Ten Years On: Camden Celebrates the Life of Amy Winehouse
The Amy Winehouse statue in Camden. All photos by the author
This weekend marked the 10th anniversary since the untimely and tragic death of Amy Winehouse: one of Britain’s last true legendary icons, decorated in the halls of fame for eternity at the tender age of 27.
I travelled to Camden Town in London to document the messages of love and support left by fans of the musician, and to try and capture the emotions which, ten years on, are still being felt by so many who enjoyed her work.
Amy’s final resting place in Edgwarebury Cemetery, North London.
In the morning I set about travelling to Edgwarebury Cemetery, where Amy is buried, to spend a moment contemplating this amazing woman. The cemetery was peaceful, sitting on the edge of London with a view of the city in the distance and the summer wind blowing through the trees. Painted stones lay on the gravestone left by family members, including her dad Mitch, who had come to pay their respects that morning.
Messages left at Amy’s gravestone.
Memorial stones left by family members.
After saying goodbye and leaving a stone in memoriam, I travelled south to Camden Market, where a statue of Amy was unveiled in 2014 on what would have been her 31st birthday. A small crowd was gathered around it, taking photographs and chatting quietly about her legacy. A photographer next to me had a “Libertines” tattoo on his upper arm—a reminder of the electric era of London-centric rock which so many of us still hold in our hearts from our teen years.
A single red rose left at the feet of the Amy Winehouse memorial statue.
Amy’s statue, designed by Scott Eaton.
I then travelled to Camden Square, to Amy’s former home where she spent her last hours in this world. Supporters had gathered to leave written notes, to kiss the wall of the building, and to share in a collective moment of reflection about someone who—after all this time—still touches us in so many ways. For myself, it was difficult not to remember the scene of her small frame being placed in the back of an ambulance, and those haunting last words her bodyguard mentions at the end of her documentary: “She said ‘If I could give it back, just to walk down that street with no hassle, I would.’”
A couple share a moment outside Amy’s former flat.
Kisses left by fans on the walls of Amy’s former home.
A single red rose left on “Amy’s Tree”, opposite the Camden Square flat where she passed away.
A fan leaves a letter of support.
The Queen of Hearts left on “Amy’s Tree”.
That evening we returned to Camden to visit The Hawley Arms, one of Amy’s favourite pubs. Anyone who’s been downstairs to the girls’ toilets will recognise the many messages left in there; it’s become somewhat of a public shrine. Despite this, the bar staff are firm in their protection of her legacy. They do not offer interviews, they won’t tell you where she sat (everywhere, apparently) and they won’t tell you what she drank (everything, probably). No, it’s simply a place to share a thought and raise a toast, as it should be.
Messages of love in the toilets of The Hawley Arms.
Fans sharing a moment of reflection.
The Hawley Arms pub in Camden.
Amy’s name written outside the front door of The Hawley.
Sharing a drink and a moment of reflection on the rooftop terrace.
After raising a pint in The Hawley, we were invited up the road to The Good Mixer, another favourite haunt of Camden’s Queen. This is where I really felt she would be, if she had been watching over the city that evening. Music rang out of the main room, played by Mark Stuart in what was apparently his first DJ gig in months. It was amazing, after so long without human contact, to walk into a room full of glorious, glittery people dancing, toasting, and smiling at each other. It was like an electric dream.
The Good Mixer in Camden.
Singing songs together at The Good Mixer.
We spent the rest of the evening singing, doing shots, hugging, patting each other on the back, and—finally—saying goodbye to Amy with a group rendition of Tears Dry On Their Own to round off the night as we piled into the streets under a full moon. My friend noted that the groups were more chatty with each other than before lockdown. Where we would normally split off into our respective tribes, side-glancing each other, everyone was together that evening. Old, young, staff, customer, we were all one big happy family. You could almost feel her there, smiling away in the corner.
The crowd enjoys a good old-fashioned knees-up.
Revellers falling out into the streets of Camden.
And so that is how Camden spent the weekend celebrating the Lioness of London, the Queen of Hearts, Amy Winehouse.
Author’s note: You can learn more about the Amy Winehouse Foundation, one of the leading charities helping young people with addiction, here.
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