The Museum of Oxford is set to present a new play based on the Florence Park rent strike in 1934.
The play, called Little Edens, tells the story of the strike, which saw some 600 people refuse to pay their rent due to the appalling conditions of the newly-built Florence Park housing estate.
The homes – built by a private developer – were prone to both damp and flooding, leading to illness among the children, and the roads were just mud.
Written by retired journalist Peter Cann and directed by Tim Eyres of the Oxford Theatre Guide, the play sold out at its first performance in Florence Park Community Centre.
The performance will take place at the Museum of Oxford at 2.30pm (doors open at 2pm) and 5.30pm (doors open at 5pm) on Saturday 15 April.
A bar will be available for pre-show and interval drinks.
Tickets, which cost £8 per person, are available in person from the Museum of Oxford gift shop or on Eventbrite (booking fees apply).
Little Edens is suitable for ages 12+.
The Museum of Oxford, which is owned and operated by Oxford City Council, reopened in 2021 following a £2.8m refurbishment that created a new entrance and shop, and tripled the size of the museum space.
The museum – the only facility dedicated to telling the history of Oxford and its people – features galleries telling the changing story Oxford, from Romans and Angle-Saxons to the first Cowley factory workers.
“Everyone knows about the Cutteslowe Walls built about the same time but few people have heard of the Florence Park rent strike. I felt it was a story that needed telling. It drew support from students who were later to became famous politicians – Richard Crossman, Patrick Gordon Walker, and Frank Pakenham, better known as Lord Longford. Gordon Walker won an historic local election victory because of his support for the rent strike.
“But I wanted to pay tribute to the tenants themselves, many who had come from places such as South Wales and Tyneside to find work at the car factory. It is they who made those sacrifices so it is very much a community play, staged in Florence Park. The majority of the cast are drawn from the local area.”
Peter Cann, retired journalist and Florence Park estate resident
“I’m delighted that we’re able to host locally-produced theatre productions at the new Museum of Oxford. The Museum of Oxford is the only museum that tells the story of Oxford and its people, but to be able to host productions of local storytelling adds even more richness. It really shows how much value the Museum of Oxford brings to the city.”
Councillor Shaista Aziz, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Communities and Culture
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