This week, a new inquest will be opened into all 14 deaths following an extensive forensic reinvestigation by police which includes an analysis of the movement of people at the house party. Among the victims was 16-year-old Yvonne Ruddock, who had been celebrating her birthday with around 50 guests when the blaze broke out in the early hours of Sunday, 19 January. They created a campaign to memorialise the victims and conducted their own investigation which would take seriously the testimonies and experiential expertise of people on the ground. National newspapers largely ignored the New Cross fire and the Government remained silent. View Anthony Birbeck, MBE, FRSA'S professional profile on LinkedIn. The first documented instances of St. Anthony's Fire. Name. Smithyman, who was 14 at the time of the tragedy, reportedly told officers that he had tried to gatecrash the party with another teenager who began the blaze in revenge after they were refused entry. Another guest, Anthony Berbeck became the 14th victim two years later. Initial rumours of a racist attack carried out by far right groups were too easily overlooked by police, it has been claimed. Dr. Gretchen L. Birbeck is a neurologist in Rochester, New York and is affiliated with Strong Memorial Hospital of the University of Rochester. [30], The deaths in the fire were commemorated or mentioned in a number of reggae songs and poems at the time, including Johnny Osbourne's "13 Dead and Nothing Said", Benjamin Zephaniah's "13 Dead", Linton Kwesi Johnson's "New Crass Massakah"[31] and UB40's "Don't Let It Pass You By". In fact, the pier fell even further into decline. Post Coronavirus lockdown I have returned to seeing clients face to face but am continuing to . A new investigation into the blaze that killed 13 young black people at a London party 23 years ago suggests that a group of adults inside the house was to blame. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the infamous New Cross fire in Lewisham, south London where 13 Black youth died at a birthday party in what many believed was an arson attack motivated by racism. Survivor season 41: Who is host Jeff Probst? His other roles included the leads in HBO's first ever mini-series . The house had been full the night before, with revellers celebrating the sixteenth birthday of Yvonne Ruddock and the eighteenth birthday of her friend Angela Jackson. The party had begun the night before and gone over into the next day. [21][22] On 16 January 2011, a memorial service was held there, with speakers including George Francis, chair of the New Cross Fire Parents' Committee, Lewisham Council leader Steve Bullock and Joan Ruddock, MP for Lewisham Deptford.[23]. When the Black community locks shop and puts up a wall of silence regarding what goes on within our community - nothing comes out. is a New York State licensed and insured life safety company. England. The police were widely seen to be scapegoating young Black Britons for the tragedy and the media barely reported the massacre. Actor Ben Cross, who was best known for playing athlete Harold Abrahams in the film Chariots of Fire, has died at the age of 72. Our colleague, Andrew Behan, has researched this young man:Anthony Alexander Berbeck was born on 17 August 1962 in Lewisham, the son of Wilfred P. Berbeck and Cynthia L. Berbeck ne Whyte. Tony Birbeck is on Facebook. 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Sir Collins, who lost his son Steven in the fire, produced a whole album in tribute to the thirteen young Black Britonsthe album features Stevens voice, recorded when he was much younger. Forego a bottle of soda and donate its cost to us for the information you just learned, and feel good about helping to make it available to everyone. Ruddock was on the third floor when the fire broke out in the ground-floor living room. The victims were also commemorated in January 2011 with a blue plaque from Nubian Jak Community Trust. 1981: Nine die in New Cross house fire. You have misleading reports on radio and television. Smithyman and his friend may well have come to the door and couldnt get in but someone wouldve at least remembered two white boys approaching the venue - but nobody recalls this. Over the forty years, events have continued to be held to commemorate the tragedy and remember those who lost their lives. Prince Andrew 'fears he won't be able to afford Royal Lodge if King Charles cuts his 250K grant - but is Can you solve this trivia riddle? Truth, Justice, and Expertise in 1980s Britain: the Cultural Politics of the New Cross Massacre. This Government doesnt care about the people of this country, whether theyre Black or white; theyre quite happy to have in-fighting in this country among the racists and religions in this country because it helps them to keep control, Mr Haynes said. Your email address will not be published. EXCLUSIVE: Distraught mother waited 27 hours after calling NHS 111 but still didn't get to speak to a doctor Aldi releases list of 30 sites where it wants to open stores - is one of them near you? 10 Matches for Stephen Birbeck . Facebook. People have trouble now, unless they're rich, with retiring before . A week after the fire, 2,000 mourners gathered at the Moonshot Youth Centre in South London to pay their respects and to devout themselves to the struggle for justice.. It hits you again with full force. The verdict was disputed by those who believed that the fire had been the result of a racist arson attack, and the conduct of the Inner South London Coroner, who oversaw the inquest, caused particular dismay, exposing systemic flaws in the investigation of controversial deaths. "But when I looked at my hand I realised that it was my own skin that I was rubbing off my face instead of sweat or grit. Major Henry Anthony Birkbeck held the office of Justice of the Peace (J.P.) 1 He was awarded the Military Cross (M.C.)
She told reporters at the time: I ran to the living room and saw the top of the armchair, the curtains, ablaze. Warning chocolate lovers ultra-processed foods might make you depressed, study claims. Exclusive: A lot of people refuse to do their research because they want to believe that a white person did it; how did the alleged white arsonist get past the doors and into the party? Wayne Haynes told The Independent. The parents of 17-year-old Gerry Francis, one of the victims, have fought for an. Photo Vron Ware, Courtesy of Autograph ABP, London, African American History: Research Guides & Websites, Global African History: Research Guides & Websites, African American Scientists and Technicians of the Manhattan Project, Envoys, Diplomatic Ministers, & Ambassadors, Foundation, Organization, and Corporate Supporters. Berbeck actually escaped the fire, but became mentally disturbed and died after falling from a balcony, a possible suicide. NF logos and W*gs Out written on rucksacks; N***rs Out scratched into school desks. For more information about this hero click on the picture of his plaque. The new police inquiry, involving fresh interviews with witnesses, has now formally established that the blaze started when a naked flame was applied to a foam-filled armchair in the living-room. The Black People's Day of Action march took place on March 2, 1981 - six weeks after the New Cross fire that claimed the lives of 13 young Black people. On the night of the fire, nine black youth died. Witnesses stated that he threw a Molotov cocktail into the house party. He was the baby of the family. Join Facebook to connect with Tony Birbeck and others you may know. Within months an inquest returned an open verdict. 1 . Thats what counselling does for you; every Monday, I end up crying my eyes out because of things that Id blocked out for years., Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. This new evidence is expected to emerge at the inquest, which will last three months. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); History Workshop is a digital magazine of radical history. Lindsay Birbeck (Image: Lancashire Police). Mr Haynes, who worked closely with the Metropolitan Police during a second inquest into the disaster in 2004, said he remains satisfied with officers enquiries and believes that people within Lewishams own Black community know the truth behind how the fire started. Artists like Linton Kwesi Johnson, Benjamin Zephaniah, and Johnny Osbourne also wrote poems and songs, telling the story of the massacre, and condemning the silence which followed it. The New Cross fire is. It was this outpouring of anger which more than anything else led to a rethink in the way police worked with black communities. After several subsequent failed inquests by The Metropolitan Police, (the Met) black Britons were convinced that the police had failed the black community by not treating the thirteen black youths deaths seriously. Many believed the move demonstrated naked contempt towards a black community inmourning. Hassan Howe tells i: It was drizzling and I wondered if people would come. "They [the victims' families] felt they were black people treated as second-class citizens. But if it was a racist attack we wouldve known a long time ago. Upstairs, oblivious partygoers were dancing to The Wailing Souls Kingdom Rise Kingdom Fall. Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. Mr Haynes, who jumped from a window, suffered life-changing injuries including 140 skin grafts from first degree burns. Lives in Dalton, Georgia. Marion County Fire Rescue crews responded to a mobile home on Northeast 86th Lane at 12:41 a.m. I recently learnt that Paul ran into the house several times. The events are referenced in The Young'uns song "These Hands" on the album Strangers, which won BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards "Best Album" 2018. The New Cross Fire tragedy highlighted hostility between black Britons, the police and the media. Your email address will not be published. If we could retire at a reasonable age of 60 then it would open the workforce to the new generation. The New Cross Fire tragedy highlighted hostility between black Britons, the police and the media. We were young kids, all together and having a great time. Several theories on the cause of the fire have emerged over the years. The Grenfell Tower fire In December 2017, just six months after the Grenfell Tower fire, Dame Judith Hackitt produced her interim report. As a survivor, I feel triggered by these discussions and the furore around it is irritating because all its doing is upsetting a whole bunch of people - again, winding up the Black community - again, only for the matter to get dropped again, he continued. He smashed his hip into 163 pieces, damaged his sciatic nerve and up until this day cannot feel anything below his knee. A survivor of the New Cross fire of 1981 which killed 13 Black partygoers has dismissed fresh allegations of police cover-up after renewed speculation that the blaze was started by a racist arsonist. "[18], On 14 January 2011, an event called "Remembering the New Cross Fire 30 Years On" was held at the Albany Theatre in Deptford. "We know it [the fire] was not an accident. The next morning he received a telephone call telling him Gerry was dead. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, Fresh inquiry into New Cross fire set to blame adults at house party, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Up to 20% off & extra perks with Booking.com Genius Membership, Extra 25% off kitchen appliances using this AO discount code, 10% off sale orders 100+ with this Soak & Sleep discount code, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK March 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this March, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. Have returned to seeing clients face to face but am continuing to victims, fought... Two years later into 163 pieces, damaged his sciatic nerve and up until this can... 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