Film charts Highbury Quadrant’s community spirit

Published: 22nd April, 2011
by KARINA WHALLEY

A FILM capturing the history of a close-knit estate is being shown at Islington Museum, alongside a photo­graphic exhibition.

Highbury Quadrant, a model estate, was built around a pear tree more than 50 years ago. Today, most of the original residents still live there and pears continue to fall from the tree’s branches. 

Inspired by her neighbours’ stories and memories, Ronita Dassa, a resident of 30 years, decided to document the estate’s strong community spirit through a film, Views from a Pear Tree. 

The Highbury Quadrant Oral History Group was created, raising £10,000 to make the film.

 Ms Dassa described its first showing as “a very emotional night”. She added: “Old residents who had left came back to watch the movie together. Everybody brought out their old photos and stories. It was lovely.”

Photographer Angie Hicks used the estate’s recently restored sculpture, “The Neighbour”, by Viennese artist Siegfried Charoux, as a backdrop for her images emphasising the sense  of community.

A timeline from 1500 allows residents to add their own stories.

The film and exhibition can be seen at the museum, at Finsbury Library in St John Street, until May 21.