Greenham Common display boards (x10) : Hackney Greenham Women
Object
Display
Production date
1981=1992
Object number
1992.209
Physical Description
Green and blue mounting boards with colour photographs and handwritten labels about the Hackney Greenham Women and other CND protestors from Hackney at Molesworth US base.
Associated Event
Associated Place
Exhibition Label
From 'Hackney Museum: Making Her Mark: 100 years of women’s activism in Hackney'
In 1981, the British Government agreed that American nuclear cruise missiles could be housed at an RAF base at Greenham Common in Berkshire. In September that year, 36 women chained themselves to the base’s fence in protest against nuclear weapons.
For the next 19 years women protested at the site, forming an almost permanent peace camp, repeatedly breaking into the base and cutting down the fences.
A large group of women from Hackney joined the Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp, and played a major role in many of the protests. Some of these went on to establish a temporary women’s peace camp in front of Hackney Town Hall in 1984.
In 1981, the British Government agreed that American nuclear cruise missiles could be housed at an RAF base at Greenham Common in Berkshire. In September that year, 36 women chained themselves to the base’s fence in protest against nuclear weapons.
For the next 19 years women protested at the site, forming an almost permanent peace camp, repeatedly breaking into the base and cutting down the fences.
A large group of women from Hackney joined the Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp, and played a major role in many of the protests. Some of these went on to establish a temporary women’s peace camp in front of Hackney Town Hall in 1984.
On display?
No
Inscription
Board 1
Detail of the south east of England with a red circle around Greenham Common
Board 2
On 14th November 1983 the first consignment of
16 Cruise missiles arrived at Greenham Common
air base in Berkshire. The American - dominated
NATO plan is to site a total of 160 missiles
in Britain. The first site is Greenham - the
second Molesworth. Molesworth, a large disused
airbase on the Cambridgeshire / Northamptonshire
border, is supposed to take 64 Cruise missiles & to
be operational by 1988.
WHAT ARE CRUISE MISSILES?
They are nuclear weapons. They could be
launched from secret sites in our
countryside to start a nuclear war.
They are American weapons under the sole
control of the Americans, with American
Fingers on the button.
Each one is capable of 15 times the
destruction of the Hiroshima bomb.
WHY ARE THEY SO DANGEROUS TO US?
They are only effective if used first.
In the face of such preparation the
Russians could be forced to defend
themselves by acting First.
Taking them across the countryside
widens the target for nuclear attack.
Board 3
WHO WANTS THEH?
Neither the British People nor
Parliament were consulted about the
decision to bring them here.
Public opinion polls show that the
majority do not want them here.
THE EXERCISE THATS BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH
In the early hours of Friday 9th March
whilst people were sleeping, the First
practice Cruise convoy left Greenham
Common air base on a deployment
training exercise.
These exercises are now so frequent
that they no longer receive news
coverage.
Board 4
Focus on the Fence...[photographs]
...and more protest [photographs]
Board 5
Sowing wheat on the air base October 1985
Millions in N.Africa are facing starvation. Molesworth Wheat to the Starving
Campaign was set up to plough MoD land & grow wheat for Eritrea. [photographs]
Hackney people digging for peace - Molesworth Feb 1985
Three newspaper clippings from newspaper, 1985
Copy of a leaflet distributed to police and soldiers at RAF Molesworth.
MOLESWORTH
Before this grassland was enclosed by barbed wire, peace workers grew wheat here for Ethiopia. They knew that famine was coming to that land long before the rest of us saw those pictures on our television screens. They saw the connections between the ever-spiralling costs of the Arms Race and the terrible plight of the world's poor.
We come from Hackney which is the poorest borough in London; we watch urgently needed money being taken from services of all kinds. Yet merely to fence in this base, the government has not hesitated to provide resources amounting to millions of pounds.
For What? Opinion polls show that the British people have not changed their minds; they do not want Cruise. When governments go against the will of their people they have use force. You have the unenviable task of having to face your fellow citizens in order that a foreign power may install its missiles here. It is a duty that those of us who were once servicemen or women, did not have to face.
We hope that you will be allowed to read this leaflet and that you will discuss it with us.
Hackney CND
Board 7
Greenham
Behind the dence
Living at Greenham
Board 8
Molesworth
Before Feb 6th 1985
Peace Chapel - 'Eirene'
Eirene, meaning 'Peace' in Greek aws begun by a Quaker group. It is built on the base. On Sunday 2nd Sept. 1984, people of all Faiths, including the Bishop of Huntingdon, gathered to dedicate the chapel.
Peace Garden
Molesworth Green Village
MOLESWORTH WHEAT FOR THE STARVING.
Molesworth is scheduled to become the second Cruise missile base. It is a huge area of grassland (650 acres) that was an American bomber base in World War II.
The land has lain abandoned for nearly 40 years. Two years ago peace campers launched Molesworth Wheat for the Starving by sowing a crop of wheat there. They also built a chapel from stone that had been dumped there to deter them from camping.
Due to the very dry summer, the wheat failed but local farmers donated 18 tons which together with 25 tons of rice, 800 litres of nutritional food and several tons of blankets were shipped to Eritrea and distributed on Christmas Day.
A further 10 acres of winter wheat were sown last October and more land was about to be ploughed be a local farmer ready for the spring sowing. On February 6th the 650 acre area (only 45 acres is needed for the base) was sealed off by 3000 troops and police and the wheatfields trampled. That, however, is not the end of Molesworth Wheat. Infact it is a fair bet that many more will now hear of it. There will be a National CND rally at Molesworth at Easter and everyone attending will be asked to bring a bag of wheat. If you cannot come we would like you to give us a pound of wheat to take on your behalf.
Molesworth Wheat has already proved to be a very practical and efficient charity. It is also a very powerful symbol. By giving you will also be acknowledging that you recognise the links between the obsessional Arms Race and the Cold War on the one hand and on the other hand the plight of such people as the Eritreans, caught up in Super Power rivalry.
Hackney CND
Board 9
The £3 million fence
After Feb 6th
Detail of the south east of England with a red circle around Greenham Common
Board 2
On 14th November 1983 the first consignment of
16 Cruise missiles arrived at Greenham Common
air base in Berkshire. The American - dominated
NATO plan is to site a total of 160 missiles
in Britain. The first site is Greenham - the
second Molesworth. Molesworth, a large disused
airbase on the Cambridgeshire / Northamptonshire
border, is supposed to take 64 Cruise missiles & to
be operational by 1988.
WHAT ARE CRUISE MISSILES?
They are nuclear weapons. They could be
launched from secret sites in our
countryside to start a nuclear war.
They are American weapons under the sole
control of the Americans, with American
Fingers on the button.
Each one is capable of 15 times the
destruction of the Hiroshima bomb.
WHY ARE THEY SO DANGEROUS TO US?
They are only effective if used first.
In the face of such preparation the
Russians could be forced to defend
themselves by acting First.
Taking them across the countryside
widens the target for nuclear attack.
Board 3
WHO WANTS THEH?
Neither the British People nor
Parliament were consulted about the
decision to bring them here.
Public opinion polls show that the
majority do not want them here.
THE EXERCISE THATS BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH
In the early hours of Friday 9th March
whilst people were sleeping, the First
practice Cruise convoy left Greenham
Common air base on a deployment
training exercise.
These exercises are now so frequent
that they no longer receive news
coverage.
Board 4
Focus on the Fence...[photographs]
...and more protest [photographs]
Board 5
Sowing wheat on the air base October 1985
Millions in N.Africa are facing starvation. Molesworth Wheat to the Starving
Campaign was set up to plough MoD land & grow wheat for Eritrea. [photographs]
Hackney people digging for peace - Molesworth Feb 1985
Three newspaper clippings from newspaper, 1985
Copy of a leaflet distributed to police and soldiers at RAF Molesworth.
MOLESWORTH
Before this grassland was enclosed by barbed wire, peace workers grew wheat here for Ethiopia. They knew that famine was coming to that land long before the rest of us saw those pictures on our television screens. They saw the connections between the ever-spiralling costs of the Arms Race and the terrible plight of the world's poor.
We come from Hackney which is the poorest borough in London; we watch urgently needed money being taken from services of all kinds. Yet merely to fence in this base, the government has not hesitated to provide resources amounting to millions of pounds.
For What? Opinion polls show that the British people have not changed their minds; they do not want Cruise. When governments go against the will of their people they have use force. You have the unenviable task of having to face your fellow citizens in order that a foreign power may install its missiles here. It is a duty that those of us who were once servicemen or women, did not have to face.
We hope that you will be allowed to read this leaflet and that you will discuss it with us.
Hackney CND
Board 7
Greenham
Behind the dence
Living at Greenham
Board 8
Molesworth
Before Feb 6th 1985
Peace Chapel - 'Eirene'
Eirene, meaning 'Peace' in Greek aws begun by a Quaker group. It is built on the base. On Sunday 2nd Sept. 1984, people of all Faiths, including the Bishop of Huntingdon, gathered to dedicate the chapel.
Peace Garden
Molesworth Green Village
MOLESWORTH WHEAT FOR THE STARVING.
Molesworth is scheduled to become the second Cruise missile base. It is a huge area of grassland (650 acres) that was an American bomber base in World War II.
The land has lain abandoned for nearly 40 years. Two years ago peace campers launched Molesworth Wheat for the Starving by sowing a crop of wheat there. They also built a chapel from stone that had been dumped there to deter them from camping.
Due to the very dry summer, the wheat failed but local farmers donated 18 tons which together with 25 tons of rice, 800 litres of nutritional food and several tons of blankets were shipped to Eritrea and distributed on Christmas Day.
A further 10 acres of winter wheat were sown last October and more land was about to be ploughed be a local farmer ready for the spring sowing. On February 6th the 650 acre area (only 45 acres is needed for the base) was sealed off by 3000 troops and police and the wheatfields trampled. That, however, is not the end of Molesworth Wheat. Infact it is a fair bet that many more will now hear of it. There will be a National CND rally at Molesworth at Easter and everyone attending will be asked to bring a bag of wheat. If you cannot come we would like you to give us a pound of wheat to take on your behalf.
Molesworth Wheat has already proved to be a very practical and efficient charity. It is also a very powerful symbol. By giving you will also be acknowledging that you recognise the links between the obsessional Arms Race and the Cold War on the one hand and on the other hand the plight of such people as the Eritreans, caught up in Super Power rivalry.
Hackney CND
Board 9
The £3 million fence
After Feb 6th