Acts of Achievement:
Chorlton on Medlock
BLACK HISTORY TRAIL
Chorlton on Medlock
BLACK HISTORY TRAIL
Chorlton on Medlock •
City Centre •
Hulme •
Moss Side •
Salford & Old Trafford •
Home • Your
History • Background
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| 1: Arawack Walton Housing | |
| Arawack is predominantly an inner city housing provider. Founded in 1994 through the merger of Arawack Housing Association (Est: 1987) and Walton Housing Association (Est: 1978). The association has its roots in Manchester’s African Caribbean communities and aims to provide quality housing services and affordable homes to address the social and economic wellbeing of the African Community and other ethnic minorities. Its flagship residential development, at Bougainville Gardens celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2001. Property ownership has been in Moss Side, Levenshulme, Ardwick, Rusholme, Old Trafford, Hulme, and Cheetham Hill. |
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| 2: Carriocca Enterprise | |
| Cariocca was the first Black managed workspace complex in Manchester. It actually represents the City of Manchester’s first economic initiative since the Second World War and has become a catalyst for many opportunities, none more so then the promotion of self –sufficiency This is the most successful Black- run business in the Northwest. The workspace, a provision -led business has been in operation for almost fifteen years from an idea developed by a group of Caribbeans. Cariocca lets workspaces to a variety of mainly independent businesses at its main site at Ardwick. It now has a Miles Platting sister site. Cariocca has gone on to develop a training work based scheme for a variety of the business sector, alongside operating a science and business educational trust. The word “CARIOCCA” was developed by the founder of the organisation and reflects the history of the original idea. |
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| 3: Department of Economics Main Building, Manchester | |
| The Blue Plaque on the entrance of the Departments main entrance is the University’s public recognition of Sir Frank Worrell for his contribution to the development of West Indies and English cricket. Worrell graduated from the University in 1956, and was a very active cricketer during his studies as an economics student More information about Department of Economics Main Building, Manchester |
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| 4: Grafton Street | |
| The Grafton Hotel is the site of two significant contributions to Black history in the city The New International: The highly successful boxer Len Johnson financed the opening of the club in the 1920s in order to mark his allegiance to communism and from here many working class men signed up to fight for the Spanish Republic. There was no music as this was really became a base for a debating society, after Len had joined The Communist Party. The West Indians Colonial Club: Later in the late 1940s, the premises became the West Indian Colonials Club and was mainly used by ex-servicemen and ‘early arrivals’ from the West Indies. The British Government had provided no support systems for the people who came in response to the jobs they had seen advertised in the West Indies, and many clubs operated colour bars. Len had moved premises to The Continental Club off Monton Street before finally selling it to John Tottoh. |
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| 5: Sickle Cell Centre | |
| See Moss Side Trail, Stop Number 7 on Monton Street | |
| 6: Manchester Royal Infirmary & St Mary’s Children Hospital | |
| The contribution of African and Caribbean people towards the development and delivery of the health services within the walls of these hospitals has not really received the accolades that it deserves. It has been exceptionally phenomenal since the 1960s. Making up a formidable part of the workforce - doctors, nurses, technicians, administrators, and ancillary staff. This presence has informed opinions of health -care policies and specific treatments for Manchester’s migrant communities. Some of this includes dietary needs, improved provision for sickle cell suffers and, medical research specific to the African community. |
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| 7: West Indian Centre | |
| This is the home of the West Indian Organisation Co-ordinating Committee (WIOCC) formed in 1964. WIOCC an umbrella organisation for 6 Manchester-based West Indian societies and associations: The Trinidad and Tobago Society, Jamaica Society, Leeward Islands People’s Associations, Guyana Association, Barbados Association, and the Grenada Association. It was established to promote and develop the social, cultural and economic well- being of multi-generational West Indian people living in Greater Manchester, with an emphasis on work with the under-privileged young. Its program of activities include; vocational training in various professions, sports, legal advice, community work, public and academic education and numerous recreational activities, The first Saturday school for Black children in the UK started in this centre and ran for more than twenty years The centre is also well known nationally for the promotion of week -long cultural festivals and for civil campaigns for Black living in any part of UK. The late Mr Beresford Edwards lead the centre’s activities and alongside his wife founded the Roots Festival that was hosted at Birley High School. His passing saw the end of a true community champion. |
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| 8: Wilmslow Road | |
| “The Curry Mile” (Asian food is the main business) is the popular term use to describe the economic activities of the Black people operating on both sides of the road between Moss Lane East and Dickenson Road. This is the centre of the South East Black economics, culture and social life for many since they began settling as major migrant population in the north of England. Their activities on this street are represented in more than fifteen different scales of small to large industries |
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| 9: Broad African Representative Council | |
| Broad African Representative Council (BARC) was established in the 1960’s and reorganised in the 1980's to meet the challenges of contemporary England and the needs of the African Community, to project a true image of the continent of Africa It is the foremost community organisation in Manchester providing a number of services to a wide representation of Manchester based Africa nationals. Its formation came out of the Pan African Congress Meting in Manchester in 1945. |
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