On 1 March, the Daily Mail falsely reported that several of the fire survivors were arrested and would face severe charges in what black Britons saw as an attempt to undermine the demonstration and the black communitys inquest into the house fire. The New Cross Fire tragedy highlighted hostility between black Britons, the police and the media. But at 5.40am the joy turned to tragedy when a fire ripped through the house. Stephen Birbeck. Meet the Birkbeck family of Norfolk - prominent landowners, Barclay founders and rewilders Updated: Dec 28, 2022 Who Owns Norfolk's research recently identified that the bucolic and expansive ~9,000 acre West Acre Estate is one of the largest remaining country estates in Norfolk. | [13], The Action Committee organised a "Black People's Day of Action" on 2 March, when 20,000 people marched over a period of eight hours from Fordham Park to Hyde Park carrying placards that bore statements including: "Thirteen Dead, Nothing Said", "No Police Cover-Up" and "Blood Aga Run If Justice Na Come". I am an experienced corporate lawyer with more than ten years of experience and have transitioned in-house to be an Associate General Counsel at Shutterfly, where I focus on general corporate. The meeting concluded with a march to the scene of the fire and a demonstration there, which blocked New Cross Road for several hours. He was buried on 20 July 1983 in Lewisham. Anthony Cross. The disaster claimed a 14th victim two years later when 20-year-old Anthony Berbeck took his own life in 1983 because of what an inquest judge called "trauma brought on by the fire". | Barling's London", "Hideously diverse Britain: Memories of the New Cross tragedy never fade", "New Cross Fire Memorial Window at St. Andrew's Church, Brockley, London SE4 - detail", "New Cross fire: Memorial service and commemorative plaque unveiling", "New Cross Fire - New Cross Road, London, UK", "Memorial plaque for New Cross fire victims unveiled", "New Cross Fire Memorial in Fordham Park", "13 Dead, Nothing Said" exhibition at Goldsmiths, "13 Dead, Nothing Said" | 16 May 2017 27 May 2017" Exhibition notes, "Photographs uncover 1981 New Cross march for racial equality", "Blood Ah Go Run: New Cross Fire 1981 Documentary", "Linton Kwesi Johnson - New Crass Massahkah", https://www.discogs.com/release/4627678-Sir-Collins-New-Cross-Fire-Page-One, "Jay Bernard wins Ted Hughes new poetry award", "Jay Bernard's 'personal and brave' poetry wins Ted Hughes award", "British writer launches poetry show based on 'New Cross Massacre' which killed 13 Blacks", "Alex Wheatle on the Life Story That Inspired Steve McQueen's Latest Small Axe Film", "Steve McQueen To Co-Direct BBC Race Relations Documentary Series 'Uprising', "30 years after the New Cross fire: challenging racism today", Remembering the New Cross Fire 30 Years On - promotional video, "New Crass Massahkah: Remembering the fire at 439 New Cross Road", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=New_Cross_house_fire&oldid=1141325113, Glenton Powell, age 16 (died in hospital), Yvonne Ruddock, age 16 (died in hospital), This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 13:53. The victims of the fire were all young Black, Mixed Race, British people between the ages of 14 and 22. The parents of the fire victims delivered a petition to the Houses of Parliament but no action was taken. CROSS-FIRE & SECURITY CO.,INC. The show focuses on two young men that were both attracted by the game Cross Fire and mainly tells us how they fight for their dreams of being a professional player. Police found no evidence to support Smithymans confession, which was one of several made from inside jail between 1991 and 1993. 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. Save my name and email address in this browser for the next time I comment. Anthony Cross. Many close to the inquiry believe there was a lack of will to solve the case and it was 'swept under the carpet and these promising lines of inquiry ignored'. is a New York State licensed and insured life safety company. The comments below have been moderated in advance. 1 He held the office of Deputy Lieutenant (D.L.) A survivor was so horrified by what he saw that he killed himself two years later. Double murderer confesses his part in New Cross fire which killed 13 black partygoers in 1981 - as dramatic new evidence sparks fresh accusations police failed to properly investigate blaze that . Please use the search above if you cannot find the record you require. Two-and-a-half years later, Anthony Berbeck took his own life, becoming the fourteenth victim of the massacre. Stephen Anthony Birbeck, age 75, Buffalo, WY Background Check. The party had started the night before on January 17, 1981 but the fire started around 5.40am the following morning.. Joan Ruddock, Labour MP for Lewisham Deptford, has worked closely with the families and was responsible for securing a second police inquiry. The Action Committee sought to raise awareness of the tragedy, raise money for the bereaved, and establish the true cause of the fire. Jeselnik's punch lines are like Kyrie Irving's crossover dribbles: You know they're coming, have a good sense of the direction, and yet you're still surprised. The New Cross Fire was a significant turning point in Britain in terms of black Britons, the police and the medias relationship and intergenerational alliance to expose racism, injustices and the plight of black Britons. These were not just national events that got brushed under the carpet, these were personal events for me. Despite repeated requests, bosses at Whitemoor prison refused to say whether they had passed on to Smithyman a request from The Mail on Sunday to interview him. A second Coroners inquest into the New Cross fire held in 2002 also returned an open verdictthough, crucially, the partygoers were fully cleared of any responsibility. 1 Anthony Leng Birbeck. But further investigations were not made nor charges brought. 1 Child of Major Henry Anthony Birkbeck Major William Birkbeck+ 2 b. [3] There had been some early complaints from neighbours about excessive noise from the party. 211 and 239. A forensic report produced for the Met Police in 2011 ruled out a firebomb attack, concluding that the blaze started when someone in the house set an armchair alight. The victims of the fire were very publicly memorialised during the Black Peoples Day of Action (2 March 1981) when up to 20,000 people (estimates vary) marched for over 12 miles through central Londonfrom New Cross Road to Hyde Parkwith many carrying aloft placards bearing pictures of the thirteen victims, their names, and dates of birth and death. Police have launched a murder inquiry after survivors described how they saw a car being driven away from the incident as the fire broke out. The last memory Mr Francis has of his son, who was the DJ at the party, was kissing him goodbye on the Saturday night. We were young kids, all together and having a great time. Despite this, it wasnt long before the police began to blame the victims. EXCLUSIVE: Revealed: Prison reform boss who drunkenly beat her husband every day after downing white wine Kyiv says Moscow's claims of a Ukrainian attack within Russia are 'a deliberate provocation': False flag Dirtiest places in your work kitchen revealed by grim swabbing test. BlackPast.org is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and our EIN is 26-1625373. Magdalene Edwards, now 57, survived the fire by jumping from a window while three months pregnant, but her 16-year-old stepsister Rosalind Henry died. Protesters with Owen Thompson memorial poster, Black Peoples Day of Action, Fordham Park, New Cross, March 2, 1981. in the Civic Suite. [This is a republication of an article originally published on HWO on 18 January 2021, the fortieth anniversary of the New Cross fire.]. Others believed, however, that the fire started from a dispute between revelers. Leverage your professional network, and get hired. What is that? I don't think so. An audience member suggested a weekday march to bring the city to a standstill. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? The New Cross house fire was a fire that occurred during a party at a house in New Cross, south-east London, in the early hours of Sunday, 18 January 1981. Theres so much more to this story. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. Moreover, local far-right extremism and the longer history of racist arson attacks in the area suggested that the fire was a deliberate attack. Survivor season 41 - everything we know about the cast, 1981 New Cross Fire wasnt a racist attack, survivor says, he appeared in a 2020 documentary co-produced by Nadine White about the Black Peoples Day of Action march, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Up to 20% off and extra perks with Booking.com Genius membership, $6 off a $50+ order with this AliExpress discount code, 15% off selected items using this eBay 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 February 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this February, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. His other roles included the leads in HBO's first ever mini-series . Commander Graham Stockwell, head of south London CID . He was awarded a Philip Leverhulme Prize 2011, a prize "awarded to outstanding scholars under the age of 36 . 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. She told reporters at the time: I ran to the living room and saw the top of the armchair, the curtains, ablaze. | The eight-page briefing note states: 'It is suspected that Smithyman was the other person with [name removed for legal reasons] when the fire started and it is our belief he will admit his full complicity in the matter.'. He was 14 at the time and claims he had tried to gatecrash the party with another teenager. England. Major Henry Anthony Birkbeck held the office of Justice of the Peace (J.P.) 1 He was awarded the Military Cross (M.C.) A memorial service which was originally planned to mark the 40th anniversary on Sunday, January . | Lives in Dalton, Georgia. 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. For four decades, the cause of the fire has remained a source of serious contention. Until 2011 he was Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck College, University of London. Mel B reveals her Spice Girls bandmates knew about the 'abuse' she suffered while she was married to Stephen Do YOU know how much a flooded home costs to repair - and is it covered on your insurance? The convicted killer, who now lives as a woman in prison, retracted the confessions and denies being present when the New Cross fire started. [12], The New Cross fire, described by Darcus Howe in 2011 as "the blaze we cannot forget", is significant as a turning point in the relationship between Black Britons, the police and the media, and marks an "intergenerational alliance to expose racism, injustices and the plight of black Britons". Tony Birbeck Director at Centurion Financial Planning Durham, England, United Kingdom 72 followers 71 connections Join to connect Centurion Financial Planning Activity https://lnkd.in/dSyWCQM It. View Anthony Birbeck, MBE, FRSA'S professional profile on LinkedIn. But, as Darcus Howe said on the 30th anniversary of the fire in 2011 it is the blaze we cannot forget.. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Anthony Birbeck Please use the search above if you cannot find the record you require. 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. Frustrated by the polices inquests, on January 20, black Britons began organizing. Join Facebook to connect with Anthony Birbeck and others you may know. Nevertheless, the popular press focused overwhelmingly on the minor disturbances that occurred on an otherwise overwhelmingly peaceful demonstration. I recently learnt that Paul ran into the house several times. Nearly 100 guests attended the joint birthday party for Yvonne Ruddock and Angela Jackson at Ruddocks three-storey home. Police chiefs have been accused of failing to fully investigate the confession of a jailed murderer who revealed how a house fire started 40 years ago, killing 13 young black partygoers. 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