Haringey has a proud history of welcoming migrants from all over the world to live and work here. The collection at Bruce Castle Museum and Archive reflects a long association with diversity – a heritage reinforced with the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush in 1948.

At Bruce Castle Museum & Archive, we have three fantastic and FREE events to get involved in. Read on to find out how we will be celebrating Windrush Day 2024 – with Reminiscence @ The Castle, a Black History tour in Tottenham and an Althea McNish inspired art workshop!

Reminiscence Café – Our Local Railways

• Tuesday 18 June, 2-4pm

Free, all welcome.

Refreshments included.

 22 June is Windrush Day, and Windrush has its own London Transport rail line to celebrate, recognising the contribution immigrants made to the country. It doesn’t go through Haringey, but we have our Weaver and Suffragette lines. Weaver, from Liverpool Street to Enfield/Cheshunt/Chingford, acknowledges the immigrant French silk weavers and the Jewish ‘rag trade’. It brought migrants from the East End to Tottenham and provided residents with the easiest route to the Essex seaside. The Suffragette line is that London transport rarity travelling east/west, giving us Barking and Essex one way, and places such as Camden and Hampstead Heath the other. Its name comes from a Barking suffragette who lived to over 100, but it could also refer to the number of suffragettes who lived in Haringey near that line, including the Spong sisters from Muswell Hill.

These lines have long given us opportunities to travel, even if not too far, and we surely have memories of places we have enjoyed.

Come to the Museum and share your memories over a cup of tea.

For any queries, please email [email protected]

 

Heritage Walk: The Black History of West Green Road

• Thursday 20 June, 10.30am-12.30pm

Free, all welcome. Booking essential.

Meet: Outside Costa Coffee, 261 Tottenham High Road, N15 4RR

Take a walk with tour guide Avril Nanton and explore the history of this well-known road in Tottenham. With Avril you will discover more about pioneering trailblazers Dyke & Dryden and their beauty and hair products, Bernie Grant MP for Tottenham, and – in this 100th anniversary year since her birth – the internationally renowned textile designer Althea McNish. You will see where they started their businesses, established their workplaces or set up home. Heavily influenced by the large African and Caribbean population, most people are not aware of the famous people who have lived in this street, making important contributions to the area and to Black British history in general.

Starting at Costa Coffee and finishing at West Green Common, this walk will take in some of the well-known shops past and present along West Green Road, including Uncle John’s Bakery and Bodies Music, some of the 20 Black hair and beauty shops that line the street, as well as stopping by the lesser-known Windrush monument, and, not forgetting, the home of textile designer Althea McNish, the woman who designed for the Queen.

This special free walk to commemorate Windrush Day is organised by Bruce Castle Museum & Archive with Avril’s Walks and Talks.

Please book your free ticket for this walk via Avril’s website.

Please dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes for walking.

NB These walks are very popular. If you are no longer able to join the walk, please get in touch with tour guide Avril Nanton as soon as possible so your ticket can be reallocated.

 

Recycled Art Workshop for Adults: How Does Althea’s Garden Grow?

• Sunday 30 June, 2-3.30pm

Free. Booking essential.

Beautiful flowers, plants and bold colours inspired the exquisite fabric designs and artwork of internationally-renowned Althea McNish. She also loved creating her own special garden at 142 West Green Road in Tottenham.

Why not join local artist Siân Dorman and get hands on and creative just like Althea and make your own floral designs and flowers – out of recycled plastic! No previous art experience necessary – just a love for being creative and trying something new!

Please book your free ticket for this workshop via Ticket Tailor.

This workshop is aimed for young adults and adults – over 16 years old +

Check out Sian’s website here.

For any queries, please contact: [email protected]

A beautiful short film – ‘Journey from the West: Tales from the Windrush Generation’ – is now available to view on Haringey Council’s website. Click here to watch the film and learn about Veronica and Gloria’s remarkable stories.

Do also check out the other fantastic events taking place to celebrate Windrush Day 2024 across the borough – click here to see a full event listing.

That’s all from us for now! As always, keep up-to-date on what’s happening at Bruce Castle and our MEND building works programme by checking our events calendar and project update page.