…A huge THANK YOU to everyone who joined us for the Bruce Castle Heritage Quarter Open Day on Sunday 5 May. We were so pleased to see so many people come along to discover and enjoy the extraordinarily rich history of this corner of Tottenham – and as an added bonus the sunshine even made an appearance!
With special thanks to those who opened the doors or led a walk, sharing your wonderful knowledge – thank you to All Hallows Church and The Priory, the Friends of Tottenham Cemetery for opening the Chapel, to the Atkinson family and to SSH Walk for leading your walks, to Bobby Buckle Campaign Partnership, the Antwerp Arms for all your joyous activities and to the Friends of Bruce Castle for manning our welcome desk and to Bruce Castle Museum & Archive staff of course! This wonderful event wouldn’t have happened without you.
The Heritage Quarter Open Day was the perfect start to May 2024 and also to Local and Community History Month. Don’t worry if you couldn’t make it though, because for the rest of the month we’re continuing to celebrate our rich, diverse and often radical community histories through a range of free events! Come along to any or all of them to learn something new and share your own stories about everyday folk that have shaped our borough!
Also coming up we have some lovely courtyard games this May half-term for families to enjoy! Plus, a special Local History edition of Sensing a Place: Hands on Heritage for People Living with Dementia and their Carers to mark Dementia Action Week (13-19 May).
Read on for details about our May programme. This is the first of two emails to showcase what events are in store – a second email to follow soon.
Walks, Talks and Reminiscence
Reminiscence Café: Some Iconic Buildings
- Tuesday 14 May, 2-4pm
- Free, all welcome. No booking required.
- Refreshments included
The history of our local communities can be read in our buildings, the different styles of architecture and the stories they tell. Some may still be with us, others vanished with changing fashions. The handsome Wood Green Empire and the Tottenham Palace are evidence of past entertainment pleasures – music hall, theatre, bingo and cinema. The 1930s Muswell Hill Odeon, on the other hand, with its beautiful Art Deco architecture, still survives.
Our changing shopping choices are also reflected in a changing High Street. The grand department stores – Burgess’s, the Co-op and Ward’s Stores – have given way to internet shopping and supermarkets. But the once-elegant Ward’s building still survives, reinventing itself with help from the local community. Civic life was represented by the old Town Halls and libraries – Hornsey and Tottenham Town Halls and the Wood Green Carnegie Library.
What building – past or present – would you single out, and what stories can you tell us?
Come along to the Museum and share your memories over a cup of tea.
For any queries, please email [email protected]
Empire, Migration and Entertainment: A South Tottenham Walk
- Sunday 19 May
- Meet: 10.15am for a 10.30am start outside South Tottenham railway station
- Free, all welcome. Booking essential.
Join your guide Oona Kelly – local historian and Friend of Bruce Castle – as she leads you around the sites of South Tottenham. Listen to stories of how new communities shaped the locality and influenced the world beyond.
The walk will take 2 hours.
Ends: Stamford Hill
Dress for the weather and wear appropriate shoes for walking.
Book your free ticket for this walk via Eventbrite.
The walk is free. Donations welcome to the Friends of Bruce Castle – on the day direct to Oona.
For any queries please email [email protected]
Pushing Boundaries: A Walk Exploring Stories of the Unexpected
A Special Tour With Curator Deborah Hedgecock for International Museum Day
- Monday 20 May
- Meet: Under the clocktower at Bruce Castle at 10.15am for 10.30am start
- Free, all welcome. Booking essential.
Come along on a walk with curator Deborah Hedgecock on International Museum Day as she explores around the Bruce Castle Museum area – from Church Lane and Prospect Place to Birkbeck Road and Bruce Castle Road. Drawing on the collections and stories from the archives and collections at Bruce Castle, you can discover more about the lives of those who resided or worked here, and who tested and pushed boundaries to achieve the remarkable and the unexpected.
Ends: Warmington House, Tottenham High Road
Please book your free ticket for this walk via Eventbrite.
Dress for the weather and wear appropriate shoes for walking.
It’s in the Post: Local Heritage Through the Eyes of the Posties
- Thursday 23 May, 2.30pm
- Free, all welcome. Booking recommended.
Join Annabel Gee for a special edition of Curator’s Pick to mark Local and Community History Month.
Using objects, images and stories from the Museum & Archive collections, this talk will explore moments of radical change and reform through Haringey’s long and significant postal heritage. From Bruce Castle resident Rowland Hill’s invention of the Penny Post, to recent strikes by the Communication Workers Union, much of what shapes Haringey today can be told through the lens of its postal history.
There will be a chance to share your own stories and reminiscences over a cup of tea after the gallery talk.
Please book your free ticket for this in-person talk at the Museum via Eventbrite.
For any queries, please email [email protected]
A Musical Hit Parade: A heritage tour of the High Road
- Sunday 26 May
- Meet: 10.15am for a 10.30am start outside Costa, Seven Sisters
- Free, all welcome. Booking essential.
Take a walk with Carol Hebbs of Tottenham Heritage Walks as she guides you up Tottenham High Road recalling the sights and sounds of music from our youth. Across the generations, the High Road has seen music venues that were the place to be and hear your favourite stars of the day. Which record shop did you frequent and flick through the vinyl? What stories do you have? Share, listen and explore the musical parade along the High Road through the ages.
Dress for the weather and wear appropriate shoes for walking.
Please book your free ticket for this walk via Eventbrite.
Finish: Near Spurs’ Stadium
For any queries, please email [email protected]
Sensing a Place: Hands on Heritage for People Living with Dementia and their Carers
Special Local History Activity for Dementia Action Week
- Thursday 16 May, 10.30am-12.30pm
- Free, all welcome. No booking required.
- Refreshments included
Not only is it Dementia Action Week from 13-19 May, but this month also marks Local and Community History Month!
To celebrate these two occasions, we’ve put together a hands on activity exploring the diverse and exciting history of the borough of Haringey, all inspired by the collections at Bruce Castle Museum & Archive.
You’ll be able to chat and enjoy refreshments in a safe and welcoming environment.
Click here for information about accessing Bruce Castle.
For any queries, please email us at [email protected]
Alternatively, call us on 02084 894 250 (option 2)
Family Activities for May Half-Term
Games Galore
- Wednesday 29 May, 1.30-3.30pm
- Thursday 30 May, 1.30-3.30pm
- Free, no booking required. Just drop-in!
Head down to Bruce Castle Courtyard for an afternoon of outdoor play!
Try giant chess, have a go at hopscotch, play a game of dominoes or get busy building with blocks.
Suitable for families with children aged 3 to 8 years old.
Please note: all activities are weather dependent.
If you haven’t heard already, Haringey will be London Borough of Culture in 2027! Click here to find out more about the #RebelBorough and to sign up for updates and opportunities to get involved.
That’s all from us for now. As always, if you have any queries regarding these events and activities just pop us an email at [email protected].
Plus, keep up-to-date on what’s happening via our Events Calendar.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Museum & Archive soon!
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