Brixton Advice Centre joins Open House Festival

167 Railton Road is one of two buildings in Lambeth to have two blue plaques

One of London’s oldest advice centres is opening its doors this weekend to share Brixton's history.

The Brixton Advice Centre on Railton Road is taking part in the Open House Festival for the first time.

It is one of two buildings in Lambeth to have two blue plaques - the other being County Hall.

Nikky Catto, chair of trustees for Brixton Advice Centre, said the building's first plaque, installed 20 years ago, was "the first plaque to a black man in Lambeth".

Author and campaigner CLR James lived, worked and died in Brixton

Both plaques commemorate two race relations activists who worked in the building.

The first was to author and campaigner CLR James, who was born in 1901 in Trinidad and who lived, worked and died in Brixton.

During the Open House weekend, the centre will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the English Heritage blue plaque.

The second plaque, dedicated to the life and work of Darcus Howe, CLR James' great nephew, was added to the building in 2022.

"He represented himself at the Mangrove Nine trial and was acquitted," Ms Catto added.

The writer and broadcaster also founded and edited the Race Today Collective magazine from the building.

He also campaigned for black rights for more than 50 years and organised the 1981 Black People's March after the New Cross fire in which 13 black teenagers died.

He died in 2017 at the age of 74.

Darcus Howe was celebrated with a blue plaque at 167 Railton Road in 2022

The building also shares history with Brixton campaigner Olive Morris, who was central to the squatter campaigns of the 1970s.

It is the last publicly accessible building squatted by Ms Morris, the centre said.

Darcus Howe standing outside the Brixton Advice Centre

Since 1996, the centre has helped people with debt, welfare and housing issues.

Ms Catto said she joined the Board of Trustees to thank the centre for its help after she received advice when she was homeless.

She said it was Mr Howe's widow, Leila Hassan Howe, who suggested she reach out to the centre for help.

“Thanks to Brixton Advice Centre I not only have a house, I’ve had the same house for the last 20 years," Ms Catto said.

"I have been able to do everything I have done in London with secure stable housing."

Ms Hassan Howe will be speaking at the centre at 167 Railton Road on 14 and 15 September. The building will be open to visitors from 10am until 4pm both days.

The Open House Festival runs until 22 September.