Southwark’s Hidden History: Ballad Walk

On Wednesday 10th April, Mental Fight Club Presented Southwark’s Hidden History, a Ballad Walk with songs and stories, exploring the hidden histories of the area around St. George the Martyr Church and Chaucer Ward in Southwark. This walk was the culmination of many visits to the archives of Southwark and in person sessions at the Dragon Café, in which patrons of the Dragon Café, alongside workshop leader Vivien, have excavated a trove of hidden stories and forgotten histories.

The day started off at St . George the Martyr Church with a series of ballad songs led by Vivien. The first stop on our walking tour was the infamous Marshalsea prison wall, the last remaining remnant of the notoriously squalid institution which inspired Charles Dicken’s novel, Little Dorrit.

Our next stop was the Red Cross Gardens, where we learnt about how Octavia Hill, co-founder of the National Trust, redesigned the gardens as a flagship project to demonstrate the importance of affordable housing and access to green spaces for the working class.

Finally, we meandered towards the Crossbones Graveyard, pausing at various landmarks to sing as a group. Here we learnt about the harrowing story of the post-medieval burial ground for over 15,000 people, many of which being paupers, prostitutes, and children. We finished off the walk with a triad of ballad songs, all of which can be found here: Ballad Lyrics.

Our afternoon ended at The Bridge Café, where everyone was able to rest their feet and indulge in a delicious tea party of cakes, tea, coffee, and more!