West Indian Leeds Carnival.

I am going back to about 1948 when I would have been ten years old. My mum was a very keen Methodist, it was Chapel three times on Sunday for Services, I was also there six nights every week - Youth Club, Choir, dancing class, preparation for Sunday School, Youth Craft Club and Bible study.

It was the time when West Indians were filtering into Leeds, my mum told me,!If you see someone black, do not look at them, do not smile at them, do not speak to them, cross the road”. Now, this did not seem a very Christian-like attitude to me, I knew better than to disobey my mum. I did what she said.

Our Chapel was in a Circuit of other Chapels, we visited other Chapels for Special Services or events. I came home one evening, to find an unusually excited mother. She had been at a Service at a Chapel in the area where the West Indians were living.

She talked about, how lively they were, all the women wore gorgeous hats, their singing was out of this world. When it came to the cup of tea, the cakes were fabulous. The evening ended with a dance or two, she was most impressed with the dancing.

I was told, “These West Indians’ are lovely, they are so friendly’. I asked if I could smile at any I saw, even speak to them? She said, “Of course you can, whatever made you think you couldn’t?”

When the Carnival’s started, I had married and moved to Northumberland, mum used to write to me telling me about going to see the Carnival at Potternewton Park, she would walk a little way with them, one  time, she saw some people she recognized,, they shouted to her to lift her arms up, she did so and found herself hoisted up onto the float. She went with the parade to the end, I think maybe it was the best day of her life.

All I can say to this is my mum was frighted of the ‘unknown’ aspect of the strange people coming into her home town, the effect it could have. By meeting them, mixing with them religiously and socially she came to know and love them.

I really need to say THANK YOU, to those early West Indians who brought some fun into an elderly lady's life.