Voices of Cable Street: witnesses to the Battle

Voices of Cable Street: witnesses to the Battle

What did the people who stood on Cable Street in 1936 really see, feel, and believe?

What were the voices - on both sides - of those who lived through one of the most defining confrontations in Cockney and working-class history?

Tuesday 29th September 2026 at 6pm (free online webinar)


What did the people who stood on Cable Street in 1936 really see, feel, and believe? What were the voices - on both sides - of those who lived through one of the most defining confrontations in Cockney and working-class history?

Thanks to a remarkable research project, we can hear the stories being told from both the Blackshirts and the anti-fascists who resisted them. Join Professor Pippa Catterall of the University of Westminster, who, in 1991 assembled a remarkable gathering from both sides of the battle to record a witness seminar - a rare moment where former opponents spoke openly about their experiences. Featuring readings from these testimonies, bringing their voices vividly back to life.

What motivated them to march or to resist? What was the tension, the danger, and the atmosphere on the streets like? The stories, flashes of humour, and moments of fear?

Join us as we revisit through a unique window how ordinary people found themselves living through history. Be a witness to their witness. Reserve your free place for this 45‑minute online event, including live Q&A

Organised by the Modern Cockney Festival in support of the Together on Cable Street 90th anniversary commemoration of the ‘Battle of Cable Street’ organised by United East End.

BOOK YOUR TICKET via this TicketTailor link.

For further information visit: www.moderncockneyfestival.org.uk and https://unitedeastend.org.uk