Tree, Romford Road to honour the recent election of my good political comrade (and friend) Anam Islam, as a Councillor for Forest Gate North.

I was invited with other Councillors (Cllr Ayesha Chowdhury, Cllr Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, Cllr Julianne Marriott) to speak to the reception and congratulate Anam.

I told the packed reception, how as a Forest Gate resident, I was proud to have a fellow trade unionist with such good politics who wants like me, to bring about change, to be one of my excellent local ward Labour Councillors.

Anam gave a speech thanking his agent, Alan Griffiths, Labour activists from Forest Gate, Newham and Tower Hamlets for his election victory and that he vowed to serve all residents in Forest Gate North and Newham to the very best of his ability.

There was a fantastic atmosphere at the reception with supporters present from different communities and all over East London. It was also really friendly and welcoming. It was obvious to me that people not only liked Anam but were really proud of him becoming a Councillor.