Brazil paris Berlin… Wood Green

I love finding out new things about my local area. It’s easy to sit back and stay indoors and one’s life could be lived anywhere, exactly the same; but this is London, and nothing’s the same. Just the other day I found out that Henry VIII was a visitor to Tottenham (probably to see Spurs not buy Terry ‘enry). And just now I’ve researched the ever-so-slightly brilliant fact that Wood Green’s newly-discovered (to me) cultural side has a long and distinguished history of counter-culture and revolution. The excellent 1968 & All That describes, firsthand, the occupation of Hornsey College of Art in 1968 by students – though the demonstration started at the Crouch End Hill site, it soon involved students from across the wide-ranging campus, including what is now Wood Green’s own Chocolate Factory, occupying the college and subsequently being locked out for six months. This sort of thing literally never happens on one’s own doorstep; Wood Green’s hardly a hotbed of dissident action these days, nor a culturally-vibrant citadel of art (despite what the signs would have you believe). But I call it home and I love it, so I’m going to take what I’ve got.

Now: off to my macaroni.

This post was brought to you by: well, not technically by, but involving: well, not technically involving, but related to the beautiful Big Green Bookshop, more specifically news of an author event at the shop on 15th May where Lisa Tickner will be reading from her new book on the subject. I might just be there.