The Bruce Castle Museum Archives

Archived sketch of the Jacksons Lane building, previously the New Wesleyan Methodist Church

The Bruce Castle Museum Archives

AliciaJL - 7 May 2023

Two members of the Creative Engagement team visited the Bruce Castle Museum, though technically not a castle, this 16th-century former manor house in Tottenham holds an ever-expanding collection of the local history of Haringey, which fortunately for us, holds the story of Jacksons Lane since 1905, when it was first built as a Methodist church.

‘We like to call ourselves Haringey’s attic’, the head archivist said, sliding three big cardboard boxes onto our wooden desk, and we could see what she meant.

Packed to the 16th-century rafters with books and boxes, pamphlets and photographs, this building is the go-to destination for foragers of our borough’s rich local history. Pencils (the Museum is a no-pen zone) and phone cameras (a modest £6 fee applies for photography), we found an array of fabulous and surprising documents.

Did you know that Jacksons Lane cost £12,000 to build? This article, on yellowing paper from 1905, came complete with an original floorplan of the New Wesleyan Church, pulpits and all. Flash-forward to 1989, and Jacksons Lane’s modern identity as community center and safe space started to materialize between our rifling fingers.

HIGHGATE WESLEYANS. The New Church Standing prominently at the corner of Jackson’s-lane, the new church and schools which the Highgate Wesleyans are now completing command the attention of every passer-by. The dazzling newness of the bi rich red brick and white stone looks especially well in the clear sunlight of a September morning. As will be seen from the accompanying sketch, the buildings are of fine design and can certainly claim rank amongst the most artistic and suitable which this body has erected in the North of London. As an example of the perfected reward of patience the fabric is eloquent. For a great number of years there were many of the Wesleyans of Highgate who felt that this site near the Highgate station was an ideal one on which they should plant their banner. But the obstacles which they had to encounter were many, amongst the first being the difficulty of being able to purchase the desired site.At length they succeeded, but even after the freehold was theirs they had yet to wait nine years before any definite start could be made. At the holding of the quarterly meeting of 1902 it was, however, decided that a move might be made, plans were prepared and operations begun, and on October 26th of last year the memorial stones were laid with all due ceremony. Altogether, the buildings and site will have cost £12,000. The Church is to accommodate 650 people, while in the schoolrooms there will be room for 400 children. ARCHITECT'S DESCRIPTION. The Church is in the Early English style and consists of nave, with end gallery, side aisles, transepts, chancel and organ chamber. There are two vestries. The schools have, in the front block on the ground floor, the infants' room and classroom, also boys' and girls’ entrances. A corridor communicates with the gallery staircase to the church. On the first floor are the church parlour, with lavatory, etc., and another classroom. The Materials used are red brick with Bath stone dressings, and the roofs are covered with Broseley tiles. The contract cost was £9,390. The architect is Mr. W. H. Boney, of Highgate. — The Times dated September 15, 1905 reads ‘The New Wesleyan Church, Highgate,’ which we now know as Jacksons Lane!

One box labelled ‘Haringey Vanguard’ contained more than a few treasures. This is a valuable project, dedicated to memorialising the contributions of BIPOC and Asian LGBTQIA+ community activists in the late 20th century. In the box we found gorgeous posters signaling a ‘Haringey Lesbian Do’ and a Lesbian Multi-Cultural Cabaret and Social – both hosted here at Jacksons Lane in the final year of the 80s. On purple paper, a favorable accessibility assessment of the building written by Sisters Against Disablement, a feminist group that radically welcomed woman of all sexual orientations.

HARINGEY LESBIAN DO A pink piece of paper featuring a black woman in traditional African dress with a headpiece with a figure that looks like an embellished angel. The flyer reads: Voices of Oyaah Maria Esposito Debbie Blindyke & The Tokens D.J. Ann Day Jacksons Lane Centre Archway Road London N6 Highgate Tube Buses: 17 43 134 263 263A C2 N92 £2 Waged £1 Unwaged FULL ACCESS Friday 23rd June 7:30-11:30pm CRECHE FOOD BAR — A flyer promoting the ‘Haringey Lesbian Do’ featuring live music, a DJ, food, a bar and more

SISTERS AGAINST DISABLEMENT ACCESS CODE FOR JACKSONS LANE COMMUNITY CENTRE, ARCHWAY ROAD, N6. PARKING: Outside entrance less than 50 yards. Adjoining streets after parking restrictions lifted. PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Buses; 134, 43, 263, 17. Tube: Highgate within 50 yards. ENTRANCE: Theatre main entrance ramped. 15 shallow steps with handrail. DOORS: Heavy front double doors open inwards. All doors at least 34" wide. INSIDE BUILDING: Level access within building to all areas. LIFT: None. TOILETS: One fully accessible toilet. DIMENSIONS OF PREMISES: Large premises. 40 feet from main entrance to social area, 50 feet from main entrance to toilet. FLOOR SURFACES: Carpeted entrance. Main Theatre smooth wooden floor. LIGHTING: Fixed, variable. SEATING: Hard, moveable, high. HEATING: Variable. PARTICIPATION: Sign Language Interpreter. HELPERS: General helpers. For more information telephone 01-802-8981during office hours, or write to Haringey LAGU, 48, Grand Parade, Green Lanes, N4. CRECHE: Available on site. Please contact for information. FOOD & DRINK: Alcoholic & non-alcoholic bar. Vegetarian & non-vegetarian food available SMOKING: Allowed throughout STRUCTURE OF ACTIVITIES: Informal, regular breaks. — A report by Sisters Against Disablement assessing the accessibility of the premises of Jacksons Lane

We also folded out a flourishing youth programme designed for our tenth anniversary in 1985, featuring a matinée of poetry readings by young women from the area, a series of cabarets by young people in the reception area, and a week-long youth festival. Tucked away in Tottenham, we closed the boxes, handed in our pencils and gave thought to the significance of preserving local history, grateful to Bruce Castle Museum for their dedication to the cause.

Huge thanks to the Bruce Castle Museum for welcoming the Jacksons Lane team. To find out more about our history visit our about page www.jacksonslane.org.uk/about-us/ and for more on the local history of Haringey visit www.brucecastle.org

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