Blog

Pearl Ricketts and Millie Munroe

13th December 2017

By Lost Legends Archive

Musical pioneers, sisters Pearl and Millie have been performing together since 1973 as a family band. As founder members of the band Eastern Variation, which was one of the first in Leicester to feature both Black and white musicians, they released several records including Baby I Love You, Creation and E T Rock. They made…

Bernard Francis

13th December 2017

By Lost Legends Archive

Bernard Francis was one of the first Black businessmen in Leicester. He came to Leicester from Antigua in 1960 as a teenager who wanted to start an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic. He ran a garage business from 1967, and a Black travel agents. Bernard was involved with the Business Development Unit to help new comers to the business…

Ajani Women and Girls Centre

13th December 2017

By Lost Legends Archive

Ajani Women and Girls Centre was founded in 1981 and began life in 1981 as ‘Highfields Girls’ Venture’ and was the first Black women’s Centre in the Midlands. The project was renamed ‘Ajani possessed through the struggle. ’The Centre’s aims and objectives were to enable Afrikan/Afrikan Caribbean and dual heritage women and girls to realise…

The Story of Contrast Steel Band 1974 – 2017

13th December 2017

By Lost Legends Archive

Contrast Steel band was established through the creative vision of George Fisher with a humble set of pans costing £265 and a vision to instil the steel pan in the hearts of Leicester’s community. From the onset, Fisher faced adversity when attempting to receive aid from the Educational Authority of Leicester; the instrument was unknown…

Leicester’s National Apartheid Campaigns

13th December 2017

By Lost Legends Archive

During 1970s and 1980s, the press reported on national and local issues and stories connected to the Black community. Popular issues covered in the press include the Anti-Apartheid campaigns that were taking place with marches and demonstrations in London. In Britain boycotts of South African goods and the Free Mandela campaigns began, Mandela was unfairly…

Wolde Selassie Eulogy (1953 – 2015)

8th December 2017

By Lost Legends Archive

Wolde Selassie born on 2 October 1953 in Dominica, Caribbean to Maria Macilles and Conrad Wenham. Wolde attended St. Johns School Portsmouth in Dominica and emigrated to England in 1963. Then went on to Charnwood junior school and later Moat Boys Secondary School. Upon leaving school ‘he joined the army but he found army life…

Laurel Aitken (1927 – 2005)

21st July 2017

By Lost Legends Archive

Lorenzo Aitken (April 22, 1927 – July 17, 2005), born in Cuba is better known by the stage name Laurel Aitken, was an influential Caribbean singer and one of the pioneers of Jamaican Ska music. Laurel Aitken is also known as the “Godfather of Ska” and was the originator of Reggae music and a musical…

Elvy Morton

11th April 2017

By Lost Legends Archive

Mrs Morton was born in Nevis, a small island in the Caribbean Sea, on 19 July 1935. She came to England in 1958 on Escania ship and worked as a nurse in a hospital in Birmingham for two years and eight months. After getting married, she came to Leicester and had a family of five…

Black History Season 2010 – 2011

11th April 2017

By Lost Legends Archive

Below shows extracts from a facilitators report prepared by Florence Nyahwa (SMNF). Introduction The Leicester Black History Season (LBHS) 2010 was a rather eventful time within the group which ended in a great way with the brilliant launch of LBHS on 2 November 2010 jointly with Leicester Museums. Thanks to the hard work of Carol…