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Research guides

We hold collections in the Southwark Archives on groups that have historically been underrepresented.

Contents

Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities research guide

Southwark Archives holds the following resources and collections on Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. 

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Biographies

Climbing up the Rough Side of the Mountain by Sam King (Books 920 KIN)

Mary Seacole the most famous black woman of the Victorian age by Jane Robinson (Books 920 SEA)

Lee Boo of Belau: A Prince in London by Daniel J Peacock (Books 920 LEE)

Rio: my story by Rio Ferdinand with Shaun Custis (Books 920)

The life of Una Marson 1905-65 by Delia Jarrett-Macauley (Books 920 MAR)

Speak Of Me As I Am: The Black presence in Southwark since 1600 by Stephen Bourne (Books 325.1)

Religion

Being Built Together: Black Majority Churches in the London Borough of Southwark, 2013 (Books 289.9)

Sunday Service by Chloe Dew Mathews (Books 289.9)

Cuttings and ephemera relating to Black majority churches in Southwark (Press cuttings files 289.9)

Reminiscence

Beautiful Blues: Stories by Caribbean Elders edited by Jacob Ross (Pamphlets 325.1)

A Place to stay: memories of pensioners from many lands compiled by Age Exchange Theatre Company; edited by Pam Schweitzer (325.1)

So this is England Peckham Publishing Project, 1984 (Pamphlets 325.1)

Caribbean reminiscences: 50 years on transcribed by Barbara Ellis; illustrations by Lasmin Ellis (Pamphlets 325.1)

Our story by Alo-wa black women's oral history group. (Pamphlets 325.1)

Arts and culture

North Peckham Civic Centre, Posters and Ephemera c.1970s-1990s (Press cuttings files 791)

Cuttings/flyers relating work of black theatre companies: Blue Elephant Theatre, London Bubble, Umoja Theatre Company, Theatre Peckham, Dual Impact productions, Temba Theatre, Southwark African Arts and Culture Group etc. (Press cuttings files 791)

Walworth and Aylesbury Community Arts Trust c. 1980s (Pamphlets 374)

Blue Elephant theatre annual report, 2001 (Pamphlets 792.6)

Live Arts For Southwark – report including needs of Ethnic Minorities in the borough, 1984 (Pamphlets 706 SOU)

Carl Campbell Dance Company 7 – 25 Years of Contemporary Caribbean Dance (Pamphlets 793.32)

Family history

A tree without Roots by Paul Crooks (Books 929.1)

Immigrants and Aliens: A guide to sources on UK immigration and citizenship by Roger Kershaw and Mark Pearsall (Books 325.1)

Tracing Your Caribbean Family leaflet by Southwark Archives, 2012 (pick up a free copy in the searchroom)

Tracing Your West Indian Ancestors by Guy Grannum, 1995 (Books 929.3 PRO) (2012 edition available at Peckham Library)

Immigration and travel

The Peopling of London: fifteen thousand years of settlement from overseas edited by Nick Merriman (Books 325.1)

Keep on moving: the Windrush legacy. The black experience in Britain from 1948 by Tony Sewell (Books 325.1)

Cosmopolitan London: past, present and future by Marian Storkey, Jackie Maguire, Rob Lewis (Books 325.1)

Windrush : the irresistible rise of multi-racial Britain by Mike Phillips and Trevor Phillips (Books 325.1)

Black Londoners, 1880-1990 by Susan Okokon (Books 325.1)

History

Reasons for using East India Sugar printed for the Peckham Ladies African and Anti-Slavery Association (1828) (reproduction) (Pamphlets 325.1)

Crowther’s Journey: The life and times of Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther produced by Southwark Pensioners Centre (Pamphlets 325.1)

A sermon on the African Slave Trade preached at Maze Pond, Southwark by James Dore (1788) (reproduction) (Reserve stock books 252)

The impact and significance of Dr Harold Moody and The League of Coloured Peoples in its promotion of social reforms in housing and employment for black migrants in London between the 1930s and 1940s by John Graves (2014) (Pamphlets 920 MOO)

Harold Moody and the League of Coloured Peoples (Race, Faith and Politics Lecture) by David Killingray (1999) (Pamphlets  920 MOO)

The Colour Bar by Dr Harold Moody (Pamphlets 325.1 MOO)

The Keys: The official organ of The League of Coloured Peoples 1933 – 1939 (Reserve stock books 325.1 MOO)

Modern Communities

B-One: Stories of Bengali People in SE1 – audio interviews and project booklet, 2011 (Archives 2011/57)

Tackling Racial Harassment in Bermondsey, Rotherhithe and the London Borough of Southwark – by Southwark United Group Against Racism, 2002 (Books 325.1 SOU)

London’s Ethnic Minorities: One City, Many Communities – an analysis of 1991 Census results by Marian Storkey (Books 325.1 STO)

Sun-a-shine, Rain-a-fall – London Transport’s West Indian workforce (Pamphlets 325.1)

Films and audio

One Picture My Story: reminiscences, thoughts and pictures from Southwark’s Black heritage communities (Listen on our YouTube channel)

Divided by Race: United in War and Peace (2013, 90 mins) A documentary on race relations in Britain after WWII with testimonies of veterans including West Indian and African women and men. (LHL DVD 129) 

Eid Celebration at Harper Road Library (1990, 47 mins) (LHL DVD 5)  

Looking for Sierra Leone (2011, 23 mins) The Sierra Leonean community of Southwark discusses their history, politics and culture on the 50th anniversary of Sierra Leone’s independence (LHL DVD 127)

Mosque: The Story of Islam in Southwark (2010, 2 hours) Five films exploring the history of Islam in Southwark and the role of its mosques within their communities (LHL DVD 113)

Not Our Problem (1984, 26 mins): The experience of being black and living in Southwark. (LHL DVD 20)  

Peckham Travellers (2010, 90 mins) A selection of films focusing on traveller life from the Southwark Traveller’s viewpoint (LHL DVD 120) 

Southwark For Jesus (2013, 10 mins) A film promoting this organisation’s work (LHL DVD 112)

Brandon Estate Cine Club Films (1960s-1970s) Home movies featuring black communities from Southwark.

Hidden History: Harold Moody (2000, 29 mins) The story of Jamaican-born Dr Harold Moody who established the League of Coloured Peoples in London. (LHL DVD 40)

Sam King Interview (audio, 42 mins) Former Mayor of Southwark Sam King recalls his upbringing, experiences during WWII and returning to the UK on the SS Empire Windrush. (LHL TAPE 49)

Carnaval del Pueblo (2001, 60 mins) A film of the Latin-American carnival in burgess Park (LHL DVD 182)