Speaking out ? the history and appeal of Speakers? Corner

Posted by Joe Sheer on October 11th, 2017

When strolling through the tranquil, lush paradise of Hyde Park, it’s hard to imagine some of the atrocities that exist in its long and diverse history. One specific location of these green and pleasant lands, on the north-eastern edge of the park, close to the well-known Marble Arch, is what is now Speakers’ Corner but it wasn’t always soapboxes and speeches. This location was once home to the Tyburn Gallows where over 50,000 people were executed between its establishment in 1196 and its demolition in 1783. However, without the gallows, Speakers’ Corner may never have existed and many of the words and ideas posited from this spot may never have been heard.

All those sentenced to death at the gallows were entitled to make a final speech before they were put to death which added an extra element of drama to the already popular public executions. While some of the condemned used the opportunity to protest that they were wrongfully accused and others decided to come clean and confess their crimes, still others took the opportunity to criticise the authorities and end their lives with a political message. It is from this origin that the famous Speakers’ Corner came about.

Visitors to London who are staying at a nearby establishment, such as the Grand Royale London Hyde Park, should definitely take the opportunity to visit the spot where many famous people have taken to their soapboxes to espouse their political viewpoints. Since 1872, when a parliamentary act allocated this section of the park a place for public speaking, thousands of people have spoken and many more listened. Famous political figures, Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin, both used this place to share their views with the people of London and, even today, any aspiring orator can pitch up and speak on any topic they care to, as long as it within the law. Of course, hate speech, incitement to violence and racist remarks are all outlawed and police are always present to ensure speakers adhere to these rules. Sunday mornings are traditionally the best time to join the gathering crowds and hear some of the more interesting and zany opinions voiced by enthusiasts. Unlike at the Tyndale Gallows, you don’t need to buy a ticket to get the best seat, either!

While the gallows have their part to play in the evolution of Speakers’ Corner, its origins really began in 1866, when the government decided to quash a meeting of the Reform League who were demanding the universal right to vote for all men, among other political rights for the working and middle classes. When demonstrators found that the park gates were locked, they began tearing up the railings bordering the park and marked the beginning of three days of rioting. The following year, history repeated itself and a crowd of over 150,000 people marched to Hyde Park in defiance against a government embargo. This time, the police did not interfere and the Home Secretary at the time, Spencer Walpole, resigned the following day as a result of the demonstration. In response to these events, an act was passed by the government in 1872 which gave the public the right to meet and speak freely in Hyde Park. The Parks Regulation Act makes it legal to demonstrate the freedom of speech anywhere within the park but, for some reason, most of this activity has remained focused at Speakers’ Corner.

Speakers’ Corner has provided the location for many demonstrations since the passing of the Parks Regulation Act and continues to be the focus for rallies and protests today. The suffragettes held many meetings within the boundaries of Hyde Park as they organised their campaign to win the right for women to vote. In 1906, they held weekly meetings close to Reformer’s tree and then, in June 1908, 250,000 women marched to the park to listen to speeches from 20 different orators. The Women’s Social and Political Union was banned from using the park in 1913 by the police but the suffragettes defied this ruling and continued to meet there.

In more recent history, Speakers’ Corner provided the central focus of a demonstration against military action in Iraq in February 2003. Between 750,000 and two million people were believed to attend this rally which was also supported by celebrities and politicians, including Vanessa Redgrave, playwright Harold Pinter and former MP, Tony Benn.

Speakers’ Corner is the last “soapbox” oration area left in London but in the 1930s there were around a hundred different spots where people could be found expounded their views on life, the universe and everything. Many speakers would bring along a wooden crate previously used to transport dry goods, such as soap, to stand on so they could raise themselves above the level of the crowds, hence the term, “standing on a soapbox”.

Earlier this year, soapboxes and ladders were banned from Speakers’ Corner due to safety concerns and the decision has been met with uproar as it is seen to go against the principle of the area’s right to express oneself in whatever manner. Nevertheless, in June 2017, police insisted that orators may stand on nothing but their own two feet.

Some Sunday mornings, Speakers’ Corner becomes a place of great activity and drama and guests at the Park Grand London Hyde Park are close enough that they can simply topple out of bed, grab a cup of coffee and wander over to enjoy a good speech before even embarking on the Sunday papers.

Have fun whatever you’re doing in London this year!