Facsimile version of this article, with illustrations, is at Harleyford Road Community Garden (original article)
GARDEN ANNIVERSARY
The 1st June 1995 is the tenth anniversary of the occupation of the 'wasteland site' in Harleyford Road. This was the first big step towards putting in practice all the ideas for a Community Garden which had been developed over the previous year.
During the late seventies the Inner London Education Authority had acquired nearly all of the houses and land in and around Vauxhall Grove and Bonnington Square, in order to extend Vauxhall Manor School.
The occupants were rehoused, apart from a few stalwarts who refused to move. However, the 1981 census showed a fall in the demand for secondary school places, rather than an increase, and the school was later closed and merged with Lillian Baylis School.
Once again the planners had destroyed a lively working class community which was poorly equipped to defend itself.
Young, well-educated squatters began to move into the houses, and despite hostiity from many residents, were seen as possible allies by the tenants association in Harleyford Court - a Lambeth Council block next to the wasteland site.
The Harleyford Road Garden Association was formed, meetings held, newsletters produced, a landscape architect chosen and a study carried out to look at the feasibility of building a community garden. By 1985 there was considerable interest and support, but there was concern that with the break-up of the Greater London Council and Inner London Education Authority, the site might be sold on the open market.
The occupation of Saturday 1st June 1985 was organised and within a few weeks one of the last GLC employees at County Hall arranged for the ownership of the land to pass to Lambeth Council. An arrangement was made to rent the land at a peppercorn rent, and all was set for the builders and landscape team to move in.
Sadly, the alliance between tenants and squatters failed to bridge the class division and broke down over disputes about car-parking and stinging nettles; the tenants withdrew feeling that their needs were not understood.
The long-term future of the Garden, as with any other parks, common-land or shared open space, must be uncertain. Public spaces have falled into neglect and are being enclosed and semi-privatised. The urge to retreat behind your front door becomes greater and greater, but the risks of 'getting involved' may be worth taking, given that the stakes are so high.
Max Boucher
Reprinted from Vauxhall View (published and edited by the late Steve Morse), June 1995.
10 Jan 2007