Willesden's Radical History - Walking Tour

MEETING POINT: Grunwick Strike mural, outside Dollis Hill Station, Chapter Road, Willesden, Brent, NW2 5NE

The walking tour will cover the below locations and topics of Willesden's radical history.

See below Map for the full route.

1. Grunwick mural and story of the strike.

2. 202 Villiers Road. Willesden Radical Club now Willesden Working Men’s Club

3. 31 Dudden Hill Lane. Former Workers’ Bookshop, which from March 1933-May 1934 acted as publisher for Inprecorr, Newsletter of the Communist International. It was also the base for local radicals and anti-fascists.

4. 379 High Road. Formerly Health Clinic, run by feminist Dr Bessie McKenzie. Now housing Brent Mencap.

5. 375 High Road. Willesden Trades & Labour Hall and the Apollo Club. Built originally as Hamilton Hall - a Conservative Party base - in 1884, the Hall was acquired by the local labour movement in 1922. The Rear Hall became the famous London Apollo Club in 1969.

6. 305 High Road. Opposite ‘The Case is Altered’ pub, now No8 Hostel, was a frequent location for outdoor meetings and lectures in early 20th century.

7. Willesden Bus Garage – strikes and militancy.

8. 84 Strode Road. Former HQ of Willesden & Harlesden Clarion Cycling Club 1905-1929+, and used by the Willesden Branch of the British Socialist Party from 1912. Strode Road also the site of Regency Hall [recently demolished].

9. 202-204 High Road. Former Willesden & District Cooperative Society 1890s-1971. Original building demolished 1991.

10. 148-150 High Road. Socialist Hall opened 1907 by the Social Democratic Federation and used by a wide range of radical groups, eg British Socialist Party, Willesden Socialist Choir, until the early 1920s

11. St Andrew’s Church. Willesden Branch of the Church Socialist League established Nov 1912.

12. Willesden Library – Clarion Movement rallies and regular Clarion Van meetings from 1905.

END POINT: Willesden Green Library, 95 High Rd, London NW10 2SF.

The walk will take roughly 90-100 minutes and will be following pavements/footpaths. Suitable footwall is recommended.

The walk is restricted to 15 attendees due to the need to keep the group manageable whilst on public footpaths.

The Willesden Trades Hall and the London Apollo Club is a building of significant political, social and cultural importance for the Labour movement, the Afro-Caribbean community in London and the people of Brent. An iconic site for radical and cultural activism, in recent times the building has fallen into disuse. The Hall is owned by the Willesden Trades Hall Charity who is a grateful recipient of resilience funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and The Architectural Heritage Fund. We are now commencing the reinvigoration of this legacy building for the twenty first century and the Trustees have appointed the London Historic Buildings Trust as Project Managers for a year long funded resilience project. During this period, in consultation with stakeholders and local communities, we aim to define how this building’s rich legacies can migrate into the future.

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Host or Publisher London Historic Buildings Trust