Alison McLucas
About Alison McLucas
A resident and teacher in Newham for 30+ years, I brought my sons up in Beckton with regular visits to Newham City Farm.
I am excited about hearing and documenting other people’s experiences of Newham City Farm, a place of great significance to many for almost 45 years from its inception in the mid 1970’s, opening by the Princess Royal in 1977, change of operators to its formal closure in 2021, a passionate campaign to save it and the promise of a future new Community Farm with Green Skills Hub as part of an emerging Beckton Parks Master Plan.
I aim to create an exhibition of collected oral histories, written testimonies, photos and artefacts and subsequently for some of these to be saved in Newham’s Archives as a lasting record of Newham City Farm and people’s experiences there.
Alison McLucas's Records
This image relates to the Mayflower Centre, a Christian organisation in Canning Town, which with the inspiration of David Webster and the Reverend Roger Sainsbury under the 1975 government Job...
Newham City Farm was formally opened on 19th July 1977 by HRH Princess Anne. The event was reported in national and local newspapers. The occasion was attended by local Council...
Local people recount how significant first hand experiences with animals and the outdoors at Newham City Farm were for education, training, building social and life skills and well-being on many...
From 1965 to 2002, there was a small bird and animal enclosure known as “Plashet Zoo” within Plashet Park in Manor Park, Newham, near to the Passmore Edwards Building. The...
The Friends of Newham City Farm evolved from the Friends of Plashet Zoo upon the closure of the Zoo. The group comprised a few members but significantly included the Patron,...
Newham City Farm relied on a variety of volunteers as explained in the exhibition panel here. For many though, particularly the regular junior, youth, adult and SEND volunteers, there was...
For many families, visiting Newham City Farm was not just an enjoyable day out but a necessity, a place to relax, destress, regulate emotionally and physically as well as for...
Most visitors, volunteers and employees had their favourite animal. Many describe different personalities and amusing anecdotes about the animals’ antics!
Many visitors, volunteers and employees have recounted that the farm was a place where they felt safe and at peace.
Michael Salmon was a farm employee for 35 years from the early 1980s soon after LB Newham took the farm over from the Mayflower Centre. He was already there when...
When local people heard rumours in July 2021 that the farm was destined to be closed, local residents, many of whom were previously unknown to each other, rallied together to...
Revolution Farm, based on George Orwell’s Animal Farm, is a site-specific play written by James Kenworth for performance at Newham City Farm in 2014.
An oral history and related records from Ryan Davis, former Youth Volunteer and Sessional Worker at Newham City Farm. “Straight from the Horse’s Mouth” is a collection of oral histories,...
Alison McLucas's 2025 Events
A multi-media exhibition documenting the history of Newham City Farm spanning its 45+ year history from 1976 to 2021 and beyond. FULL DETAILS +
A multi-media exhibition documenting the history of Newham City Farm spanning its 45+ year history from 1976 to 2021 and beyond. FULL DETAILS +
Heritage newsletter
We would like to send you monthly emails spotlighting heritage content in Newham, as well as updates and opportunities to be involved in next year's festival. Be the first to hear about new projects, funding opportunities and ways to be involved.
