Saving Tammoland: A microhistory of children's action to save a wasteground playground, 1965-1968
Children’s engagement in social campaigning can promote life long active citizenship
In 1965, a group of children in London took action to save what they had appropriated as their natural playspace from being converted to a housing development. The children named this place “Tammoland” after Tammo, an artist in the community who joined the children’s campaign, upon invitation by the children, to save their much-loved playspace and haven for wildlife. While the children’s campaign never achieved its primary objective, it did produce other positive outcomes. This paper, which tells the story of Tammoland, draws on the memories of individuals (including the author) who participated in the campaign. It also draws from newspaper, TV, and other public reports about the campaign.
The children established their campaign as the “Tammoland Club;” and while Tammo remained a strong supporter and influential guide, the children remained in control of the campaign. The children elected officials from within their own group; designed and produced a membership badge; and used sale of some of the fruit growing on Tammoland to help fund the campaign. They never surrendered the fate of their playspace into the hands of the adults. They did, however, recognize the need for adult support and found ways to draw adults into their campaign.
After a three-year campaign, most of Tammoland was bulldozed to make way for the housing project. A small area of natural woodland survived the development and continued to be an important playspace for children and teenagers.
The author interviewed three adults who participated in the “Save Tammoland” campaign as children. While these interviews were conducted fifty years after the campaign, each interviewee shared specific details about their experiences and feelings relating to Tammoland. They talked about their love for Tammoland and the enjoyment they experienced playing in the natural area. They also talked about lasting benefits they gained by having participated in the campaign. Such benefits included “a sense of empowerment” and “an enduring sense of pride and agency, which has fed through into their private, professional and political lives.” The fact that the campaign was taken seriously by adults and that it was supported by the local community left enduring feelings of achievement. The experience also fostered active citizenship.
Today, scholars and activists view the campaign to save Tammoland as a model of best practice in child/adult co-operation at a community level. The legacy of the campaign to save Tammoland bears witness to the power of children’s engagement in social activism to promote life long active citizenship.
Citation
Keating, A., (2017). Saving Tammoland: A microhistory of children's action to save a wasteground playground, 1965-1968. International Journal of Play, 6(2),
