Walking Tour – The Battle of Cable Street
The Battle of Cable Street has become an iconic moment in London’s history. But this moment has a fascinating background, and leaves a legacy, which is revealed in this 2-hour walk. We will find out who Oswald Mosley was, and why he was so determined to build a popular base in East London. We will discuss what this meant for the Jewish population in the area, as well as others who inhabited East London in the 20th century. We will learn how resistance to antisemitism and fascism emerged in the East End, and everything achieved by the activists involved by the end of the decade.
Who is this tour for?
This course is for people who are interested in London’s social history, and especially East End history. It’s for everyone interested in racism, fascism, and community relations. It’s also for people keen to learn how resistance to antisemitism and fascism developed, and its legacy today.
Practical information
You will need comfortable shoes suitable for taking part in a 2-hour walk (with several stops), and water for refreshment. At the end of the walk, your tutor will provide a handout of key points.
This tour is fully wheelchair accessible.
The meeting point for this tour is outside Alberts Clothing Store, 88 Whitechapel High Street, E1 7QX.
The tour was extremely informative and set the Battle of Cable Street into the wider, international, social and political context. David is extremely knowledgable and shares his knowledge very clearly.
Need to Know
You will learn
- About the socio-economic and ethnic make-up of the East End in this period and the nature of antisemitism in British society at that time
- About the personal background of Sir Oswald Mosley who led the British Union of Fascists
- The reasons why the British Union of Fascists targeted east London to build their London powerbase and the form that their activities took
- How different communities responded to this threat and which bodies played a crucial part
Meet the Guide
David Rosenberg
David Rosenberg is an educator, writer, and tour guide of London’s radical history who has taught at Bishopsgate Institute and other adult education institutions for several years. He is a grandchild of Yiddish-speaking Jewish immigrants from Poland and Ukraine who settled in the East End of London. In the 1980s he worked for projects and organisations concerned with race equality, including the Runnymede Trust.
David Rosenberg is the author of Battle for the East End (2011) and Rebel Footprints (2nd edition 2019), and has written articles on London’s social history and current affairs for various print and online publications, including the Guardian, New Statesman, Time Out, Jewish Quarterly, and Channel 4’s History website.
Dates and Times
Walking Tour – The Battle of Cable Street
, 4:32 - 6:32
