First it was a mansion for rich merchants, then a refuge for ex-women
prisoners (the Elizabeth Fry Building) and a Working Men’s Club (the
New Lansdowne Club), the building on 195 Mare Street has had a long
and varied past since 1699, year of its construction. Despite being a
historically significant building, it stands now a long time
neglected. But what next? Recently it has been taken over by a bank,
do we trust it to be preserved, or for the opinions of the community
surrounding it to be taken into consideration? This is the second
oldest house in Hackney and a Grade II listed building, it is an ideal
community resource and its conservation should be definite but it is
in a vulnerable situation. As most of us know, luxury flats will
always be more appealing and profitable to the banks than community
spaces. We are a group of people coming from different parts of the
world, with diverse occupation, sexualities and genders! We began
occupying the New Lansdowne Club (left empty for years) not only to
house ourselves but with the building’s protection in mind and an aim
to set up free community events. We know that our time in this
building is limited and will come to an end sooner or later. At
present the building’s future is in the hands of Dunbar Bank. But this
is not yet written in the history books so let’s get together as
people who care about the building to see what future we can create
for 195 Mare Street. Let’s also get together as people who care about
reclaiming community spaces from the gentrification process, the money
making speculation business and the enclosure of our lives and
spaces!

/AN OPEN WEEKEND : 23rd – 25th July 2010/
Come for a weekend of sharing stories about the building’s past, ideas
for the building’s future and practical campaigning techniques for
building a community of resistance. Bring your own ideas, stories,
information or just come with open ears!

##PAST // Friday 23rd July from 6pm – A celebration of the Past of 195
Mare St! We will have some exhibition of photos of the building at
various stages of its life, and we will show some movies shot inside
the building. Come with your own photos/objects/memories or
experiences of the place to share with each other. We will also screen
a surprise feature film set in Hackney, at about 8pm!

##PRESENT & FUTURE // Saturday 24th July from 2pm – What struggles are
already taking place? There will be various stalls, info and
presentations from various groups and ongoing campaigns in Hackney.
Contact us or just turn up on the day if you want to have a stall or
give a short presentation about your group/campaign. 5pm: Open
meeting. Come and discuss what you would like the building to be used
for, your ideas and suggestions, and how you think this could be
achieved!
8pm: Theatre play: “Such is Life”. A fundraiser for the Terrence
Higgins trust charity.

##FUTURE // Sunday 25th July from 1pm – Resistance FreeSchool
The 6th London Freeschool will be held as part of a weekend
celebrating the past, present and future of the 195 Mare Street Social
Centre. Sunday 25th July will be devoted to a day of workshops looking
to the future and how we can resist evictions, oppression,
exploitation by private property management companies and the rhetoric
of electoral politics. Come along and discuss your experience of
building barricades, learn about your legal status after eviction,
know your rights and take part in legal observation role play, watch a
film about what it means to be a Camelot property ‘guardian’ and
debate the current government’s appropriation of the language of
autonomous politics. The day will finish with the ever surprising
Workshop of Nothing (with extra nothingness), vegetarian food and a
Lounge Lizard set from DJs Steene and Andy. Other distractions will
include kiln building in the garden and How to be Abusive in Spanish.
All workshops between 1 and 8pm. Music and food after.
Workshops
1-2:00pm Advisory Service for Squatters workshop on legal issues in
resisting eviction
2-3:30pm Legal Observer training
2-3:30pm We are not the ‘Big Society’ seminar
3:30-4pm tea break
4-5:30pm screening of Carefree Vacant Property on Camelot anti-squatting
service
6-8:00pm Workshop of Nothing with extra nothingness
6-8:00pm Legal Observer roleplay
TBA Barricade workshop
Check the website for more information on workshops and POSSIBLE CHANGES
to time of events! londonfreeschool.wordpress.com

See rampART newsletter for more information (rampART@mutualaid.org).