Max Roach Park is a public park in

Brixton Brixton is an area of South London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Brixton experienced a rapid rise in population during the 19th century ...

in the

London Borough of Lambeth Lambeth () is a London borough in South London, England, which forms part of Inner London. Its name was recorded in 1062 as ''Lambehitha'' ("landing place for lambs") and in 1255 as ''Lambeth''. The geographical centre of London is at Frazi ...

. It is named after the African American Jazz drummer

Max Roach Maxwell Lemuel Roach (January 10, 1924 – August 16, 2007) was an American jazz drummer and composer. A pioneer of bebop, he worked in many other styles of music, and is generally considered one of the most important drummers in history. He wo ...

, who visited the park in 1986. The park includes a One O'Clock Club and children's playground, which have been under threat from funding cuts. Demonstrations against cuts to youth services began in 2011, but Lambeth Council says it is trying to find a way to maintain some level of service despite budget cuts. There is a nature trail that extends to

Rush Common Rush Common is a linear protected open space and former common land in Brixton, London, England. It was enclosed in 1806 with the sections fronting public highways protected from development as proscribed land. Most of this land now forms private ...

Construction

The park was constructed from 1978. Earlier, the site had terrace houses on it (similar to those extant on the north side of

Villa Road Villa Road is a street in Angell Town in the London Borough of Lambeth, Borough of Lambeth, south London. Rows of Terraced houses in the United Kingdom, terraced houses, built on both sides of the street in the Victorian era, were scheduled ...

to the north of the park) until 1978 when they were demolished as part of the Brixton Development Plan. Prior to this, from 1974, squatters had occupied these properties in order to protest against this plan. In 1978 the squatters were rehoused by the authority, and demolition went ahead for the park. The park was initially called ''Angell Park'', after the local area

Angell Town Angell Town is an area in Brixton, in the London Borough of Lambeth, south London. The area is dominated by the Angell Town Estate, a housing estate known for its poverty, deprivation and gang subculture. The Angell Town Estate was originally bu ...

In 1986, Lambeth Labour Party councillor Sharon Atkin persuaded the council to name 27 sites in the borough "to acknowledge contributions by people of African descent." Other streets were renamed after

Francis Barber Francis Barber ( – 13 January 1801), born Quashey, was the Jamaican manservant of Samuel Johnson in London from 1752 until Johnson's death in 1784. Johnson made him his residual heir, with £70 () a year to be given him by trustees, expres ...

, a Jamaican manservant of

Dr Johnson Samuel Johnson ( – 13 December 1784), often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, literary criticism, literary critic, sermonist, biographer, editor, and lexicograp ...

with ties to Streatham, and Olympic javelin champion

Tessa Sanderson Theresa Ione Sanderson (born 14 March 1956) is a British former javelin thrower. She appeared in every Summer Olympic Games, Summer Olympics from 1976 to 1996, winning the gold medal in the Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics – Women's ja ...

. Other places were named after musical figures like Roach, gospel singer

Mahalia Jackson Mahalia Jackson ( ; born Mahala Jackson; October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an American gospel music, gospel singer, widely considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century. With a career spanning 40 years, Jackson was ...

, and Jamaican saxophonists

Joe Harriott Joseph Arthurlin Harriott (15 July 1928 – 2 January 1973) was a Jamaican jazz musician and composer, whose principal instrument was the alto saxophone. According to George McKay in ''Circular Breathing: The Cultural Politics of Jazz in Britai ...

and

Harold McNair Harold McNair (5 November 1931 – 7 March 1971) was a Jamaican-born saxophonist and flautist. Early life McNair was born in Kingston, Jamaica. He attended the Alpha Boys School under the tutelage of Vincent Tulloch, while playing with Joe ...

. The opening of Max Roach Park was timed to coincide with Roach's GLC-sponsored visit to London, and he attended its opening along with Councillor Atkin and the drummer Ken Gordon, uncle of

Moira Stuart Moira Clare Ruby Stuart (born 2 September 1949) is an English TV presenter and broadcaster. She was the first female newsreader of Caribbean heritage to appear on British national television, having worked on BBC News since 1981.Things To Do In Brixton
{{Parks and open spaces in London Brixton Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Lambeth