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OnThisDay in London penal history, 1795: Highwayman Jerry Abershaw executed in St Mark’s Churchyard, Kennington. “A flower in his mouth, waistcoat and shirt unbuttoned leaving his bosom open in the style of vulgar gaiety.”

Available now from Past Tense: ‘Stand Up Now Diggers All’ The 1649 ‘True Levellers’ Commune at St George’s Hill Buy online here: pasttensehistories.bigcartel.com

On This Day in London greenspace history, 1871: court ruling protects Tooting Common against development Saving Tooting's Commons After a struggle lasting a number of years, an attempt to enclose and build over a large part of Tooting’s Commons was defeated in 1871, when a court blocked the…

On This Day in London greenspace history, 1871: court ruling protects Tooting Common against developmentSaving Tooting's Commons After a struggle lasting a number of years, an attempt to enclose and build over a large part of Tooting’s Commons was defeated in 1871, when a court blocked the enclosures. Over the next four years later the Commons were bought for the public. But the road by which public access for this lovely open space was saved was rocky and involved some skullduggery, sabotage and tangled legal negotiations… What is now known as Tooting Common consists of two older commons, 144-acre Tooting Bec Common and 63-acre Tooting Graveney Common.pasttense.co.uk

Wander one of West London’s finest areas with: ‘A Shabby London Suburb’ A Combined map / pamphlet/walking guide to some of the radical & working class history of Hammersmith pasttensehistories.bigcartel.com/product/a-sh...

#OnThisDay in London's penal herstory, 1784: Sarah Scott killed during Clerkenwell Bridewell 'riot'. wp.me/p74yfw-190

Today in London’s penal herstory, 1784: Sarah Scott killed during Clerkenwell Bridewell ‘riot’.Clerkenwell Bridewell was a prison and correctional institute for prostitutes and vagrants located in the Clerkenwell area, immediately north of the City of London, between c.1615 and 1794, when it…wp.me

It’s Lammas Day! In the traditional rural calendar, Lammas Day signalled the annual shift from planting crops to grazing animals. It was the last day on which grass was cut for hay, and the day grazing could commence and the hunting season began.

#OnThisDay in London legal history, 2005: exclusion zone banning demos within a km of parliament comes into force. Only one in a long strand of repressive legislation: A Short History of UK Public Order Acts; Updated version wp.me/p74yfw-21t

A Short History of UK Public Order Acts – Coronation SpecialThe Public Order Act into law just a week ago on May 2nd has already aroused some controversy, with the first arrests under its provisions – of members of the anti-monarchist campaigning grou…wp.me

#OnThisDay in London explosive history, 1971: Trade & Industry Secretary John Davies’ Hurlingham house is bombed by the Angry brigade. files.libcom.org/files/Angry%...

#OnThisDay in London's anti-fascist history, 1962: Would-be fuhrer Oswald Mosley gets a kicking, Dalston wp.me/p74yfw-1Bq

Today in London’s anti-fascist history, 1962: Would-be fuhrer Oswald Mosley gets a kicking, DalstonThe first half of the 1950s was a quiet time for anti-fascists in the UK. The postwar threat of fascist revival, in the form of Oswald Mosley’s Union Movement, had been battered off the streets lar…wp.me

#OnThisDay in London striking history, 2006: Haringey Dustbin Workers Strike begins wp.me/p74yfw-1zf

Today in London striking history, 2006: Haringey Dustbin Workers Strike beginsBosses bagged and binned The Haringey Dustbin Workers Strike, 2006 A contemporary report by Alan Woodward (with a tiny bit of explanatory editing by past tense) Industrial action by about 50 Haring…wp.me

#OnThisDay in rightwing history, 1975: Assorted swivel eyed rightists meet in Grosvenor Square flat to plan the founding of the National Association for Freedom, (Freedom Association), influential anti-working class & authoritarian pressure group. powerbase.info/index.php/Fr...

Now available from Past Tense: Killing of the Elephant & The Destruction of the Castle By Christopher Jones Thoughts on the ‘re-development’ of the Elephant & Castle Buy online: pasttensehistories.bigcartel.com/product/the-...

#OnThisDay in London's radical history: attempted royal assassin James Hadfield escapes Bedlam, 1802. wp.me/p74yfw-cQ

Today in London’s radical history: attempted royal assassin James Hadfield escapes Bedlam, 1802.After his unfortunately unsuccessful attempt to shoot king George III failed to kickstart a wondrous Millennium, (see our earlier post) and his subsequent trial and acquittal on the grounds of insa…wp.me

#OnThisDay in London's health herstory, 1984: South London Women’s Hospital occupied it is closed by health authority. The occupation lasts 10 months and creates a radical women’s space… wp.me/p74yfw-Br

Today in London healthcare herstory, 1985: occupation of South London hospital for Women violently evicted.The South London Women’s Hospital Occupation 1984-1985 Rosanne Rabinowitz [Originally written around 2003] What does it take to occupy a hospital, to engage in direct action in a workplace th…wp.me

#OnThisDay in London repressive history, 1829: The first Metropolitan Police go on patrol; generally reviled by the working class population as ‘Blue Lobsters’.

#OnThisDay in London radical history, 1979: A general meeting of the London Corresponding Society, planned to be held in St Pancras, is declared illegal by the government, 1797. An account of the London Corresponding Society, artisan political reformers: wp.me/p74yfw-1CB

Today in London radical history, 1792: working class political reformers found the London Corresponding SocietyIn the last three decades of the eighteenth century, pressure for reform of the political system grew throughout Britain. The electoral system was entirely designed to reinforce the power of the do…wp.me

#OnThisDay in policing history, 2015: The Public Inquiry into Undercover Policing launched. 11 years in. We’ve learned a lot but much more is concealed. Tranche 3 (Special Demonstration Squad 1993-2008) open hearings end this week.

#OnThisDay in London anti-fascist history, 1985: Anti Fascist Action founded, ‘to fight fascism physically & politically’ wp.me/p74yfw-1ch A return to this approach needed? With fascism on the rise…

Today in London anti-fascist history, 1985: Anti Fascist Action founded, ‘to fight fascism physically & politically’Anti-Fascist Action was an important organisation that took a position of fighting the far right on the streets as well as combatting their ideas politically wherever they arose. Founded in 1985, A…wp.me

Justice for Harry Stanley radio programme - from the Radical History of Hackney hackneyhistory.wordpress.com/2026/07/27/j...

Justice for Harry Stanley – radio programmeOn 22 September 1999, Harry Stanley was fatally shot by police officers at the junction of Fremont Street and Victoria Park Road in South Hackney. Someone had phoned the police to report “an …hackneyhistory.wordpress.com

#OnThisDay in London radical history: Unemployed occupation of Wandsworth Workhouse defeats dole cuts, 1921. wp.me/p74yfw-cM

Today in London radical history: Unemployed occupation of Wandsworth Workhouse defeats dole cuts, 1921.In 1886 a new workhouse was built to imprison the poor of the Wandsworth & Clapham Poor Law Union, in Swaffield Road, off Garratt Lane, Wandsworth, now part of Southwest London, but then in ope…wp.me