The New Cross House Fire - 40 Years

Today marks the 40th year of this awfully sad and tragic event ! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Cross_house_fire

My sister was meant to have been there but my folks said no.

My sister had not been in London long and Yvonne Ruddock who's birthday party it was, treated my sister as a friend from the off at the school they attended in New Cross and had invited her, A group of them were all mates together.

My Mrs was also meant to be at the party - I didnt know her then and never met Yvonne R, as I arrived in London from up north, in August that year, after leaving school but the pain and dark cloud was still there, you could feel it, it had a big big effect on young black people then and the black community, there was a lot of suspicion and a lot of unanswered questions still remain.

They'll never be forgotten - God rest their souls until that better day to come, comes.....https://www.biblegateway.com/passage...A4&version=KJV

Hi robbie,
I wasn't in the uk at the time but i knew nothing about this. Thanks for raising awareness of a terrible tragedy.

I was only 12 at the time, so I guess not really aware of the news, and wasn't aware of this either - looks like a very sad tragedy. :(

Terrible tragedy Robby, very heartening verse.

I remember when this happened growing up in SE London at the time and it was massive news, going past the building on the bus afterwards and seeing the burnt brick and stone lintels really brought it home.

A terrible thing to happen, thank goodness your sister didn't go.

I never realised it was 40 years ago, thanks for reminding us.

I vaguely remember hearing of it back then.. was a long time ago now.. 39 years(I would have been in my 20's), but it will not be forgotten by folk affected.. You never forget