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220 Camden High Street

Archive type: Video
Archive ID: lcva_07592
Date: 1974
Location: North London
Chroma: B/W
Duration: 00:28:59
Credits: View

This black and white video includes observational footage and speeches given by community activists and members of the Camden community, during the aftermath of an attempted eviction of tenants at 220 Camden High Street in 1974. It first traces the outside of the house, showing bystanders, a Camden Tenants and Residents Association banner, police surrounding the property and background conversations and enquiry from community members. Soon, the voice of a man speaking directly to the surrounding police, through a megaphone, becomes the focus. He discusses the timeline of the attempted eviction, starting at 6am, and the council calling on the Fire Brigade to remove tenants (the Brigade refused). He also discusses the developments in the area, such as the Euston Centre development, spearheaded by Joseph Levy, and its impact on the housing crisis in London and other major cities. Around half way through the video, a montage of interviews start–one features a man who boards up houses for work, but highlights his refusal to lend his services for evictions. Throughout the video, audio is unclear in some places, and some close up or zoomed-in shots obscure street signs and expressions.

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