Exhibition: The Brady Club – A Legacy for the Future

The Brady Club – A Legacy for the Future is the culmination of the Brady Photographic Archive, an eight-year research and digitisation project, which celebrates the rich history and ongoing impact of the pioneering Brady Clubs. Anna Perceval, Trustee of The Bradians Trust tells us more about the organisation and the exhibition at Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives which runs from 14 March to 21 June, 2025.

“Brady was my life. To be quite honest, if I didn’t have the Club, I don’t know what I would have done because I didn’t have anything going on at home.” Florrie DaCosta, former Brady Girl, 1960s

The Brady Boys’ Club opened in 1896 in the heart of London’s former Jewish East End and by 1925 the Brady Girls’ Club (which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year) was established, moving to purpose-built facilities in Hanbury Street E1 in 1935. For many years, the Girls’ Club was led and developed by the irrepressible Miriam Moses OBE JP who recognised the need for girls as well as boys to have life enhancing experiences. Together, the Brady Clubs provided youth facilities and expanded the horizons of largely underprivileged young people for over 80 years.

The Clubs became an exemplar of youth work, particularly throughout the 1950s and 1960s, and for decades provided a safe haven, fostering personal growth, community engagement and resilience in the Club members. Today, the Brady Arts and Community Centre (BACC), which occupies the original Brady Girls Club building in Hanbury Street, continues the legacy of this good work (despite the increasing challenges of cuts to funding) for new generations of young people from diverse ethnicities. ‘Brady’ as it is affectionately known by all generations who have attended the space, commands love, gratitude and loyalty from all its community.

This immersive exhibition explores the immense impact of youth provision on both the individuals concerned and society at large. Throughout the exhibition, visitors will be given the opportunity to engage with the Brady Club experience: through digital links to podcasts and stories, by listening to music, playing games, dressing up, and sitting in the canteen environment to read youth-generated Club magazines and examine Brady Club Holiday albums.

The exhibition offers a compelling showcase of archival photographs, many of which originated from a forgotten cache, which had been rescued from disposal by Hannah Charlton (a former editor of the Sunday Times) when the National Museum of Labour History closed in Limehouse in the early 1980s. Also on display are historical artefacts and personal narratives, which delve into Brady’s storied past and can be explored at a listening post. Additionally, the exhibition examines an inter-generational project, which addresses the impact of ‘Brady’ on both former Club members and the current users of BACC, bringing the two communities together to exchange stories and discover common ground.

In November 2024 the Institute for Fiscal Studies reported that young people whose local youth club had closed performed 4% less well at school and were 14% more likely to become involved in crime. This has recently been exacerbated by the ongoing impact of the COVID pandemic on mental health. Furthermore, for every £1 saved from these closures, there are societal costs of nearly £3. This cost deficit does not take into account the loss of more general benefits provided by such clubs, such as, creative thinking, community responsibility, personal confidence and psychological well-being. In London alone, approximately 30% of youth clubs closed between 2010 and 2019 due to cuts in funding.

Rahemur Rahman, a former member of BACC comments, “I’m only 34 but I remember seeing incredible youth Clubs that I’d always known close down and then watching what happened to those young people because they didn’t have a space to go to… I don’t understand how government and local councils don’t see the correlation between that and the rise in youth crime and why it’s not high on their agenda to fix because you change the minds of young people and you change your future… I just don’t understand why they don’t see that connection when it’s so obvious to so many of us.”

“All young people are entitled to opportunities to expand their horizons, their experiences, their development of values, their relationships – that should be available to everybody.” Carol Levene, Former Brady Girl 1950s & 1960s

The Brady Clubs – A Legacy for the Future not only reflects on the past but also ignites a conversation about the present and future. The Brady Club’s legacy stands as testament to the profound impact such initiatives can have and serves as an appeal to government, policymakers, community leaders, and the public to recognise the indispensable role of youth services in shaping positive life trajectories.

This timely exhibition is an invitation to reflect on the lessons of the past and present, and raise our voices to advocate for a future where every young person has access to the resources they need to thrive.

Exhibition Details

• Nearest tube: Stepney Green or Mile End. Buses 25, 205, 309.
• For opening times and more information visit www.bradyarchive.co.uk or www.ideastore.co.uk/local-history.

For more information, contact Anna Perceval at bradyphotographs@gmail.com

https://www.bradyarchive.co.uk

https://www.bradyarchive.co.uk/films

https://www.bradyarchive.co.uk/brady-legacy-podcasts

https://www.instagram.com/the_brady_club

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