The Brixton Society has published local history stories for many years. Short articles appear in nearly every issue of our Newsletter which is sent quarterly to all our members. We publish more substantial research in books and these can be bought through our publications page here.
This page was created in early 2021 to fill a gap in our publications: articles too long for our Newsletter but too short to publish as a booklet. Clicking on the title of an article below will open it in a new window for you to read for free. We welcome offers of contributions of any length. In the first instance please contact history@brixtonsociety.org.uk.
We also include links to significant articles about the area on other sites; these are in italic. The following sites have too many articles to list individually, but are well worth a visit:
brixtonbuzz.com/category/brixton-history and urban75.org/brixton/history
Brixton The Story of a Name
by Ken Dixon
Brixton The Story of a Name was written by our late archivist, Ken Dixon, and originally published by the Brixton Society in 1991. It was reprinted twice. Having sold out of the second reprint, we decided to make it available on our website rather than undertake another reprint.
Brixton Windmill
by Friends of Windmill Gardens
A number of articles telling the history of this iconic, Brixton treasure.
Grantham Road Estate, Stockwell
by John Sheridan
The three residential tower blocks, Arden House, Pinter House and Beckett House, known as the Grantham Road Estate, occupy a site in Stockwell which once contained 1890s terraced houses destroyed by wartime bombing. This is their story.
Remembering Pearl Alcock, the Black bisexual shebeen queen of Brixton
by Oluwatayo Adewole
Jamaican artist Pearl Alcock ran underground gay bars, made outsider art and created crucial spaces for the Black queer community in 20th century London.
Stockwell Brewery
by John Sheridan
A brewery stood at the junction of Stockwell Green and Lingham Street, London SW9, for over 200 years. Charles Hammerton & Co brewed beer there for more than 80 years. The site is now occupied by a modern development of apartments.
Trams in Brixton
by Ken Dixon & Bill Linskey
Trams ran in Brixton from 1870 until 1951. This is the story of their rise and demise and how we might have - but didn't - get them back.