New Tour- Marx & Engels in Camden

Join us on this intriguing tour to uncover the legacy of two men whose ideas shaped history, and who continue to influence debate and thought today. Whether you're a history enthusiast, a political thinker, or simply enjoy exploring London's hidden stories, this tour offers a unique glimpse into the lives of Marx and Engels during their transformative and their twilight years.

This tour starts at 11am at Chalk Farm station every second Sunday of the month starting 12 January 2025.

Step back in time to explore the Camden of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. The leafy streets of Chalk Farm and Primrose Hill provide an unexpected backdrop for what was possibly the most influential intellectual and political collaboration in history. Here the two most dangerous revolutionaries in the world plotted the overthrow of capitalism for nearly 40 years. This gave rise to many communist and socialist movements that would go on to transform the world.

For Karl Marx his years in Camden were the most productive for his thought and political activity. In Camden, Marx's financial woes did not entirely vanish but his family life and circumstances became more stable, allowing him to focus on revolutionary work. During this period, Marx emerged as the leader of the First International, while researching, writing, and finally publishing his groundbreaking study of capitalism, Das Kapital.

In 1870, Engels-now a man of wealth, freed from the constraints of his former capitalist life-joined Marx in London. Together, they threw their energies into shaping the future of revolutionary politics. Marx briefly gained international notoriety during the 1871 Paris Commune, which shook the political foundations of Europe.

After Marx's death, Engels carried the torch, guiding a new generation of socialists until his own death in 1895. As a key figure in the Second International, founded in 1889, Engels became a sought-after advisor for revolutionaries from around the world. On this tour, we will take you to the homes and haunts where Marx and Engels lived, worked, and ultimately passed away. You'll uncover the everyday lives behind these historic figures and witness how their revolutionary ideas evolved in response to the world around them.

Discover a fascinating circle of family, friends, and comrades who surrounded them, and delve into the mysteries, secrets, and struggles of the Marx and Engels households. As we journey through the 1890s, we trace Engels' crucial influence in shaping the modern working-class movement-through debates and decisions that would echo across Europe and the world well into the 20th century and beyond.