Remember Dr. Harold Moody’s name as we stand before this plaque. This blue plaque commemorates Dr. Harold Moody. It honors his life and work as a campaigner for racial equality. The plaque is located at 164 Queens Road in Peckham. This was his home and medical practice.
Dr. Harold Moody lived here from 1922 until his death in 1947. This building also served as the headquarters for the League of Coloured Peoples. English Heritage erected this plaque in 1995. The inscription reads: “DR HAROLD MOODY 1882-1947 Campaigner for Racial Equality lived and worked here.” The material of the plaque is ceramic.
Harold Moody came to London from Jamaica in 1904. He studied medicine at King’s College London. He faced racial prejudice when seeking a hospital appointment. So, in 1913, he started his own practice in King’s Road, Peckham. Later he moved his practice and home to this very address.
Number 164 Queens Road was more than just a home. It became a haven for Black travelers. Those who couldn’t find accommodation elsewhere were welcomed here. The Jamaican writer Una Marson was one such lodger. She remembered the house fondly. It was a comfortable four-story property. Her room overlooked a grass tennis court and a rose-filled garden.
From this house, Dr. Moody ran the League of Coloured Peoples. He founded the League in 1931. The League published a newsletter called The Keys. Dr. Moody used it to lobby for improved race relations. He targeted trade unions, the Civil Service, and Parliament.
Dr. Moody fought for many causes. These included employment rights for Black merchant seamen. He also campaigned for fair pay for Trinidadian oil workers. He pushed for the removal of the implicit color bar in the British Armed Forces. This bar prevented Black officers from being appointed. His influence peaked in 1943. He was appointed to a government advisory committee. This committee focused on the welfare of non-Europeans. A devout Christian, he also chaired the London Missionary Society that year.
Sadly, the League of Coloured Peoples did not survive long after Dr. Moody’s death. It closed in the early 1950s. However his impact remains. Dr. Harold Moody was a pioneer in the fight for racial equality. His legacy lives on through this blue plaque. Remember him as you pass by.