Essex Road Women’s Centre, 1974-1977.
Daybook Entries.
February 11th 1974.
Day 1
The Centre opens…but the key doesn’t open the door!
Message for Tammy…2.30 pm Gordon from the Packington Estate says she can use the duplicators, but only a portable one.
(Michele Cohen)
Islington Crime Prevention Office (ie Police) – need name of keyholder and address. Lisa’s name given.
(Hilary)
Feb 12th 1974
Anita T came in – from Archway Group – Left her address and phone number. (Peta)
Changed window because felt that people couldn’t really see that the Centre was open – wanted to make it look more inviting!
Thought there should be open part to back of window so people can see through to the shop.
Feb 16th Saturday.
Brenda H called in. Interested to hear what we were about.
Problems with light near the door.
Sue : a woman I met at work called in – she will come to the Social on Tuesday.
Feb.18th Monday.
Woman from Packington Estate came in…said she wanted to tell her friends about what was going on.
Painted shelves and cleaned fridge, which now works!
2 boys (17) came in and had a good rap about miners, women and women’s work!
Feb. 19th
Two women who called in, said they wanted to receive information about what we’re doing and will call in again later.
Earlham Street rang trying to get a woman and 5 kids somewhere to stay, Told them we weren’t set up to do that and that we are a local women’s Centre,etc.”
Saturday Feb. 23rd.
Woman came in and said it was a bit alienating to “ordinary”. (Joan)
Gordon from Packington Estate came to tell Tammy that they’ve got an electro-stencil and hand duplicator so she can have the hand duplicator.,
Another woman came in – a teacher at a local girls’ school – will come again. (Ali F)
Health Group Monday Feb 25th.
Enquiry about Calpol – Dr Schilling , who rung up, was v helpful – said he’d give us last months’ “MIMS” (info re drugs) but advised us to get MIM’s Compendium (because Mims doesn’t deal with side effects.) That Compendium comes out every 5 years..he’ll be getting a new one soon and we can have his old one.Will leave copy with Jane Greetham’s name on it.
Calpol – no drastic side effects but over a long period might have effect on the liver….. (Jane G)
A woman and her daughter came in to look around and find out what’s going on.
Woman and 2 children (boy 18, girl 14 ) called round: she had requested to be rehoused for years as only in 2 bed flat and had moved herself in to Dunmow Walk in Popham Street (a
new council flat nearby) but the bailiffs were coming round and could we help. ( We tried later, but the bailiffs kicked us and her out.)
Feb 27th. Wednesday.
A woman from de Beauvoir Association newsletter – wants us to write something about theCentre for it.
A woman brought in “Women’s Report” to sell – part of a medical group producing a questionaire
about how women are treated by doctors. Will come to the Health Centre day.
Also…”An old boy came in looking for porno…!”
March 2nd .
Woman from the office furniture shop opposite – pregnant and fostering 3 small children, living in one room and kitchen over shop: Notice to Quit by landlady. Housing Dept and Social
Services unhelpful. Given “sympathetic” contact in Barnsbury Housing Association. She will come and discuss with the Housing Group on Monday meetings or housing group.
March 5th 1974.
Sue and Sharon came in – filled in health questionaire.
Duplicator – brought from Packington Estate. Rosie G took Women’s Centre poster to the Packington Family Advice Centre. (Ali Fell)
Saturday March 8th.
Two schoolgirls -14- came in “cautiously”- one at Starcross School and the other from Barnsbury Girls’, living in Halton Road estate…found school “very boring”.
Took housing and health leaflets.
Woman from the Packington Estate came in – interested in finding out about Women’s Aid (had heard about Chiswick WA) and wants to help any local one.
Carmen J came in: filled in health questionaire and wants to talk to the Monday Health Group.
A woman wanted advice about access…wanted legal advice. Referred to Holloway Law Centre.
She was interested in the Centre and might come to a Wednesday meeting.
Saw a woman called Silvana who is opening up a squat and wants other people to move in.
(Joan Curtis)
Monday March 10th.
Woman (OAP) came in to get address of Child Poverty Action Group because a friend was getting pushed into an Old People’s home. We felt we couldn’t do much but gave her the
number.
A Health Group meeting with Cath, a doctor and two women from from East London.
We’ve now got a pregnancy testing stuff and plan to do some early on Monday.
Rang up Islington Gazette and put an advert in for the first 2 Health Public Meeting on “Understanding Our Bodies” and “Cystitus”.
Michele Cohen gave us a Belling stove so we can now cook our dinners in the back!
Tuesday 12th March
Gordon from”Angel” (Packington Estate) came in, suggested us doing something in their paper and using their centre (perhaps health group?)
Liz T from Centreprise was here to find out what we are doing and talking about an attempt of setting up a women’s centre in Brighton.
Mrs D came in – wants a transfer from Sickert Court – medical grounds for moving turned down.
Local councillor had done nothing about it – may come back with her husband on Saturday – or someone could visit her.
Jill W phoned – works at the White Lion Free School. Would be interested in coming along to a meeting (Housing Group or Social) but can’t make Wednesday nights.
Saturday March 16th.
Judy H dropped by- wants to read the article on “Structurelessness in the Second Wave”. Willing
to help in Centre.
Penny S came in. Interested in Health Group and joining the rota. Works in a playgroup in the Mile End. Will come in next Tuesday.
Woman architect came in – will come back with friends.
March 18th.
Sue G came to Health talk. She is being treated for polycystic ovaries at Barts and wants to find out more about it.
Christine M came in, looking for a place to live on her own as she works with OAP’s and looks after their cats.
Angie P came in : her job is to advise social services etc., which groups to give money to – a Community Organiser!
She will help us in getting money from the council , what to do, chat up the right people. (I don’t think we ever got any! LV)
March 23rd, Saturday.
Valerie from Highbury came in, wanting to know if we knew of any playgroups she could go to with her child, 16 months.
Gave her Luciana and Kate’s number.
( I think we should have separate sections of information on the wall eg for playgroups, as after she left I noticed another relevant noticestuck somewhere else on the wall.)
She left her phone number and is prepared to stay with the child at the playgroup; she lives in an upstairs flat with no garden or anywhere to play.
Monday March 25th
The Health Group did the Cystitis talk: 2 women came in who had suffered from severe cystitis…one said she would come back.
Angela Kilmartin came in with application forms from the club she organises, The U and I Club (Urinary Infections), and copies of “Understanding Cystitis” and told us about the Club. £1.25 yearly subscription, in Gerrard Road. Anne ( Angela?) gave an
informative talk on cystitis and we talked about not only
treatment (bi-carbonate of soda and drink) but also prevention (cotton pants. clean crutch, lukewarm baths, no heavy soaps etc..see book.)
March 26th, Tuesday.
A woman came in about problems with Islington Council over an improvement grant for her house : conscious about discrimination against women. Wondered if we were all youngish. She is middle aged.
Onya came in to buy 3 speculums…had to put 57p in the book jar as couldn’t find the money procedure for these.
April 1st, Monday.
Done 1 pregnancy test.
Girls from Archway School : want someone to talk about Women’s Liberation on May 2nd, if
poss. Ask for Mrs Morley. Put it on agenda for Wednesday.
A pregnant woman wants to know how to get grant for pregnancy and also wants a woman doctor. Told to try River Place Health Centre.
Co-counselling.
Fundamental class beginning first week in May for women. Marge G.
Woman came in who is setting up a health group at Centreprise, Kingsland Road. Works for PAS (Pregnancy Advisory Service.)
Another woman came in asking where to get the pill free, as she was having to pay for it.
Someone came in to collect a poster for the Women’s Day march.
8th April 1974.
Nice afternoon. Had talk about health and children with Sheila F. No pregnancy tests today, but Gillie to do poster soon for pregnancy testing which we’ll spread around.
9th April 1974.
A woman who has been working in the Feminist Health Centre in California phoned. Wants to work on self-help fulltime in London, possibly working with several groups and helping exchange information. Will be coming to the Health Group on Monday week – Nancy McKeith.
Two women came in: one had lived for 40 years in an unfurnished flat and was being harassed by landlord who wanted to redevelop. They had been to the Labour Committee rooms in Upper Street, which were closed.
Advised her of legal security as an unfurnished tenant and referred her to the Law Centre and offered our support. We talked about property speculation and the needs of people. Friend
asked me if we were “communist” and said she was red and getting redder!
Tuesday April 23rd.
Changed the window a bit as out of date. Deidre came looking for Georgine C. and stayed. Two women came from Thornton Neighbourhood Centre to suss it out.
Made a few placards for the picket tomorrow. Some men came in and cleared out the last of the flaming books! A woman came in and asked Deidre to phone the public health Inspector about a cafe up the road! Someone else had a fit in the street and
phoned the hospital from here.
Made a few placards for the picket tomorrow. A woman formerly at Nottingham involved with a women’s centre there came in to talk about the Women’s Movement and left address for
future mailing. Closed at 6pm as had to go. (Lisa V.)
April 29th.
Jo L, student nurse at Barts came in…willing to help with books and information.
April 30th.Tuesday.
Phoned Archway School who asked us to speak on Thursday May 23rd 1,30. Rosie Graham,
Joan Curtis and Joanna are going.
We made balloons for the May Day march. (Joan C.)
Sat 4th April
Quite a few women came in – one disappointed by Earlham Street because of the separatism.
Interested in coming to Wednesday night meetings.
Two women came in about one-parent families – had been to the Gingerbread group and left the address. One woman from North London Poly womens’ group.
Deborah left a phone number for a Super 8 ml projector.
May 14th
Gillie Lacey, Jo Temple, and Deidre put screen printing equipment for a poster on First Aid and Diet. Two talks.
Ali Fell came in and left a message for Rosie Graham. Two 14 year old West Indian boys came in asking for a free cup of coffee as it said in the window!
A woman came in to ask advice for maintenance for her child. (Jo Temple)
May 18th 1974
Kingsgate Centre rang to say they have squatted a house behind the centre and are demanding housing for single people from the Council.They have barricaded themselves in and would like support from us.
Sandy from ACE experimental theatre group came in…they do work with kids, inflatables etc in the Greenham Road baths.
Esta C came in about an incident near ULU today – she and others had been at the Womens’ Charter meeting but the publican refused to serve her. She rang Camden Community Law Centre and will ring to say what happened. (Esme Glauert.)
May 20th.
Did pregnancy test for a woman: it was negative. Another woman came in to talk about being a single parent – wants to find out about ILEA policy for pregnant single mothers.
Gillie has a list of nurseries but thinks we should have out own list.
Tania came in to find out about maternity hospitals…wants to go to Royal Free but its out of her
catchment area. Its a teaching hospital.
Two people rang about pregnacy tests and one is coming in.
No one turned up for the talk of First Aid: had been advertised in chemists and launderettes:
maybe it should be advertised in the Gazette?
May 25th
Julia phoned Earlham Street to ask them to send the newsletter. They are 10p each.She sent off £2 – should be enough for 20 newsletters.
June 1st
Whittington Radio Group. Music and women’s centre…interviews about women’s liberation, marriage, husbands, kids and launderettes!
Anne Cross from Islington Law Centre..came in about Battered Women’s group. Do not want to publicise place until sure they have got it.
June 4th
We need some issues of the latest Red Rag.
Dorothy from Germany came in and discussed the Women”s Movement over there and what ishappening here. Message left on board for Deidre.
Nell from Holloway Law Centre wanted number of Islington Women’s Aid – woman with two kids
need somewhere to stay for a couple of weeks.
Monday, Sheila and friend came in with kids to talk about setting up a playgroup/ mutual childcare together. Wrote something on the board.
Mary and Rosena came in – Mary wants info about dysmenhorrea as she is being badly treated by doctors. May come in next Monday to Health group.
Rosie came in for a chat. Busy, exhausting day!
Tuesday 11th of June.
Dr Judy M has stopped doing menstrual extraction.
Saturday.June 15th.
Mary Clemmey came in who is interested in working with a Building Collective. Is going to work
for a couple of weeks in Sunderland
with a building collective then possibly in Islington.
Would help with the building work in Women’s Centre basement.
(Later on, Mary, a skilled carpenter, made an opening through the ground floor into the basement and made and installed the stairs, opening up an important meeting area. LV.)
Wrote to Mrs Brown with a leaflet about Parents’ Action Group- how to get the school of your
choice for your child..
June 17th Monday.
Bernadine B -teacher- is interested in women teachers meeting – getting courses for 1st and 2nd year secondary school for girls.
Try to integrate sex, history, health etc in an approach acceptable for the girls.
Mrs M wants home birth but her doctor and FPA doctor uninterested…could Jane G write to help her find another doctor.
Claire L from Stepney Law Centre, Dame Colet House, rang to say they are starting a project of matrimonial advice and do-it-yourself divorce and will link up with Tower Hamlet’s Women’s Centre. Want volunteers to come and learn from the solicitors so that they can disseminate info.
Royal Northern Hospital – VD clinic – report from a lady who went and says it was wonderful (Lisa had advised her to go there) – reports that the receptionist almost apologised for having to ask her name!
Nancy McKeith rang.
a) Lesley Doyle for the N. London Poly will give her talk on Women and Medicine next week Wednes. at the Health Group.
2) Nancy contacted Dr Home re Chinese medecine.. ..he wants summary of what Essex Road Women’s Centre is about.
3)She is still trying to get hold of Ann who works in a lab.
Tuesday 18th.
A probation officer rang up about a girl who wants some help as she’s been chucked out of her place. I told her to come here.
A guy came in to ask for a sympathetic doctor for his girlfriend.The questionaires are very good. I gave him a Dr MacBain from River Place Health Centre. (Jo Temple).
Brixton Women’s Centre phoned about places on the coach for the conference. Joan said there might be room for 5.
Saturday 22nd June.
Agnes A (African) has been beaten up by her husband and forced out of her house.She is going to get legal help to get him out. He has the 3 children at present but she wants them back. She is willing to move back into the house if there were some women
in her position who would move back in with her.
She is part-owner of the house and if she can find women to support her then she will start legal proceedings to ban him from the house.(Joan C).
Marian D rang up to book a place on the coach.
Two women came in to buy pamphlets. Talked about the centre: one coming to the Wednesday meeting next week; the other is a social worker, just moved to the area and interested in coming to the Centre.
June 24th.
Mrs Mullinger came in again, rang National Childbirth Trust – they support. home births and gave her the name of Islington lady in charge.
Procedure is to go to local health clinic, tell them to arrange midwife, etc. Mrs M will bring in the info sent to her by the Nat. Childbirth Trust.
Dr Hodgson will do first births at home, John Scott Health Centre, Woodberry Down.
Mrs Baker (Bridget) is the National Childbirth Trust lady for Islington, conducts antenatal classes.
25th June
Jo S called and left a list of Women’s Aid Centres. She wants to talk about battered wives and will come to the general meeting tomorrow.
A Mrs Broomfield is in Hackney Hospital, geriatric ward, and is not getting much attention…her husband wants someone to help him get her transferred.
(Jo T)
6th July
Mary Turner, member of SACU (Soc for Anglo-chinese Unity) interested in local organizations and forming contact between local people andSACU. Also interested in Working Women’s
Charter.
Sue O’Sullivan took Red Rag and Welfare State pamphlets from the conference and left current copies. A woman came in to buy Women Now from the window..we’ll have to get another
one.
A woman came in for a chat, had a really good talk about lots of things, women’s health, kids – the World.
July 14th? Monday.
Jean and Jilly’s girls came to look at Women’s Centre, watched a pregnancy test and had cream buns!
Woman came in to find out about abortions and discussed amenorrhea.
Cancelled Jumble sale at library and tentatively booked for Sept. 14th as more people may be here.
16th July.
What happened to the key? We had a hassle opening up.
Mary Lennon from Task Force came in to have a look around and find out whats going on.
Sue Oppenheimer came in to talk abour the Women’s Charter. There is a group of people trying to do something in Islington around it
Next week there’s a Trades Council (Islington) meeting and they’re hoping to set up a committee on it. Sue has worked with women in Hackney around it and goes to the all-London meetings. She’s coming in tomorrow – to talk about it at the Wednesday General meeting.
July 25th.
Mrs. Chapman, widow, is very lonely and wants to join the social group. She might bring a friend but needs to get out as
she is having psychiatric treatment.
July 31st.
Mrs Barthelemy came in and offered help with kids, or help with parents having problems with kids..offered help one evening a week.
She works with special needs kids. (Ali F)
Saturday 28th September.
Mrs Julian came in for a pregnancy test. Test was negative but suggested she should check again. She might come back next week.
We cleaned the Centre – the window etc and talked about the information needed on Battered Wives and accommodation.
Sian rang – is interested in the Health group and would like to talk to someone from it. Could someone ring her? (Esme)
Saturday 4;10;74
Two women came in to see the Centre – just visiting the area.
Angela West came in to ask about the Wednesday meeting…will come next Wed.(Esme)
Saturday 25th October
Someone from the Hackney Women’s group came to buy some speculums for the self-exam group they’re setting up.
Kate C came in for a pregnancy test which Lisa did – positive result and gave her PAS address.
Old lady plus more jumble came in!
Sat.2nd Nov ’74. Woman came in for pregnancy test – positive.
She said she’d come in on Monday when the health group meets for another one.
30-9-1974
Pregnancy test done by Rosie – positive. She wants the kid and pleased!
Possibly 3 months pregnant, had no period since being off the Pill.
More pregnancy tests.
Dec 14th.
Woman from Australia came in, she’s collecting information on health and nurseries to take back to Australia.
She’s coming on Wednesday. She wants to arrange for books and pamphlets on women to be sent to Australia.
Woman rang to know where the best place to get a copper ring fitted…I couldn’t help her. I think we need to discuss what Q’s
people are most likely to ask and how to answer them.
4 chairs and jumble had been left next door for us.
1975
Sat. 11th Jan 75.
A German woman who came on Wednesday came back to ask about consciousness-raising groups and alternative work, and to buy pamphlets.
A librarian from the London Hospital came in to buy “Women and Health” and “Women and Psychoanalysis” literature for her library at the hospital; also bought “Our Bodies, Our Selves”.
We dealt with all the mail, as decided at the Wednesday meeting.
There’s a Liverpool Road Campaign Meeting now so I’ll push off. (Save Liverpool Road Maternity Hospital) (Ali F)
Jan.24th.
2 women came in from Birmingham working in advice centres in central B’ham and starting women’s advice afternoon.
Would like any pamphlets /books in simpler language that relates to working class women, Borsall Heath, B’ham.
Feb.14.
Pregnancy test on a girl at school age 15 years 10 months. It was positive. Referred her to PAS (Pregnancy Advisory Service) and Marie Stopes. She will let me know.
FOLLOW UP: Sophie told her parents in the end as the welfare worker at school, whom she had told, advised her to do so.
Her mother organised her to go to the Royal Free (presumably still Liverpool Road part as she lives near it) so she will get NHS very soon.
March 1st.
Woman working on a Law Section of expanded “Islington People’s Rights Handbook” came in to ask if Essex Rd W.Centre could go in as referral plans around Equal Pay legislation info and help with tribunal. She is bringing the stuff she has written and how to help
at tribunals, so that we can discuss it with her. (I think it’s a really good idea – we have no info at all useful to women workers as yet!)
Put it on minutes for March 5th. (Ali Fell)
March 5th.
What happened at the Literacy meeting?? last Friday.
Called Literacy scheme for London N. of Thames(!) who I had contacted before Lyn came to the Centre. Explained that we were now setting up a group here and the woman I spoke to made 4 suggestions:
Cambridge House has a group teaching Literacy during the day for mothers with kids.
They have someone to look after the kids and then 3 ‘teachers’ and 5 ‘students’ meet together. Might be worth our talking to them or going down there. The woman is Amanda W.
2) Holloway Institute…. Pippa Wainwright is doing something to do with literacy schemes in community-centred situations.
3) She ? could come to talk on the Sunday Hackney/Islington meetings and I said we’d send her a mailing about when the meetings were going to be.
Or she could meet the Literacy Collective here some other time. (Mary Lennon)
4) Meeting on Friday 7th at 11am with Mike Cushman from the Holloway Institute who can tell us about the North London scheme already running and can give us suggestions about setting
up our own finances, etc. He works with P Wainwright.
We had a meeting here last Friday, to discuss setting up a literacy scheme to be based in the Centre. Two of us, Jo Temple and Frances are teachers; Lynn who initiated the idea has been on a special course run by Harringey and Joan Curtis went. We decided to find out information about setting up the scheme, funds, etc and will meet again on Friday 14th 4pm here. Anyone interested is welcome. (Jo Temple).
Tuesday April 22nd.1975
Isobel and Ali were in, duplicating a mail-out and left the door open.The head master of the school round the back(?) came in with a Mrs R.Hobden from Canonbury flats.
She had been trying to get her daughter Tracey into the nursery at his school (In Popham Road) but she is in full-time work and needs full-time daycare.
She had been to Balls Pond Road Social Services Team, who had merely told her she needn’t bother applying to a nursery, as she couldn’t get Tracey in.
She’s involved in divorce proceedings, and her daughter is very miserable since the father left taking her brother. We wrote a letter to her doctor, so that she could perhaps enlist his help, and to social services team, asking them to get the psychiatric social worker to pressure for a place in Canonbury nursery.
She is going to go to her doctor and to the social services again. If this fails, we will try going with her.
Someone from the Community Health Council came in with a leaflet about saving the Liverpool Road Maternity Hospital meeting, to put in the window.
(This developed into an important local campaign, just before that of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital threat of closure.
They both ultimately closed, with grave effects for later generations of mothers and babies.(Lisa)
FROM HERE ON THE DAY BOOK IS MOSTLY CONCERNED WITH THE HEALTH GROUP, WHO WERE VERY ACTIVE.
These entries are concerned with women’s health and reproductive issues, with many pregnancy tests, referrals to doctors and clinics,
reports back from unsympathetic/sympathetic doctors and for health conferences.
Several women doctors came in and there were conferences on specific issues, eg new research on the Contraceptive Pill.
This put off many women in the Centre from taking it, and several years later the Contraceptive pill was modified to a lower dose. (Lisa)
Spare Rib commissioned the Essex Road Health Group to write several articles.
Spare Rib Issue 38 . “Essex Road Health Group provide a critical step-by-step guide to abortion and the methods available under the present law.”
Spare Rib September 1975 issue 39. “Barbiturate addiction of a mother.”
Spare Rib June 1976 issue 47 : “Gilly Lacey answers some common questions about menstruation.”
Spare Rib October 1976,issue 51: Jane Barker and Rosie Graham :”Menopause”.
“On being Scientific”
The Women and Science Collective will talk about problems of women relating to science and science applied to women’s issues.
Essex Road Womens Centre, Sept. 24th 1976 2.30