There are a number of murals painted on London streets which sometimes commemorate the lives and more often the deaths of Londoners who are particularly missed. What is remarkable is that – unlike many other murals – they have not been painted over, or defaced with graffiti. The reason? They honour local people, who remain in the memories of their families and the community.

This one is for Henry Hicks – his story below.

Henry Hicks, just 18 years old, died of head injuries when his moped crashed in Wheelwright Street, next to Pentonville Prison off Caledonian Road, on 19 December 2014.

Henry was being chased by police who suspected him of dealing drugs. He had been stopped and searched by officers 89 times in the previous three years – but never faced any criminal charges, his inquest later heard.

Henry Hicks was fleeing officers in two unmarked cars when he died, an inquest jury found. Police were following him at speeds of more than 50mph when he came off his moped in Islington, north London, in December 2014.

A Police disciplinary panel ruled the four officers were not technically in a police pursuit at the time. Under Police policy, the control room has to be immediately alerted to pursuits, which must be authorised in all but exceptional circumstances.

This had not happened. Henry was no saint. He was found to be carrying seven bags of skunk cannabis and multiple phones. But he was clearly very much loved. A charity was started in his name, to help families who had lost their children.


Henry is by no means alone in having a memorial that is unspoiled despite the passing of time.

Calvin Bungisa was stabbed in Grafton Road, at the junction with Vicar’s road, Kentish Town on 1 April 2019 at about 8.30pm.

This mural is close to the spot where he was murdered.

He had been ambushed, chased and stabbed by a gang who afterwards escaped in a dark VW Bora car that was later found burned out. It was noted that the gang had chased Calvin Bungisa to the junction with Vicar’s Road and that they had had to all run back to their car, after which the car drove off towards Weedington Road.

A witness that saw the attack said that they saw four men, wearing hoodies and masks. The witness said, ‘I could see there was a commotion going on up the road. I saw this guy lying on the floor and this geezer stabbing him repeatedly, over and over. The attacker was wearing a grey hoodie and this white mask. I was shaking. I just felt so helpless. There were a gang of geezers and they were stabbing him, I could see him lying there as they surrounded him. I just felt sick’.

The police said that it was possible that his murder was gang related. His family had come to the United Kingdom after fleeing the war in Congo.

There is a £10,000 Crimestoppers reward on offer for information which leads to a successful prosecution of the young man’s killer.

Mr Bungisa’s family said in a statement: “We are, as a family, still devastated after Calvin’s murder two years ago. Calvin’s mother is in constant pain and feels like she is living in a nightmare.

“We cannot begin to move on until justice is brought to those who committed this brutal crime. We appeal to anyone who knows anything to come forward to the police.”