Tottenham, London

Tottenham is a place within the London Borough of Haringey. Located some 10 km (6.6 miles) from Charing Cross, it is to the north of Central London. The area has one of the largest population of ethnic African-Caribbean people in London. Many other ethnic groups have made their homes in Tottenham since the 1980s, including Colombians, Albanians, Kurdish, Turkish-Cypriot, Turkish, Somalis, Irish and Portuguese.

Tottenham is a largely working-class neighbourhood. It has the highest unemployment rate in London and the 8th highest in the United Kingdom. It also has one of the highest poverty rates in Britain. All this translates into social issues which rear themselves in the form of unrests. It is a hotspot for gangs and violent crimes.

Tottenham was the site of two devastating riots. In both instances it pitted the local black youths against the largely white Metropolitan Police of Greater London.

The first incident was the 1985 Broadwater Farm riot which was trigger by the death of Cynthia Jarret, a black women who died of a stroke while police was searching her home. A policeman, PC Keith Blakelock, was killed in the riot.

The second riot incident happened on August 2011. It was blamed on the fatal shooting of a 29-year-old black, Mark Duggan, by police on 4 August. This led to a protest march, organized by friends and relatives, on 6 August by around 200 people in the Tottenham area. The protest march degenerated into unrest, with rioters damaging store fronts and attacking the police with fireworks, petrol bombs and home-made missiles. In the clash, twenty-six police offiers were injured, including one sustaining serious head injuries. A photographer from Mail on Sunday was also beaten up and mugged. Rioters also attacked the crew and vehicle of BBC News.

Tottenham Town HallTottenham Town Hall
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tottenham_town_hall_1.jpg
Author: Fin Fahey
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How to reach Tottenham

You can take the Piccadilly Line and Victoria Line of the London Underground to Tottenham.

Broadwater Farm Estate, TottenhamBroadwater Farm Estate, Tottenham
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tottenham,_The_Broadwater_Farm_Estate,_N17_-_geograph.org.uk_-_235156.jpg
Author: Nigel Cox
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Places of Interest in Tottenham

  1. All Hallows Church
    Oldest building in Tottenham, now more than 700 years old.

  2. Broadwater Farm
    Housing estate where the Broadwater Farm riot erupted in 1985.

  3. Brook Street Chapel
    A non-denominational chapel, one of the earliest of the Open Brethren assemblies in London. It has produced many famous Christians including Hudson Taylor, Dr Barnardo, John Eliot Howard, Luke Howard and Philip Gosse.

  4. Bruce Castle, Lordship Lane
    Manor house dating from the 16th century.

  5. St Ann's Church
    Church that houses the organ used by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy to compose the Wedding March from A Midsummer Night's Dream.

  6. St Ignatius' Church
    Catholic church with college at the foot of Stamford Hill.

  7. Tottenham Cemetery
    A large cemetery in Tottenham near Bruce Castle Park and All Hallows Churchyard.

  8. Tottenham High Cross
    Memorial cross built between 1600 and 1609, and today marking the centre of Tottenham Village.

List of Places in London, Map of Places in London