When We Worked at Raleigh

The When We Worked at Raleigh Project Celebrates the Lives of the Factory's Black British Caribbean Workers

"When We Worked at Raleigh (May 2019-present) is a project led by Nottingham Black Archive and Primary documenting the experiences of members of the Windrush generation, and their descendants, who worked for Raleigh Industries from the 1950s to the 1980s. Over the course of the project, Nottingham Black Archive will collect oral histories and historical material, documenting arrival and day-to-day experiences, and contributions to challenging racism and increasing workplace equality in one of Nottingham’s most famous industries."

Previously based in the Howitt Building on Lenton Boulevard, Raleigh Industries manufactured bicycles in the mid-20th century that were distributed internationally; one of the main exportation sites was Jamaica. At one point almost every African Caribbean household in Nottingham had at least one family member who was employed by Raleigh. Whilst many cities celebrate their historic buildings and industries, the contribution of minority groups is often overlooked. Recognising, commemorating, and learning from this contribution feels essential in contemporary Britain, where members of this community have been hit by the Windrush Scandal, and both established and new communities are affected by the ‘hostile environment’.

Project leads: Panya Banjoko ( Nottingham Black Archive ) and Rebecca Beinart (Primary)

Weareprimary.org projects-archive - When We Worked at Raleigh

Don’t Blame the Blacks Exhibition Highlights Extraordinary Activism of Oswald George Powe

Curated by Nottingham Black Archive founder Panya Banjoko, Don’t Blame the Blacks explores the history of Nottingham’s black communities since the 1950s. The title of the exhibition comes from a seminal text written by Oswald George Powe, a labour unionist, activist, and politician whose life and work is the focus of the collection. Using archival material to build a rich picture of the activist streak in Nottingham’s black communities, the exhibition sheds light on the importance of Powe and his fight against racial discrimination at Raleigh Industries. 

RAF recruits in WW2

George Powe was a Caribbean RAF servicemember from WW2 who trained in Hunmanby Moor, Filey, East Yorkshire.

George Powe was politically aware and involved himself in local and national politics, trade unionism and actively fought racial discrimination. In 1956 he wrote and had published an important political pamphlet in conjunction with the Afro-Asian West Indian Union (of which he was the secretary). It was called “Don’t Blame The Blacks”.

He had been inspired to act following the Race Riots in 1958 and campaigned to change the employment policy at Raleigh Cycles Nottingham, but with negotiations failing he sought the assistance of Norman Manley, Jamaica’s first Premier, leading to an embargo of bicycle imports from England.

This action helped change the company’s policy, Raleigh subsequently becoming one of the largest employers of African Caribbean workers in Nottingham. Read more - African Yorkshire Project