Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Council Decides to Rename Black Boy Lane
Following my consideration on the origins of West Green's Black Boy name back in the summer, Haringey Council has decided to rename Black Boy Lane in West Green.
The Council have called the exercise a 'renaming consultation', but the online questionnaire offers only the ability to choose from a shortlist of two new names. So it appears that the decision to rename has already been taken with only the choice of name left to be decided.
They have issued the following press release.
The council has launched a renaming consultation with residents and businesses located on Black Boy Lane, as part of the wider Review on Monuments, Buildings, Place and Street Names in Haringey – which was launched on 12 June 2020, in response to the Black Lives Matter movement.
The council believes that the names of our monuments, buildings, places and streets must reflect the values and diversity that we are so proud of in the borough. One of the street names that has been identified as not being reflective of this is Black Boy Lane.
Meanings change over time, and the term “Black Boy” is now most commonly used as a derogatory name for African heritage men.
As part of the consultation, the council is asking residents to consider new alternative names that celebrate some of the borough’s most notable influencers, and truly reflect the borough’s rich heritage.
The two names that have been shortlisted for residents to consider are, ‘Jocelyn Barrow Lane’ and ‘La Rose Lane’. The consultation will launch today, Monday 28 September and will run for a period of 4 weeks to Monday 26 October 2020.
Letters will be arriving on Black Boy Lane residents' doorsteps this week, who can respond to the consultation using one of the following methods:
- Online: www.haringey.gov.uk/renaming-black-boy-lane.
- Email:
- bblconsultation@haringey.gov.uk
- Telephone: 020 8489 3797
- By post: Consultation Co-ordinator, The Communications Team, River Park House, 225 High Road, Wood Green, London, N22 8HQ
If Haringey residents have concerns or queries about place, street or building names in the borough, please get in touch. Send your views to Leader@haringey.gov.uk.
Bios:Dame Jocelyn Anita Barrow (15 April 1929 – 9 April 2020) was a Barbadian/Trinidadian British educator, community activist and politician, who was the Director for UK Development at Focus Consultancy Ltd. She was the first Black woman to be a governor of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and was founder and Deputy Chair of the Broadcasting Standards Council.
John La Rose was a publisher, poet and essayist. He founded the Caribbean Artists’ Movement and publishing company New Beacon Books which has a bookshop in Stroud Green. In 1975, he co-founded the Black Parents Movement from the core of the parents involved in the George Padmore Supplementary School incident in which a young Black schoolboy was beaten up by the police outside his school in Haringey.
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Tags for Forum Posts: blackboy lane name change, review on monuments, building place and street names
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Adrian Hackney on
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Is this the entry on Facebook? It seems only to serve as a link to the leader's less than impressive piece on the Haringey website.
Perhaps the truest thing he says is "A real discussion on the way in which we memorialise historical figures is long-overdue . . . . " a sentence which he fails to finish " . . . . and we certainly don't intend to promote one."
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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...and there's another here.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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But the first is a link which gives people the option of Jocelyn or John La Rose.
The alternative is "neutral". Hardly the same as preferring another name, Or being against the proposal.This link has another which is broadly a restatement of what's been said before and posted om HoL. Not really any help.
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As you know Hugh, your second link is to the Haringey People magazine. On page 2 there's much the same stuff as we've seen before on HoL in Joe Ejiofor's "message". So nothing that moves the discussion on.
Joe's message says that "There’s information in this magazine on how you can get involved".
However, unless I missed something there are only a couple of paragraphs on page 9 which rehash much the same vague material once again.
To be fair, Haringey People magazine is supposed to be delivered to every household - and not only those which use the internet and facebook. It also appears that the letter posted on HoL by Anna was delivered through letterboxes on Black Boy Lane. (Though not it would seem, with any translations or links to translations in the main community languages.)
I'd agree with Adrian that "A real discussion on the way in which we memorialise historical figures is long-overdue."
I'd agree too with his hint that our Council Leadership is not enabling such a real discussion. HoL has made a better public start, it seems, than anyone else around.
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My mentioning the last links in no way endorses them nor suggests they’re of any use. I’m just pointing out that they’re there.
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Permalink Reply by Nick Eftychiou on
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It's irrelevant because all it says is to contact the leader of the council. This proves what I have been saying from the start that this is an agenda by this new Haringey Leader. A disgrace, if you are consulting why not have a group set up by a representative of all nationalities to look at this. I belive he has a personal problem and needs to go
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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But they sent letters people’s homes
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As I pointed out above, Michael. Though these letters were lacking in basic information which would and could enable residents to make better informed judgements.
Basic information which I will asking for if and when this initiative arrives in our street. Which is probably named for a Boer War historical figure. Though actually I'm unsure. Since many "historical figures" have family names - sometimes double or treble barreled - which go back many many generations. With lots of possible links; many wars; and other events, good, bad and very ugly indeed.
I was wondering if numbers might solve the problem. Counting up and down from the borough boundaries thinking that maybe we might live on 42nd Street. I've liked the song for many years.
"Naughty, bawdy
Gaudy, sporty
Forty
Forty-Second Street"
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Hi Sarah, The stuff I referred to is in the Haringey People magazine which should have been delivered through your letterbox. Alternatively you can read it online - Hugh posted links above.
If you're referring to the letters delivered to Black Boy Lane, Anna posted them above. (Though actually it would have been eminently sensible for Haringey PR unit to have also posted them via HoL admins. Although - and this is my personal view - it's possible they might still be dubious about local websites that talk back.
If you've come across Professor Clay Shirky you may know his simplified diagram several years ago, of various models of online communication between official bodies and community members. The green dotted lines are of course something like this discussion thread.
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Permalink Reply by Sarah on
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I meant the letter delivered to homes on BBL. Found on page 18 of this thread.
Have they written again? The letter says they will and there has certainly been an update since then.
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