DECEMBER 2016
RIDLEY ROAD
Humans of N16
Trading in Dalston for a century
The stories of strangers
Music in N16 Great local music
walks with Sean Gubbins
Neyire Ashworth
N16’s churches and farms
The renowned clarinet player from War Horse
Christmas in
HACKNEY The alternative festive market comes to Sutton House
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HACKNEY V E N U E S
Hold your event in one of the most creative and thriving areas in London Hackney Venues has emerged as a collection of some of the most sought after event spaces in east London. Currently featuring seven beautifully restored unique venues in the heart of the borough including two stunning art-deco town halls, an eighteenth century mansion house inside of Clissold Park, a former water pumping station, a RIBA award-winning sporting centre as well as a purpose-built conference centre and a converted warehouse a stones-throw away from Shoreditch High Street. From private parties and stunning weddings to conferences, product launches, fashion shows and awards ceremonies; Hackney Venues offers a space for any occasion. Get in touch with our dedicated events team for further information or visit our website for more details.
020 8356 5505
www.hackneyvenues.com
venuehire@hackney.gov.uk
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CONTENTS
DECEMBER 2016 ISSUE 1
What’s On
EDITORIAL Editor Yasemin Bakan
Sub Editor Michael Daventry
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Picture Editor Mehmet Er Design Ekrem Yilmaz Contributors Christopher Martin Gianfranco Casula Amir Dotan
ADVERTISING
Advertising/Creative Solutions Ă–zlem Bulut
ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES
CALL 020 3652 0541
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A tale of architecture
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Humans of N16
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Local walks with Sean Gubbins
E-MAIL n16lifemagazine@gmail.com Join the conversation: N16 Life is on Facebook N16 Life N16 Life is delivered free to homes in N16 and the surrounding area. Also available free in local shops, cafes and supermarkets.
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Ridley Road Market
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The story of Neyire Ashworth
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Music in N16
Published by Metropol Media Ltd. Metropol Media Ltd cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and Metropol Media Ltd. take no responsibility for omissions or errors. All rights reserved.
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bright this Christmas Shine is a unique hair, health and beauty experience. A space like no other. Service like no other. Our mission is to provide you with an unrivalled combination of creative styling and holistic treatments in a beautiful, intimate setting. Looking good and feeling great embodies the Shine ethos. With over 40 health professionals working throughout the week, our reception team are able to help find the right person and treatment for you. Whether you have woken up with a stiff neck or are dealing with a more long-term health issue, we have someone who can help.
cold and allow us to give you that much needed me time. Rejuvenate with a Dermalogica facial or take the weight off and get those toes party ready with a pampering pedicure.
It’s party season, time to play This December come in out of the
The perfect hair cut can and will make your day. Shine can help with all those New Year resolutions. Let us help you stay on the straight and narrow by supporting or rewarding those great intentions.
Shine Holistic 52 Stoke Newington Church St, London N16 0NB
Shine on the Green 20 Newington Green, London N16 9PU
020 7241 5033 020 7249 9671
020 7241 2065 020 7812 9306
www.shineholistic.co.uk Sign up for FREE Shine membership
Open 7 days
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W H AT' S O N
Boing! Who Can Sleep on Christmas Eve? unicorntheatre.com
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njoy the most magical time of the year as the spectacular dance-theatre show Boing! Who Can Sleep on Christmas Eve? comes to the Unicorn Theatre. This shows captures the delirious excitement of two boys waiting for Father Christmas to arrive on the most magical night of the year. There are beds to be jumped on, pillows to be fought with, seas to be sailed…On this most extraordinary night, let your imagination soar right up to the stars. Following in their tradition of bringing enchanting shows for small children to venues up and down the country, Travelling Light have created this show to get your feet tingling and your head spinning with a whirl of colourful images and playful sounds. This is a deaf-friendly show. 30 Nov-1 Jan -Performances between 10.30am and 3pm. Adults £18 under 18s £12. To book, call the box office on 020 76450560 or visit the website.
Festive Family Films www.vam.ac.uk/moc
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he warm and cosy Museum of Childhood shows some festive family classics, from The Muppet Christmas Carol (27 Dec), Bugsy Malone (28 Dec) to Jumanji (29 Dec), accompanied with special making activities inspired by the films. Tuesday 27, Wednesday 28 & Thursday 29 December, 14.00 (activities), 14.30 (screening) £5 per person (free for ages 0-2).
Christmas at St Martins
stmartin-in-the-fields.org/event/ the-snowman
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t Martin-in-the-Fields has a proud history of hosting some of London’s best live classical music events. Christmas is the most important time for Concerts at St Martin-in-theFields and this season features a packed programme of festive favourites. A special performance of Howard Blake’s The Snowman for narrator and orchestra. The concert also includes audience carols Away in a Manger and Once in Royal David’s City. Brandenburg Sinfonia Andrew Earis Conductor Address: St Martin-in-the-Fields Trafalgar Square London WC2N 4JH December 23, 2016 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Phone: 020 7766 1100-Adults £16 under 16s £12 5
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Brunching the Woodstoke way
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his little gem of a caff serves an unlikely combination of French pastries, eggy breakfasts and Mediterranean dishes with wine – and somehow it all makes sense To hear the music flowing out of the window-side gramophone, you need to step past the vast wooden bench outside and into the cosy and warm atmosphere of Woodstoke Café. This independent business, run by a young couple with experience working in cafes and restaurants across central London, is ideally placed opposite Stoke Newington Town Hall. Chef İnci Bilen has 20 years of experience working some of Mayfair and Covent Garden’s most popular restaurants. From the outside, Woodstoke looks like a café selling intricate cakes and savoury pastries. The chiller cabinet’s top shelf
It’s a perfect dish for all seasons
is full of macarons, tarts and slices of cakes, all intricately accessorised. But the café boasts more than just the standard wares of a French patisserie: here you can find spinach flat bread, Turkish börek pastries, orange cookies and delicious vegan chocolate raspberry cake. Woodstoke also serves a daily soup – leek & potato was on offer the day I was there. I enjoy a good bowl of soup any day of the year, but it was a delicious and warming choice on a cold winter day. Diners are offered a menu at their seat, but order at the counter. One on visit I went for baked eggs with a dried spicy sausage, but the baked egg with air-dried cured beef is equally delicious. Both are served on a stylish terracotta plate with slice of artisan bread. Eggy breakfasts are around £7.90. For those wanting something lighter, the pasta dishes are most satisfying. There are salads on offer too: artichoke, avocado, chicken breast – all very tasty. Woodstoke also offers a “More to Eat” section on its menu, featuring original dishes served with sourdough bread and yoghurt. There’s the okra stew, a hot Mediterranean classic cooked in tomato sauce (£7.50). It’s a perfect dish for all seasons: good to warm up in the winter, light and nutritional in the summer. Then there’s the delicious stuffed roast courgette (£7.90), crammed with beef mince, onion, parsley, dill and rice. There’s the healthy veg and fruit juice bar and the own-brand house coffee which is now sold to cafes and restaurants across London. The quality of food, the service and the good value means Woodstoke is worth not just one, but regular visits. I will certainly be back for brunch. Woodstoke Cafe 191 Stoke Newington Church Street, London N16 0UL Tel: 020 7923 0200 Opening Times: Everyday 7am-8pm
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Woodstoke Café
Neighbourhood Dining Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner Coffee • Organic Smoothies • Wine
191 Stoke Newington Church Street, London N16 0UL / Tel: 020 7923 0200 Opening Times: Everyday 7am-8pm
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n16 landmarks
From cinema to mosque
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The story of one building’s remarkable century-long transformation
17 Stoke Newington Road stands proudly as the site of Aziziye Mosque, one of the largest Turkish-speaking mosques in London. A century ago it was the heart of the community for an entirely different purpose: entertainment. The Apollo Picture House – as it was then known – opened in 1913 next door to Stoke Newington Baptist Church. It was reported to be a controversial decision with many protests at the showing of films so close to a place of worship; the cinema appeased some of these local opponents by showing only Christian religious films on Sundays. The cinema itself changed hands in 1933, being taken over by London & Southern Super Cinemas. This was the company that also operated the Kingsland Empire Cinema in nearby
1970s
2016
Dalston – which still operates today as the Rio Cinema – and it gave the Stoke Newington building a full refurbishment. On 7 August 1933 the picture house reopened as the Ambassador Cinema. It changed hands a few more times before the Second World War: it was taken over by Watford Amusements in 1936 and by the Odeon Theatres chain the following year – although it never took on the Odeon name. The cinema kept going until the mid1960s, when it was converted into the Star Bingo Club for a number of years. By 1974, it had become the Astra Cinema, although in this incarnation it began to play uncensored martial arts movies and softcore sex films. It closed for good in July 1983. The building’s renaissance came in the subsequent decade, when it was purchased by the UK Turkish Islamic Association to create a mosque that provided Turkish-language services to the local community. All traces of the cinema were removed as the building was gutted and redecorated in a traditional Ottoman style, featuring a halal butcher, weekend school, wedding hall and restaurant.
Eat In Take Out Hot/Cold Sandwiches Breakfast Daily Soup Homemade Cakes Whole Grain Salads All our food is made in-house.
53 Stoke Newington Church St, Stoke Newington, London N16 0AR • 020 7249 9061 Camia Deli.indd 1
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Humans of N16 Inspired by Humans of New York, N16 Life records the stories of strangers across Hackney. Here are the latest stories from Humans of N16.
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I N S I STORIES D E R | preview
MARION CHADWICK I’ve lived in Stoke Newington for 26 years and 7 months. The best thing about it is obviously the people, the generous, interesting, funny, creative, diverse, sometimes a bit mad people who live and work here. The second-best thing is the range of facilities at our doorstep: Clissold Park, of course; the leisure centre; the interesting shops, restaurants and cafes; and community projects like The Old Church. The Old Church is an arts and performance space committed to inspiring arts and inspiring community, a mission in keeping with the history of the ancient building. My involvement with The Old Church started a couple of years ago when I began volunteering at events. Now I’m working there as the manager. My role is to help look after the amazing old building and to look after the bookings. The Old Church hosts events of all sorts - for all members of the local community. In a typical week, we might have a daytime concert for babies and toddlers, perhaps a classical concert of some sort, or some experimental contemporary music, or music from of Stoke Newington’s diverse communities. On the second Saturday of each month we have an open art session - for all ages, all material is provided, and it is paywhat-you-can. Earlier this year, we had our first home-grown festival - Breathe - a celebration of air.
DUYGU CAMURCUOGLU I used to live in lovely Stoke Newington. After getting married last year, I moved to Putney. I am a part-time musician and have played in variety of venues around Stoke Newington and Dalston, such as Vortex Jazz Club, Most Art Café, Red Art Café and the Arcola Theatre. I also work at the British Museum as an archaeological objects conservator and restore many objects, such as ceramics, metals, glass, stone from different historical periods. While some of these objects are on display at the museum or travelling around the world with several loans, others are kept safely in the storage areas. One of the most exciting objects I ever worked on was a Roman iron helmet with an elaborately-made
Photo: British Museum
Photo: Mehmet ER
silver repousse decoration which was found and reported by some amateur field walkers in Leicestershire. After the proper excavation work carried out by the University of Leicester, the object was brought to the British Museum Conservation Department and after a long and painstaking conservation process, me and my two colleagues were able to complete the restoration of the helmet and send it back to the Market Harborough Museum in Leicestershire (which the Helmet was belonged to) for a long-term display. Currently I am working on a beautiful RomanoBritish Glass Urn and you can follow the videos on its conservation process on the British Museum’s Facebook and YouTube channels. 11
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KIM ROMANIK I’m a good food-loving, movement-obsessed yoga teacher from Australia. I’ve lived in London for 5 years, all years in Hackney, including 3 years in Stokey and I absolutely love it here! I grew up in Sydney and I had extremely low self esteem as a teenager, which led to depression and an eating disorder by the time I was 15. I was completely detached from my feelings, emotionally and physically. I was mainly living in my head. It wasn’t until a few years into my 20s that I was ‘freed’ from my struggle. It’s only now that I look back and I see that it was around the same time I started yoga. Chronic back pain led me to my first yoga class in 2006. I refused to spend hundreds of dollars every month on chiropractors’ fees, which is what I told I needed for at least two years. In 2015, I completed my first teacher training with Yoga London and in 2016, completed yin yoga teacher training with The Yin Space in Australia. I believed that the body could heal itself, and saw yoga as an investment in a fully functioning body and a long-term answer to eradicating pain from my everyday life. I run a couple beginner courses at The Prince on a Monday night. But currently that is a drop-in class open to all.
BIKINI BEACH We first met at our father’s funeral: we are all halfbrothers to different mothers. Jesus, our father and 1956 All Mexico Surfing Champion, travelled widely with his guitar in search of fame and fortune. In a nutshell, we discovered we shared a love for our father’s style of guitar music, named Surf-Noir by aficionados, and immediately realised we needed to form a band to keep the music alive. Within months we were playing a residency in Nice and met popstar Jake Shillingford of My Life Story, who suggested a cover of the Blur single ‘Girls and Boys’, our version of which became single of the week in NME. Soon afterwards we became residents of Hackney and the rest is hysteria. Our sound is instrumental surf-guitar music, based on the sounds of California in the 50s. We choose material from Surf Classics, Classical tunes, popular classics and recent hits. The fez is another tribute to Jesus C Escovedo, our father, who chose the fez as the style of the louche and cool American lounge scene ie Elks and Mooses. It is a comfortable and practical stage headwear as it protects our two, rather tall guitarists’ heads when we have low stage height. We will be returning to N16 in February of 2017 for our 25th anniversary party gig at Ryans.
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STORIES
UFUK UYANIK I have been living in Stoke Newington since 1990. It seems I never lived anywhere else. I studied graphic design at university. While studying I started working for a weekly comic magazine called Gırgır which had a massive circulation in Turkey – half a million copies in the 1980s. I moved to Britain in 1988 and worked in a burger shop for few years, then I found an artist agent in Belgium who started selling my cartoons to magazines. Since then I worked with different agents and my cartoons have been published in 30 countries on magazines and merchandising products. In 2011, I set up a cheeky humorous website (www.brainkebab.com) which has been visited from more than 120 countries. In 2012, I quit cartooning and organised a Jubilee exhibition – the opening was attended by more than 400 people. In 2015, I created
an art campaign to help refugee children affected by war. I’ve been exhibiting the manipulated photographs in cafes, venues and schools to raise awareness and funding (see alan-kurdi.com). Lately I am working in my studio on my first art exhibition in Stoke Newington. I am in love with Stokey. It’s like a small town in the countryside.
UNIQ UE HANDMADE Jewellery • Necklaces • Bracelets • Earrings • Hats Caps • Gloves • Tights • Lace Gloves • Bags Come in to our store and discover more of our latest collections for Christmas gift ideas We are wishing you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
stokeyaccessoriesgift 79 Stoke Newington High Street N16 8EL
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STORIES Photos: Mehmet ER
MISS CRAIG
I have done lots of drama and dance over the years before I moved to London. I was doing a boring office job when I went to place called Glory in Dalston. They were doing a lipstick show and there were different kinds of drag queens. I was like “I can do that!” and I did. I live in Dalston. I work as a drag queen anywhere they pay me. But I love working in Dalston. It’s my favorite place to work. Today we are at the Dalston Superstore for a show we started in February as a Valentine’s Day show. It was so popular. We played and sang music Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and Prince. People going out on a Saturday night had a really good time. Sometimes they were out until 6 o'clock and they did not want to stop. The show is now on a Sunday, between 1pm and 4pm. So it’s still entertaining: have a nice Bloody Mary, some gorgeous food, and have some fun!
DJ NEILL PRINCE I am from Milton Keynes and have lived in London since 1999. I have been DJing for years and years. I met Miss Craig at Dalston Superstore. We started working together for the Valentine’s Day Special show. It was a one off show, people liked it and we kept going since then.
Learn a New Language • Central London -fun, interactive classes • All levels, beginners to advanced • Native speaker teachers • Diplomas (with funding) to BA degrees Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, French, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Kurdish, Nepali, Persian, Sanskrit, Spanish, Swahili, Tagalog, Tamil, Thai, Tibetan, Urdu
Courses begin 16 January Enrol online, telephone or visit: Language Centre, 22 Russell Square SOAS University of London, WC1H 0XG T: 020 7898 4860/4828
www.soas.ac.uk/languagecentre
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REV IEW
Chaplin’s spirit on our patch
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eviewing Fontaine’s is something of a doubleedged sword. Sending people here might help the place thrive. But it might make it harder to get a table. Fontaine’s is the local art deco cocktail bar that takes you back to the South Pacific in the 1930s or 40s. The elegant upstairs lounge boasts deep blue walls and white art deco armchairs that sit low to the ground, while the vibe is reinforced by the palm trees and the charming waitress with 40s hair and red lipstick serving cocktails. Despite the art deco glamour, there is no pretension, no airs, and the atmosphere is friendly and cosy. As we sat down, we were served refreshing cucumber water before ordering reasonably priced cocktails. Fontaine’s range is named after the stars – Charlie Chaplin, Charlie Gibson and Frank Sinatra are on the menu – and there was a cabaret programme with Amber Topaz. Sipping a cocktail made for the man himself Chaplin, that greatest of movie stars, while being entertained by Amber Topaz is as close to relaxed perfection as you could want to be. It’s an impressive menu with classics
like Straight Outta Cognac; Dia de Los Muertos, made with mescal; or the gin-infused Chaplin. Try the Ramos Gin Fizz – a New Orleans creation of Henry C. Ramos’s from the 1880s, featuring gin, cream, lemon, lime, egg white and orange blossom; or delicious The Valentina with tequila, bitter truth apricot liqueur, green chartreuse, lime, egg white. Cocktails start at just £8.50.
Local art deco cocktail bar that takes you back to the 1930s Even once the live music ends, the low lights and slow-playing jazz keeps the vibe of Stoke Newington in another age altogether. Fontaine’s also features a whole calendar of vintage-inspired events, including cabaret and film nights, swing dance classes, burlesque.
176 Stoke Newington Road, N16 7UY www.fontaines.bar Opening Times: Tuesday to Saturday 6 pm-till late
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More than just a minicab off ice This N16 stalwart is a long-established business that knows what it is doing and knows what customer service is.
remier Cars is something of a local landmark for the area, and the staff are not only familiar voices but familiar faces. Many minicab businesses have suffered the past few years due to the huge shakeup in the industry, particularly since the arrival of a large foreign competitor. Premier’s customer service and familiarity have ensured it has not been affected. Many of the staff have been there since the very early days: customer service manager Deniz Oner and the manager Andy Cam have each been there for over 15 years. “We still have loyal customers who have used our cars for years and still call us,” Deniz says, adding they were delighted that Stoke Newington appreciated their service. “Some customers have special requests. For instance, we recently had a call from someone enquiring about a vulnerable person. They said: ‘Can you take this passenger from their home,
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place them in the minicab, take them to the destination, open the door and help them inside?’ “It’s small touches like this – or like bringing a customer’s forgotten phone back to them – that seem to be appreciated.” With a history that can be traced back
Deniz Oner
We still have loyal customers who have used our cars for years and still call us
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I NADVERTORIAL S I D E R | preview
to the 1960s, Premier Cars opened in its present form on Stoke Newington Church Street in 1995. A licenced minicab and courier company, it is open 24 hours a day, all year round, and is available for minicab, executive hire, general private hire and multi-purpose vehicle hiring services for groups. It also offers a sameday courier service for small items like documents and keys, or larger parcels, and provides proof of delivery too. The thousands of regular customers it welcomes must be a sign of customer satisfaction. This is also amplified by the firm’s adoption of new technologies: Premier Cars’ app can be downloaded on Apple iPhone and Android, providing quotations and bookings at all times of day. The company also uses state-ofthe-art auto despatch technology which enables them to audit driver journeys, including the route taken, speed and to reduce CO2 emissions. Bookings can also be made online through premiercarsandcouriers.com. No Premier Cars service – even the couriers
– includes a charge for dead mileage: they quote street to street, with a fixed price for airport transfers. Premier Cars sends a text message on arrival with a description of the car make, model, colour and registration. They take payment by cash, card or account (subject to a successful credit check). And they offer accurate collection times for ‘as soon as possible’ bookings. Unusually for the industry, Premier Cars also employs women drivers: “We always have one or more female drivers. People do like being picked up by a woman driver. It is a novelty I think for the mini cab industry having a woman pick you up. They seem really like it.”
Premier was recently involved in a Twitter request asking for help to urgently deliver someone’s wheelchair charger. The company stepped in and offered to deliver for free, receiving great praise on the social media network. “It is that kind of personal touch that makes us different from the rest.” says Deniz. From UK Call: 020 3388 0000 - 24hrs A Day, All Year Round. For Online bookings: premiercarsandcouriers.com Premier Cars App available on the Apple Store
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Local walks, local stories Local resident Sean Gubbins tells us about N16’s churches, farms and the vast numbers of people laid to rest in Abney Park cemetery P H OTO G R A P H M e h m e t E R I N T E RV I E W Ya s e m i n B A K A N
Tell us about yourself My name is Sean Gubbins. I used to live in Stoke Newington and now live in Dalston. For the past 14 years I have been devising and leading local history walks in different parts of today’s Hackney. Please see walkhackney.co.uk for the schedule of walks I offer twice a month. Could you tell us the history of Stoke Newington & Dalston? When were they established? Who were the residents and shopkeepers over the years? Did any well-known people live in the area? Stoke Newington and Dalston were and remain very different. Stoke Newington was its own parish, separate from Hackney. It is said that land there was granted to the priests of St Paul’s Cathedral in about 940 by the King of Wessex – before England existed as a country. Its name means new settlement in the woods. Dalston was one of the various settlements in the much bigger parish of Hackney. Its name means “farm belonging to Dedrlaf ”. For most of its history, Dalston was a farming community stretching along Dalston Lane which, until 1870, was the main road heading west out of Hackney. The healthy environment of its open spaces attracted various institutions. A hospital
for London’s German community was opened in 1845 and in 1849 a Refuge for Destitute Women moved here. The coming of the railway through Dalston in 1850, with a further line down to the City in 1867, attracted industry to the area. Further away from London, Stoke Newington always remained more secluded. In the late 1600s it became a centre for non-conformists: people who would not obey the established religion of the day – the Church of England. They lived together in Stoke Newington,
built their own places of worship and established their own schools. They were often at the forefront of radical ideas, campaigning for social reform. Their number included Daniel Defoe, Mary Wollstonecraft and leaders of the antislavery movement. There are two churches in Stoke Newington Church street. What is their story? The older church was re-built in 1566 by William Patten, who leased the manor
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i n t erview
St. Mary's Church
Between 1801 and 1851 the population of Stoke Newington grew by 500%
of Stoke Newington from St. Paul’s Cathedral. It is one of few churches built in the London area between the closing of religious houses in the Reformation and the rebuilding of London by Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of 1666. Between 1801 and 1851 the population of Stoke Newington grew by 500%. A new church was needed to accommodate this increase. It was consecrated in 1858. The architect was George Gilbert Scott, who also designed two London landmarks: St Pancras Station and the Albert Memorial.
What about the Abney Park Cemetery? The cemetery was formed in 1838 from the grounds of two big houses which stood beside Stoke Newington Church Street. It was one of a few cemeteries laid out in the outskirts of London because London’s old burial grounds were being filled to overflowing. Never consecrated, it attracted burials of people of different Christian denominations, particularly non-conformists. It was laid out as an arboretum, making it an attractive place to visit. Gradually every bit of space was used for a burial until it became overcrowded so no more income could be raised from carrying out burials and the owners went bust. All sorts of people are buried there: including an African prince, politicians, heroes, industrialists, people born as slaves: over 200,000 in all - almost the number of Hackney’s population today.
If you compare to 30 years ago, the area changed a lot. What was the area like back then? What has made it so popular these days? 30 years ago Stoke Newington was already beginning to change, with many terraced houses to attract young middle-class families. The shops along Stoke Newington Church Street were being replaced by restaurants and estate agents. That trend has continued. But Stoke Newington still remains comparatively isolated from the rest of London. The station which bears its name is not in Stoke Newington but on Stamford Hill; it is still not served by a tube station and the only means of transport to get you to the centre of Stoke Newington remains the bus. Change in Dalston has been more recent. Without the same amount of housing stock, it is the old industrial buildings which have, in the past few years, been converted into offices, living space and clubs or been replaced by high rise apartment buildings. 30 years ago Dalston was drab, with run-down housing and shops and closing businesses. It would have been very hard to imagine then that in 2009 Italian Vogue would label Dalston as “one of coolest places on earth.” Brought here by the East London Line, which re-opened in 2010, Dalston today attracts clubbers from all over London and beyond, creating a new tension between those promoting Dalston’s night culture and local residents. 19
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Saving Clissold Park A m i r D ota n
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lissold Park wouldn’t exist if it hadn’t been for a passionate local campaign in the 1880s to save the then private estate from development. As the last remaining open space in the area, the prospect of losing it to the “jerry builder” prompted concerned residents to mobilise and lobby various bodies to raise the funds to purchase the park for the public. The story of the turbulent campaign can now be told for the first time in vivid and dramatic detail through the recent discovery of 175 press clippings, letters and maps, all kept by chief campaigner Joseph Beck and faithfully preserved by his family for over 127 years.
Clissold Park campaigner Joseph Beck
Danger of being sold for new housing
Throughout the 1880s Clissold Park was in real danger of being sold for housing development and it was sold in 1886 to the Church Commissioners. Joseph Beck,a manufacturing optician from Albion Road, chaired the Clissold Park Preservation Committeewhich fought for two years to secure its purchase “for the recreation of the public for ever”. The turbulent campaign consisted of a 12,500-strong petition, heated meetings and numerous articles in the local press. Out of the asking price of £95,000 (about £11,000,000 in today’s money), the committee managed to secure £72,500 from the Charity Commissioners and the Metropolitan Board of Works. The rest of the money was eventually raised from the local parishes despite various setbacks. The campaigners faced fierce opposition in Islington and to some extent in Hackney, which threatened to derail the campaign on a number of occasions. Finally, in the summer of 1888 all the money was raised and passed to the Metropolitan Board of Works, which purchased the park. It opened officially on the 24 July 1889. Sadly, Joseph Beck and his fellow campaigner John Runtz passed away two years later.
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REV IEW
I felt my skin was no longer tired; it really plumped up my face
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Japanese face lift & blow- dry
hadn’t had a facial for ages. My skin looked tired and I wanted a treatment that was combined with a good face massage. I had been a couple of times before to Shine in Stoke Newington to have a haircut – I had enjoyed the service and atmosphere, but the beauty department was a mystery to me. After examining their website to see all the facial therapies they had to offer, I opted for a Japanese Face Lift and a blow dry to follow. My 90-minute treatment, accompanied by relaxing music, began with a gentle wash and exfoliation. A light-pressure massage on specific parts of the face followed: it helped to raise my skin and increase circulation. It enlivened my face almost instantly and I knew then that I would enjoy it.
Using aromatherapy oils, the massage extended to my shoulders and head, bringing an intense feeling of relaxation to the entire body and filling me with positive energy. Away with ageing!
After a reflexology, muscle stimulation and facelift massage technique lasting 60 minutes, a facemask appropriate to my skin type was applied. The therapy included lymphatic drainage and really aided with relaxation. In fact, I was so relaxed I think I briefly fell asleep. The head-and-shoulders massage that followed the facemask was wonderful. With an added cold stones massage and moisturiser, my beauty practitioner brought this magnificent facial to an end. I felt my skin was no longer tired; it really plumped up my face. I initially thought 90 minutes would be too long, but in fact it went by as if it was just ten minutes. Without waiting, I was taken to the hair treatment, which included a bonus shoulder rub as my hair was washed. I requested a blow-dry with natural movements which lasted until the next day and I was served a high-quality herbal tea. Every minute of the two-and-a-half hours I spent in Shine was perfect – it is a place that pays especial attention to its customers. When I revisited its website after my treatment, I saw that Shine does not just offer hair and beauty services. It also has an extensive range of health treatments, including acupuncture, specific massage therapies, psychotherapy and an extensive health centre. Doesn’t a hydrothermal massage sounds particularly delightful in the winter season? Japanese Face Lift £90 Blow Dry £30. Shine, Church Street 52 Stoke Newington Church St, London N16 0NB T: 020 7241 5033; T: 020 7249 9671 Shine, Newington Green 20 Newington Green, London N16 9PU T: 020 7241 2065; T: 020 7812 9306 shineholistic.co.uk
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A hard day’s work Traders from the century-old Ridley Road Market in Dalston talk about their stalls and business
P H OTO G R A P H M e h m e t E R
I N T E RV I E W Ya s e m i n B A K A N
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t the heart of Dalston is the Ridley Road Market. It began life in the 1880s with around twenty stalls; today it boasts over 150 stalls offering a diverse range of quality goods at very competitive prices. Visitors to Ridley Road Market are greeted with a warm and pleasant atmosphere, the energetic sound of reggae music and the natural blend of cultures. Apart from serving fruit and vegetables to generations of families, the market also offers a wide range of household goods. There are stallholders whose ancestors were here at the start, trading as early as the 1880s. Larry Julian, 63, has been chair of the Ridley Road Traders’ Association for 21 years and began working here at the age of twelve, helping out with his family’s stall after school and on Saturdays. 23
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Larry Julian
When I was a kid just automatically you would work with your parents Larry says they lived in a house just around the corner from the stall and that he grew up here. Many of family, including his brother, spent years selling fruit and vegetables. His mother branched out into toiletries twenty years ago and he now runs that stall. “When I was a child the market was very vibrant, it was very busy,” he says. “It has always been a good market. One of the best market in London. Unfortunately, like everything else, competition gets stronger, the market is not busy as used to be. “People change the way they shop. People shop online, people shop in big supermarkets. And it makes difference now. It has changed. It is deteriorated which is a shame. But that is life.” London is home to migrants from over 200 countries. Strolling down the Ridley Road Market, you can find food made by dozens of them. Larry says the profile of people he served changed roughly every ten years.
Changing customers
“Obviously going back to the fifties it was a very Jewish market. In the late fifties, sixties and seventies mainly West Indian, late 70s and into the 80s we had Turkish and Greek people. “In the nineties Turkish and Greek people opened their own businesses and that was sort of coming away from markets shopping side of it. West Indian people have always been a big influence in this market.” He adds: “Personally the best people to serve West Indian, Asian and Turkish people. These people are very family oriented people. They are close so they are the best people to serve.” Despite his family’s extensive connections to trade, Larry believes the 140-year tradition will end with his generation as his children are doing different jobs and do not want to run the market stall.
“When I was a kid just automatically you would work with your parents. That’s the way life was,” adding that falling profits meant it was not an attractive career for his children. “It is not for them. You are losing a lot of the young generation. Local councils do not help out. The local council is basically working on too much regulations instead of working on common sense. That becomes a problem.” One problem he highlights is the legal working age of 16, meaning children do not grow up with the trade like they did a Susan Julian
generation or two ago. “A lot of traders here in their 40s they have been here since they are 12. So eventually markets are going to die because you haven’t got enough young generation coming through.”
Great deals
And when asked if he still enjoys the job, he strikes a sombre note. “No. The market has changed,” he says. “And probably I am old and tired of it. People are a lot harder to serve now. I’m old-school now. I have had a good time. I am probably the last of my generation...” If you inspect every stall on the market you will inevitably find some great deals. £2.99 for fresh aloe vera; £1 for a kilogram of blueberries, sold at four times the price in the supermarket. In fact, a simple assessment of your weekly shop at a big retailer is enough to bring you to this market.
Hard work, not much money
Larry’s 58-year-old cousin Susan Julian works on a stall selling eggs that was started by her grandparents and handed down through her uncle to her. “I help my uncle here because it is my grandparents’ business. My grandfather was here all his life. His father before him. He only started the egg business out 50 years ago. Before that he was a fruiterer. My family has been in the market through all of its existence.”
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She continues: “Today as a family we have a few stalls. Older families are leaving now. New people are coming in. We used to have predominantly West Indian customers along with English. Now we have such a big diverse range of customers: Turkish, Chinese, East European, South American customers and still we have West Indian and English. “My children went to college and university. They moved on now. Younger ones are not doing it now. There are a few, but not many. It is hard work. It used be hard work for good money. Today it is still hard work but not very much money.”
Carole Rank
The youth at work
One of the younger traders is Bradley Don, 30, who has come to this market from Eltham, the south of the Thames, for one and half year selling curtains, blinds and bedding. His father worked here 15 years ago and the business is one part of a family trade that extends across London. What does he think of the work? “I do not particularly like this market. This markets customers hard work. But generally speaking, as a market trader it’s fun. To do this job is a fun job. Different markets have different politics. Some markets make it very difficult for you to work. It depends on which market you go to. “In the summer it’s the best job. But in the winter it is rubbish. I will not continue to work here if it does not get any better. This year has been terrible, it is just not enough money. Customers here do not want to spend too much money.” Bradley Don
Three hour to set up
My husband’s family has been here since the 1920s From white goods to burgers
One of the longest-standing trades in the market is Osman Mukavim who started selling white goods here in 1985. He later moved into the burger trade. Those first years of his time on Ridley Road Market were far livelier, he says, adding that many would visit from far and wide because parking was not a problem. “But once credit cards and shopping centres came about, market business began to fall. The new generation are not interested in the market.”
Since 1920s
“My husband’s family has been here since 1948. His grandparents were here before the war. They were here in 1920s. “My children would not work here. They went to university. I don’t think It is good career move. We are probably retiring end of this year.” Carole gets up at three in the morning to come here and it takes the couple three hours to set the stall up “The only language I had problem is Russian because of the alphabet. I could not even say it, I could not even write it. Most Russian people can understand Polish so I can serve in Polish. I have got very, very nice customers. But some of them are old and dying. I have got very nice customers from the Caribbean but they are going back to the Carribean. A lot of people know me here. I am trying to help people. It is enjoyable.” Osman Mukavim
Carole Rank, 62, lives in Essex but has sold bed clothes, sheets, towels and blankets on the stall for 42 years. The stall passed to them from her husband’s family and Carole can do a sale in five different languages. “It is my husband business. I haven’t been working here full time. I worked for Marks & Spencer during the week. I worked there for 20 years. I was in the head office. I help my husband in the weekends,” she says. 25
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Neyire ASHWORTH The renowned clarinet player of War Horse fame talks about discovering her mother’s mysterious life and why she loves Stoke Newington’s lentil soup.
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started to play the clarinet because of a lie. I had in fact been playing piano since I was five years old. Once my father showed me his old clarinet which for some reason I remembered and when the school orchestra had a space for a clarinettist, I unhesitatingly volunteered. I had never even put one together before! A youthful career followed in county orchestras and as woodwind prizewinner in the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition. When I was 25 my mother Selma died. I was devastated, but in your twenties you just get on with things. Her past is a mystery Afterwards, it slowly dawned on me that her life had not been as I thought it was. I didn’t know who Selma Ashworth really was. I’m still in the dark 25 years on. Her past is a mystery. I know she was born into an old Istanbul family in Kadiköy, an area on the Asian side of Istanbul, in 1927. Her brothers were a journalist and an engineering professor. Her father Huseyin Sami was an MP in Atatürk’s second parliament and economic attaché in Paris. I’m named after my grandmother, “nene”Neyire Sami. I know Selma “escaped” from Istanbul by going to Nuremberg to learn German, married an airline pilot called Herman and then ran from there, only to find herself free and single in 60s London. Arrested in Turkey In 1976, when I was 11 years old, she and I spent our second and last summer together in Turkey. There’d been an amnesty on political prisoners and Selma felt it was safe after many years in exile. We were arrested and banned from leaving the country until Selma went through a judicial process. She was lucky to be released, but never returned.
P H OTO M e h m e t E R
Loving Stoke Newington After a year in Venezuela in 1998, I returned to the UK with no work. I studied to be an actor; a long-held wish. I also taught English as a second language in community and refugee centres around London. This was when I discovered how much I loved Stoke
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P ROF ILE
Neyire Ashworth with her parents
My parent’s transcontinental marriage
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y mother described her time on the King’s Road as colourful. Initially she walked dogs and polished silver to earn a living and from 1972 worked for Bata Shoe Company, Oxford Street. My father Ronald is from Lancashire. His parents were hardworking northerners who struggled to survive. My parents met around 1960, shortly after he arrived in London, where he worked as a project engineer for Frigidaire. It was a time of partying. They frequented bars and many a Turkish embassy cocktail party. My father described my mother’s English as excellent, apart from the odd skewed colloquialism: “I would give my bottom a dollar”! They married in 1963. My parents were like chalk and cheese. The
Newington. The Turkish-Kurdish Community Centre at that time was in the former Simpson House factory on Stoke Newington Road. I’d say the best mercimek çorbası (Turkish lentil soup) in Hackney was made in their restaurant. I often sat there drinking a glass of Turkish tea. It was an important and humbling time. I moved into the area and my career flourished. My first ever visit to Stoke Newington was with my mother over 30 years ago. Looking for all things Turkish, we ended up in Newington Green eating lahmacun; another time; dinner at Istanbul İşkembecisi. Selma ordered “işkembe çorbası” the tripe soup and a dessert called “tavuk göğsü” - I had to guess the secret ingredient (chicken!).
thoughtful, English working class engineer, and the multilingual, political adventurer. Both staunch Socialists, he an introvert, she a gregarious storyteller. Their marriage lasted until 1978. My father has recently moved to Southampton and I visit him as much as I can. Generally, we’ll go and do errands together, then head for the sea. He has a garden again. And he loves the birds. This, along with his many other pastimes, keeps him busy; never a bored moment, he says. In the last five years I’ve started visiting Turkey regularly. Selma asked to be cremated and for her ashes to be thrown into the Bosphorus. So now my first port of call in Istanbul is the water’s edge, by the Galata Bridge, to breathe in the salty air and remember her.
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Working on War Horse War Horse is a hugely successful musical theatre piece produced by the National Theatre. Throughout my career I have freelanced on many West End shows, including Miss Saigon, Mary Poppins and Martin Guerre, but that I worked as a musician for seven years on this superb adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s novel, has been a wonderful surprise. Presently I play with the New London Chamber Ensemble and Zimro Trio. I also freelance as an orchestral, chamber and improvising musician. I write too. My one-woman performance pieces “Stenclmusic” and “Stolen Voices” use storytelling, performance and music to explore people’s stories.
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Great music in your local Stoke Newington and Dalston is home to the most diverse music scene in London. Grab a drink and be transport through jazz, 1970s disco-dance or a more alternative scene - all mere minutes from your doorstep. Servant Jazz Quarters Servant Jazz Quarters is a boutique music venue and cocktail bar situated just behind Dalston’s cultural hub, Gillett Square. Experience London’s thriving live music scene during the week and some of the capital’s hottest jazz musicians and DJs on the weekend. Their cocktail menu divided by songs like In a Manner of Speaking, Fly Guy, Liquid Diamonds. Also available are fancy ciders and beers, including Brooklyn Lager, Einstök White Ale and Chimay Blue on the drinks menu. Check their website for the gigs. 10A Bradbury Street, Dalston, London N16 8JN servantjazzquarters.com
Birthdays
Ridley Road Market Bar
Ridley Road Market Bar This place describes itself as a party bar in Dalston, situated in the middle of the eponymous.. Weekdays before 10 pm it is perfect for a cosy glass of wine or cocktails. By 11 pm at the weekend you – as they say – lose your mind as the venue turns into a disco-dancing hot house like the seventies took a holiday in a tropical island. Slice Girls also serve pizzas every night. 49 Ridley Road Dalston London E8 2NP ridleyroadmarketbar.com
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MUSIC IN N16
Servant St. Mary's JazzChurch Quarters
Cafe Oto
Birthdays Dalston Birthdays is an independent bar and club venue, located in what it cheerfully admits is a “faceless residential block”, aiming to make up for it with quality food and music. The music happens in the basement hangout with a hipster crowd. Birthdays has hosted shows by Tommy Cruise, My Bones, Avic Sans, April Towers, Luo, Animal House, Art Break. Forthcoming event is by Gold Teeth Takeover (23 December). 33-35 Stoke Newington Rd, Stoke Newington, London N16 8BJ birthdaysdalston.com
Cafe OTO Cafe OTO’s evening programme of adventurous live music seven nights a week provides a home for creative new music that exists outside of the mainstream. The concert programme at Cafe OTO is managed by OTO Projects – a not-for-profit Community Interest Company. Cafe OTO is also open as a cafe with Persian-inspired cooking every daytime. The venue hosted sell-out events like spiritual jazz legend Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids + Emanative, whose message of survival and renewal “We Be All Africans” has resonated with countless audiences. 18-22 Ashwin St, Dalston, London E8 3DL cafeoto.co.uk 29
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ADVERTORIAL
Beat the chill with Polarf leece Christmas market at Sutton House
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s the Scandinavians say, ‘there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes’, which is why the Polarfleece selection at JoJo Maman Bébé is a must for keeping little ones cosy this winter. Made from recycled plastic bottles, JoJo Polarfleece is soft, snuggly and perfect for environmentally-conscious families. Bundle up your baby in the Polarfleece All-InOne – which, believe it or not – is made from 17 plastic bottles. A cosier alternative to a pramsuit, it allows your tot to move freely while providing ultimate warmth.
The Polarfleece Balaclava offers a sweet way to keep little faces shielded from the cold. Soft and lightweight, it’s comfy to wear and the adorable bear ears turn a winter basic into something special. All too familiar with constantly dropped or lost scarves? The Polarfleece Cosy Neck is designed to offer all the warmth of a scarf while staying put – ideal for active little ones! Find JoJo Maman Bébé’s gorgeous styles in their Stoke Newington store or order online for free delivery to your door. Maternity, baby and kids’ collections are available, as well as practical products and beautiful gifts. Jojo Maman Bébé : 58 Stoke Newington Church Street, N16 0NB To shop the complete collection, visit jojomamanbebe.co.uk
utton House is hosting Sutton House Christmas, a special seasonal event featuring a Christmas market that will run until Sunday 18th December at the National Trust property in London. The Tudor manor house in Homerton High Street, Hackney host a Christmas fair, open Saturday and Sunday each weekend, themed around pantomimes. The unique concept has been created to tie in with Sutton House’s book-themed events in 2016. Offering a vibrant alternative to the more traditional ‘German style’ Christmas market with a handpicked selection of artisans, artists, fashion and jewellery designers, ceramicists, and card makers, Sutton House aims to attract a mix of boutique shoppers and families looking for a fun day out. The magnificent Tudor house provides the perfect setting for the pantomime themed Christmas event combined with the opportunity to find original and quality Christmas gifts. Sutton House has been transformed into a winter wonderland with each room representing a different pantomime theme; the rooms dressed accordingly and include live action characters. Themes include Jack & The Beanstalk, Dick Whittington, Puss In Boots, Hansel and Gretel, Goldilocks, Snow White, Alice In Wonderland, The Beauty and The Beast, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Robin Hood, and Wizard Of Oz. The icing on the Christmas cake will be the opportunity for children to meet Santa. Entry £5.
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