Brixton
Brixton is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth in Greater London, and in the traditional county of Surrey.
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Brixton is a vibrant inner London suburb, capital of the Jamaican community of London. Windrush Square between Lambeth Town Hall and the Tate Library was formed to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the arrival of the modern British Afro-Caribbean community on the Empire Windrush
There is a significant clubbing and live music scene. Large venues include the Brixton Academy, The Fridge and Mass. A range of smaller venues such as the 414, Windmill and the Effra Tavern amongst others are a crucial part of London's live music ecology, drawing performers with international reputations.
Brixton was the scene of race riots in April 1981 and September 1985. In both cases the riots saw young black men reacting to concerns over discriminatory and heavy-handed "stop-and-search" policing. Following the 1981 riots, the Government appointed Lord Scarman to report (http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/25/newsid_2546000/2546233.stm). Although the Brixton area subsequently saw pioneering community policing iniatives, the continued death in police custody of young black men led to smaller scale protests through the 1990s.
More recently, Brixton's symbolic role at the "soul of Black Britain" led to a 1996 visit by Nelson Mandela, but also attracted the attention of neo-nazi bomber David Copeland in a 1999 blast that injured 39 people.
The heart of Brixton is the Market, open every day selling produce from all over the world. The song "Electric Avenue", written and sung by Eddie Grant in 1983, refers to part of the market (come out of the tube, turn left then left again), so named because it was the first street in Britain to be lit with electric lamps, in 1888 (Brixton itself is mentioned in the lyrics at the very end of the song). The market sells a huge range of Afro Caribbean products amongst others.
Director Richard Parry shot a film here (released in 2001) called South West Nine (SW9), referring to the post code covering much of central Brixton. Confusingly, this post code is actually for Stockwell, whereas SW2 (the Brixton Hill sorting office) also covers much of Streatham Hill
Former British Prime Minister John Major spent part of his childhood in a two-room flat off Coldharbour Lane, and started his political career as a Lambeth Councillor while still living in the area.
Drum and bass producer Dillinja is from here.
The song "Guns of Brixton" by The Clash, written by Paul Simonon, had reggae influence and showed the reggae roots of both Brixton and Paul Simonon's musical background.
Brixton also has a windmill built in 1816, and surrounded by houses build soon after, as London expanded. The Windmill pub (see above) is named after it.
Nearby places
Nearest tube station:
Nearest railway station:
Brixton is served by many bus routes.
External links
- Urban 75 - an independent UK e-zine based in Brixton (http://www.urban75.org/brixton/index.html)
- Brixton Society - local history and environment group (http://www.brixtonsociety.org.uk)
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