Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Harringay Is Such A Beautiful Place...

Due to the election campaign I spent a long time in Harringay. I only live on the otherside of Green Lanes (and have done so since I was 3), so do shop and go to the restuarants and pub in the 'Harringay' area - but the campaigning took me to parts I guess I'd never seen

That stream that runs through some of the Ladder Roads is stunning viewed from some streets. I loved all of the houses that kept their intriguing period features, have no idea what some of the writing/engraving meant - but was very curious (i.e. sorry if you saw me just staring at your house).

But I guess the best part was the people, having campaigned in many areas, Harringay was by far my favourite. A nice mix of people from various ethnic backgrounds and classes. Regardless of the political choices, most were nice and jovial.

I was stationed at a few polling stations on the day (7am -3pm) of the election and really loved the conversations with people. I found it warming to see such a blend of people from different backgrounds all determined to get their vote casted and how important they felt it was for their civic duty.

This included people new to our country, who were very aware of what they wanted and why democracy was important given the circumstances in their homeland. How to vote can be confusing for those of us who speak & read English, so those who had language barriers must be saluted for not allowing themselves to be excluded.

My faves have to be

The older Caribbean woman who wanted everyone to know she had lived in Harringay for 50 years and never missed one election. You could see she physically struggled but was determined.
Despite the rain, people were still getting to the polling station. A young man who was drenched said "I saw the rain and came straight as others might not come now & we might get a Tory!"
The African woman who itching to vote but was waiting for her teenage children who she always took to vote with her so they saw how important it was when they were old enough.
The group of adults with learning disabilities, who came with their support worker and said they read all of the leaflets but are keeping their choice a secret (not that I asked!).

I am gutted UKIP felt they could stand in my ward, the sh*t they posted through my door was nothing more than paper vermin, but can see why they didn't even bother in Harringay.

The demographic mix of Harringay without tension is something I think should be highlighted a lot more.

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Permalink Reply by Seema Chandwani on May 25, 2014 at 10:44

I do live in St Ann's. As I said

I only live on the otherside of Green Lanes

and:

I am gutted UKIP felt they could stand in my ward

We're neighbours Phil. You know that fills you with joy...!

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Permalink Reply by Seema Chandwani on May 25, 2014 at 11:09

Hi Phil

We view the world differently. It doesnt make your view right or mine right either. I have a lot of love for Haringey as an area, specifically Tottenham. It has made me the person I am today and I view it with pride when I look at the tensions in other areas of London and the country which we are lucky not to have in our community.

The little I know of you, you are a nice person but I have a feeling you'd complain at the tone of ink on your £100millon winning lottery ticket and would probably report the shopkeeper to Camelot for not having sufficent ink supplies for his machine ignoring the celebration of your new founded millionaire status.

I, like many Labour activists are volunteers and will commit time as and when I have it. Harringay has chosen who they wish to represent them and they are the ones up for public scrutiny, not me.

I hope your broadband is with a reliable supplier, should you lose your connection we'd all miss your contribution.

Thanks for the tip off about the job...

Hope you're having a fab weekend

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Permalink Reply by Hugh on May 25, 2014 at 11:15

From Seema's profile, I can see that she lives in a road which is on the borders of what I think of as Harringay. (If we wanted to dive into meaningless detail, it would be half Harringay, half West Green). So, setting the nitpicking aside, I think we can safely give Seema an "I live in Harringay" badge. (Although I would defend her right to cast this precious gift aside in favour of a 'West Green' variant, should she so desire.)

According the the Victoria County History, the area immediately surrounding St Ann's Church was considered a hamlet in the mid/late 19th Century, but it didn't ever really catch on as a neighbourhood, either in the local imagination or any other sense. However, it remains an identity waiting to be readopted.

In the meantime St Ann's is only an electoral ward. This device of administrative convenience describes an area that covers parts of of the neighbourhoods of Harringay, West Green, South Tottenham and, if you like St Ann's the hamlet. It's not a neighbourhood. A neighbourhood is a place people live in, identify with and set down roots in. The acid test of whether a name describes a neighbourhood or an administrative label is to ask to the question, "Where do you live". If asked on the street, (or in the pub), I can all but guarantee that only a tiny minority of people living in the electoral ward of St Ann's would respond with "St Ann's".

So Seema for me, you're a Harringavian and with this post you just won the Harringay Ambassador of the week award.

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Permalink Reply by Hugh on May 25, 2014 at 11:41

The change of sub-neighbourhood label on Google maps to Harringay Gardens was made by a Google Editor. I pointed out to them that Harringay Gardens was a road as far as locals were concerned and the the area is 'The Gardens', but somehow they thought they knew better. The person was from Florida if I remember rightly.

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Harringay Is Such A Beautiful Place...

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