Person    | Male 

Don Cook

St Pancras Rent strike: In 1960 the Tory council of the old borough of St Pancras (now part of Camden) attempted to impose large rent increases. The tenants, the generation who had fought in WW2, rebelled en masse.

Don and Edie met at work at a gun-sight factory near the Prince of Wales Road. They married but were soon separated as Don enlisted and went off to war. In 1949 they were given a flat in Kennistoun House where they lived happily until receiving the large rent demand which Don decided not to pay, as did Arthur Rowe from the Regent’s Park estate. By January 1960 more that 1,000 were on rent strike. The council countered with the threat of eviction which prompted another 2,000 tenants to strike. In preparation for a battle flats were barricaded and barbed wire positioned on the roof. On the morning of 22 September the police and bailiffs stormed the flats. Arthur Rowe was quickly overcome but Don and his colleague Jimmy Peters held out much longer. They were eventually taken but their stand prompted other protests: the workmen at the Shell Centre building site marched out and hundreds of workers at the Camden Goods Yard went on strike. That evening thousands gathered in protest outside the Town Hall in Euston Road and the next day the Home Secretary banned all demonstrations. Don and Edie were re-housed at Grafton Road, which is where our picture shows then in 1962.

In September 2011 a bench in St Martin's Gardens in Camden Street was dedicated to Ellen Luby who died in 2010. She was renowned for her work during the rent strike.

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Don Cook

Commemorated ati

Don Cook

In memory of Don Cook & the rent battles of 1959 - 1964.

Read More

Other Subjects

Caloust Sarkis Gulbenkian

Caloust Sarkis Gulbenkian

Born in what is now Istanbul. His father was already in the business of oil import/export and Calouste became immensely wealthy in this field. Took a degree at Kings College, London and here, 1892...

Person, Politics & Administration, Armenia

1 memorial
Duke of Wellington, 4th, Sir Arthur Charles Wellesley

Duke of Wellington, 4th, Sir Arthur Charles Wellesley

Grandson of the first Duke.  Inherited the title and estates when his childless brother died in 1900.  A serving officer of the Grenadier Guards rising through the ranks from Ensign to Colonel but ...

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
E. H. King, Mayor

E. H. King, Mayor

Mayor of Islington in 1921

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
David Ben-Gurion

David Ben-Gurion

Politician. Born David Grüen in Ptońsk, Russian Empire (modern day Poland). In Palestine in 1919 he founded a socialist party and led the Mapai (Labour) party from 1930. He participated in the St J...

Person, Politics & Administration, Israel/Palestine, Russia

1 memorial
Peasants' Revolt

Peasants' Revolt

The revolt grew out of the increasing severity of the poll taxes imposed on the people of England. The Kentish rebels led by Wat Tyler met with those from Essex at Blackheath. It was here that the ...

Event, Other, Politics & Administration, Seriously Famous

2 memorials