East Midlands RO, Geoff Dickens, opened the meeting, starting with a minute's silence for Security Team activist Dennis Scullion, who died last week, aged 47.
The Minutes of the last Meeting were read and agreed.
East Midlands raised £4,540.22 for London; our own website shows that we (East Mids) raised the most -£4,540.22. Geoff handed out leaflets 'Racism cuts both ways'. We need to encourage young ones to join, he said, as they have a different perspective having grown up in a multicultural society. About Marxist persecution, Geoff gave the example of the extreme treatment meted out to the Tweeter who made comments only but did not incite anything; and closer to home, our candidate in Lincoln, Dean Lowther, taken in for questioning for making comments on Facebook -someone 'perceived it to be racist! Candidates were requested to close their Facebook accounts during election periods. There has always been a small amount of immigration, until recently it had made no difference to our country. Carlos Cortiglia, an Italian who came to Britain in 1989: "I like the UK, I love the British way of life". Carlos does not want to dress his wife up in a burkha, or change our country; Sharia is not for the European peoples. "The Left seek to destroy; we seek to preserve".
Locally, Paul's election campaign needs leafletters. Cathy retained her seat and it is hopeful in Amber Valley, but it was while Labour was very unpopular.
Our young guest speaker, Andy Holden, told us how the educational system indoctrinated youngsters into multiculturalism. He spoke of Hollywood's 'one world, one people' outlook. But he asked us to consider White architecture; we brought order to the world. Andy spoke of the strong Jewish nationalism; of terrorised anthropologists; how Hollywood films ignore communism and the 20 million killed in Russia; how his school tried to tie in the Holocaust with the BNP, a slander Andy never understood. He asked why we should think of South Africa's racial groups but not our own; questioned the natural instincts of last year's rioters. Andy. a Leicester-born lad, warned that we are a minority in the city, but noted that the British come off best when we are outnumbered.
Geoff Dickens, thanking Andy for his interesting speech, remarked that the older ones amongst us would not be around when the 'wonderful multiculturalism' happens, so it is good that young ones care. Geoff said that our enemies are in the media; "They love multiculturalism, but not for themselves".
Geoff then told us about 3 bequests to the party, estimating in total to be around £500,000. Probates expected in next few months.
Steve spoke of a man had told him how the White Russians were tortured, even scalped; this was done by Russian Jews; Steve had not known this, he was shocked.
The Collection raised £123.00. The Raffle raised £21.00
The next Meeting is on 2nd June. Redirection point to be announced in the Bulletin.
Saturday, 14 April 2012
Thursday, 12 April 2012
R.I.P. Dennis Scullion
We have received the sad news that Dennis Scullion, of Earl Shilton, has passed away.
Dennis, who was only 47, was a single father and leaves 5 children, the youngest being 4 years old.
He was very much involved with the British National Party, and carried out voluntary Security duties for us. A close friend of his writes:
"He did this in the belief that the BNP was the party of the future.
"He remarked to me, that he did this for his childrens future and their right of freedom in the United Kingdom. As friends we spoke on many occassions regarding his involvement with your party. His belief was that current governments continue to be short sighted and seek short to profits rather than looking at sustainable growth. He has been right. I see the demise of the town of Atherstone, Warwickshire that I currently live in, whereby the town slowly dies and communities are sadly being lost.
"Dennis showed rare qualities and demonstrated guts to be counted, which sadly this quality that stood for Great Britain has been replaced by apathy."
Speaking directly to Geoff Dickens, she says:
"Dennis spoke highly of you and recalls that you are an articulate man and a man who never lost sight of his roots and recalls you sharing your pizza. He was a single father and gave his time to the BNP and I have contacted you in the hope that in recognition of his ability to be stand up and be counted, that a BNP Representative would attend the funeral and in return be counted and show their last respects?
His death is of great shock and so sudden; your presence at his final farewell will enable his children to remember him with pride and not be forgotten."
We shall indeed remember Dennis with pride, and send our sympathy and condolences to his children, family and friends.
East Midlands RO, Geoff Dickens, will be attending his funeral, and I'm sure there will be many members, past and present, who will wish to be there.
It will be held at Nuneaton Heart of England Crematorium on Wednesday, 25th April at 9:45 am..
For further details please contact Geoff on 07795000676
Dennis, who was only 47, was a single father and leaves 5 children, the youngest being 4 years old.
He was very much involved with the British National Party, and carried out voluntary Security duties for us. A close friend of his writes:
"He did this in the belief that the BNP was the party of the future.
"He remarked to me, that he did this for his childrens future and their right of freedom in the United Kingdom. As friends we spoke on many occassions regarding his involvement with your party. His belief was that current governments continue to be short sighted and seek short to profits rather than looking at sustainable growth. He has been right. I see the demise of the town of Atherstone, Warwickshire that I currently live in, whereby the town slowly dies and communities are sadly being lost.
"Dennis showed rare qualities and demonstrated guts to be counted, which sadly this quality that stood for Great Britain has been replaced by apathy."
Speaking directly to Geoff Dickens, she says:
"Dennis spoke highly of you and recalls that you are an articulate man and a man who never lost sight of his roots and recalls you sharing your pizza. He was a single father and gave his time to the BNP and I have contacted you in the hope that in recognition of his ability to be stand up and be counted, that a BNP Representative would attend the funeral and in return be counted and show their last respects?
His death is of great shock and so sudden; your presence at his final farewell will enable his children to remember him with pride and not be forgotten."
We shall indeed remember Dennis with pride, and send our sympathy and condolences to his children, family and friends.
East Midlands RO, Geoff Dickens, will be attending his funeral, and I'm sure there will be many members, past and present, who will wish to be there.
It will be held at Nuneaton Heart of England Crematorium on Wednesday, 25th April at 9:45 am..
For further details please contact Geoff on 07795000676
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
East Midland's GLA Fundraiser
The East Midlands held their very successful fundraiser for the GLA campaign on Monday, 26th. March. It was supervised and hosted by Paul Hilliard, the Sub-Regional Organiser for Derbyshire, where the event was held at a plush venue. Around 100 people attended; many familiar faces as well as new ones were there, and a nationally known couple received a heartfelt welcome too.
Derby's Excalibur stall was very busy, with a lot of interest in their innovative new T-shirts - very smartly embroidered with a local logo.
East Midlands R.O., Geoff Dickens, chaired the meeting; after informing us that Derby will be busy with their own elections this May, he went on to warn that we are reaching a point of no return and must do all we can despite attacks from various agencies.
He then announced that we had already broken one record that evening - the Chairman had arrived on time! Amid laughter, Nick Griffin, who took this sally in good part, came into the meeting and was greeted with great applause.
A seasoned orator, Nick touched on many subjects in his speech; he started by saying that this time last year, the detractors said we wouldn't be here. He admitted that mistakes had been made, but thanks to 6 people - and here he left us in no doubt that Geoff was one of them - the party structure has been turned around. Although the papers will make something of our past problems before polling day, the fact is that this year we will end completely in the black. They have failed to get rid of us.
Other subjects Nick spoke eloquently on included the police and Marxism, the dangers of Islam, Iran and rising fuel prices, the protests at Heywood -acknowledging Paul's presence there, and put Question Time into context with the positive reaction towards us afterwards.
Nick concluded by telling us that 40 newspaper polls show that we have 7% support in London - we need 5% to gain a seat; London is our capital, and it is very important to win as that will give hope to the British public.
After the applause for Nick's speech had died down, Geoff showed us the high-quality leaflets going out in London; he then announced that a collection would be taken, saying that any who could not afford to donate mustn't worry, but he requested that leafletting and other jobs towards the elections be done instead. The Chairman conducted a 'Dutch auction', tentatively starting at £1,000. And yes, a cheque was given for that amount; then one for £500 and £250 following, all the way down to small change at the end!
The result, after the Regional Treasurer, James Mole, had totalled and verified the amount was £4,540.22 raised. This is the highest amount achieved so far, outside London, the second record of the evening for the East Midlands!
East Midlands officials would like to thank everyone who attended for their generous fundraising and continued hard work for the Party and our people.
Derby's Excalibur stall was very busy, with a lot of interest in their innovative new T-shirts - very smartly embroidered with a local logo.
East Midlands R.O., Geoff Dickens, chaired the meeting; after informing us that Derby will be busy with their own elections this May, he went on to warn that we are reaching a point of no return and must do all we can despite attacks from various agencies.
He then announced that we had already broken one record that evening - the Chairman had arrived on time! Amid laughter, Nick Griffin, who took this sally in good part, came into the meeting and was greeted with great applause.
A seasoned orator, Nick touched on many subjects in his speech; he started by saying that this time last year, the detractors said we wouldn't be here. He admitted that mistakes had been made, but thanks to 6 people - and here he left us in no doubt that Geoff was one of them - the party structure has been turned around. Although the papers will make something of our past problems before polling day, the fact is that this year we will end completely in the black. They have failed to get rid of us.Other subjects Nick spoke eloquently on included the police and Marxism, the dangers of Islam, Iran and rising fuel prices, the protests at Heywood -acknowledging Paul's presence there, and put Question Time into context with the positive reaction towards us afterwards.
Nick concluded by telling us that 40 newspaper polls show that we have 7% support in London - we need 5% to gain a seat; London is our capital, and it is very important to win as that will give hope to the British public.
After the applause for Nick's speech had died down, Geoff showed us the high-quality leaflets going out in London; he then announced that a collection would be taken, saying that any who could not afford to donate mustn't worry, but he requested that leafletting and other jobs towards the elections be done instead. The Chairman conducted a 'Dutch auction', tentatively starting at £1,000. And yes, a cheque was given for that amount; then one for £500 and £250 following, all the way down to small change at the end!The result, after the Regional Treasurer, James Mole, had totalled and verified the amount was £4,540.22 raised. This is the highest amount achieved so far, outside London, the second record of the evening for the East Midlands!
East Midlands officials would like to thank everyone who attended for their generous fundraising and continued hard work for the Party and our people.
Friday, 17 February 2012
Minutes of Joint Leicestershire BNP Meeting, Saturday 11th. February, 2011
The Meeting was opened at 2.45pm by Geoff Dickens.
A one minute silence was given in memory of our late colleague, friend and former Press Officer, John Ryde, and for former Melton activist, David North.
Minutes of the last meeting were read and agreed.
Apologies: Carlos Corteglia the 2012 BNP London Mayoral Candidate, had been invited to speak but had to withdraw we were told, due to a family emergency.
Fund-raising: All Regions will be holding a fund-raising event in support of the London elections. The East Midlands' will be held on the 26th. March.
Geoff said it is important we all get involved, as re-gaining our seat on the GLA would be a major boost to the Party morale.
Cllr. Paul Preston then spoke on the problem of getting Direct Debits changed, and the amount of time it takes to get money wrongly taken from one's account returned. He gave examples from personal experience.
Steve Denham, Charnwood Organiser told us about the efforts made by Charnwood members to clean up the Syston brook. Local people spoke approvingly of this and Steve promised that, when the weather improved, the group would be out again -anywhere - doing similar good works.
Geoff then spoke with some feeling of the decline of the British nation, saying that although the People have never voted in any great numbers for Marxism, yet it exists almost everywhere; it's ideology had infiltrated the British way of life and it's influences were now apparent in almost every sphere, especially the media, the Church, multiculturalism, a biased legal system, education, and finance. Geoff said that it is rare for anything to happen unless planned and he recommended people to look up the Frankfurt School.
Questions from the Floor:
1. East Midlands party funds? All Groups and Branches in the East Midlands currently have a total of £27,500, £19,000 being held in our own Regional Account, with a further £8,500 owed to us by Party Central. At this juncture, copies of the bank account were passed to all present.
Concerning the lateness of the 2010 Party Accounts being presented to the Electoral Commission, Geoff said the main reason for this was that the new Treasury Dept. appointed in the last 3 months of 2010 had found it difficult to collate the information. He assured those present that the Accounts were almost ready and would be lodged during February. He warned that although they will show a deficit at 31st December, 2010 of a little over £700,000, much of this debt has been cleared. He estimated that the 2011 Accounts would show a vast improvement, and are expected to be presented on time.
2. Membership? Leicestershire stood at 207, and a total of 900 in the East Mids. Region.
3. Party membership stands at around 8,000.
4. Excalibur has been de-registered for VAT purposes, and is being run by Alwyn Deacon as a private business.
5. The N. Ireland tribunal which cost the Party £4,000 has been paid in full.
6. Auditing of accounts is made difficult when officials of the Party leave and do not hand over Petty Cash Books or other Party property, in some cases a deliberate ploy in an attempt to embarrass the Party.
Members were asked to give their support to a Demo. in Hyde, Manchester; "Stop Anti- English Racist Attacks" is a campaign protesting against racist attacks on our people which will be held on the 25th. February.
The Raffle was drawn and raised £29.00.
Collection and teas raised £114.40.
The meeting closed at 4pm. Next meeting will be in April, members will be informed of details via the Bulletin.
A one minute silence was given in memory of our late colleague, friend and former Press Officer, John Ryde, and for former Melton activist, David North.
Minutes of the last meeting were read and agreed.
Apologies: Carlos Corteglia the 2012 BNP London Mayoral Candidate, had been invited to speak but had to withdraw we were told, due to a family emergency.
Fund-raising: All Regions will be holding a fund-raising event in support of the London elections. The East Midlands' will be held on the 26th. March.
Geoff said it is important we all get involved, as re-gaining our seat on the GLA would be a major boost to the Party morale.
Cllr. Paul Preston then spoke on the problem of getting Direct Debits changed, and the amount of time it takes to get money wrongly taken from one's account returned. He gave examples from personal experience.
Steve Denham, Charnwood Organiser told us about the efforts made by Charnwood members to clean up the Syston brook. Local people spoke approvingly of this and Steve promised that, when the weather improved, the group would be out again -anywhere - doing similar good works.
Geoff then spoke with some feeling of the decline of the British nation, saying that although the People have never voted in any great numbers for Marxism, yet it exists almost everywhere; it's ideology had infiltrated the British way of life and it's influences were now apparent in almost every sphere, especially the media, the Church, multiculturalism, a biased legal system, education, and finance. Geoff said that it is rare for anything to happen unless planned and he recommended people to look up the Frankfurt School.
Questions from the Floor:
1. East Midlands party funds? All Groups and Branches in the East Midlands currently have a total of £27,500, £19,000 being held in our own Regional Account, with a further £8,500 owed to us by Party Central. At this juncture, copies of the bank account were passed to all present.
Concerning the lateness of the 2010 Party Accounts being presented to the Electoral Commission, Geoff said the main reason for this was that the new Treasury Dept. appointed in the last 3 months of 2010 had found it difficult to collate the information. He assured those present that the Accounts were almost ready and would be lodged during February. He warned that although they will show a deficit at 31st December, 2010 of a little over £700,000, much of this debt has been cleared. He estimated that the 2011 Accounts would show a vast improvement, and are expected to be presented on time.
2. Membership? Leicestershire stood at 207, and a total of 900 in the East Mids. Region.
3. Party membership stands at around 8,000.
4. Excalibur has been de-registered for VAT purposes, and is being run by Alwyn Deacon as a private business.
5. The N. Ireland tribunal which cost the Party £4,000 has been paid in full.
6. Auditing of accounts is made difficult when officials of the Party leave and do not hand over Petty Cash Books or other Party property, in some cases a deliberate ploy in an attempt to embarrass the Party.
Members were asked to give their support to a Demo. in Hyde, Manchester; "Stop Anti- English Racist Attacks" is a campaign protesting against racist attacks on our people which will be held on the 25th. February.
The Raffle was drawn and raised £29.00.
Collection and teas raised £114.40.
The meeting closed at 4pm. Next meeting will be in April, members will be informed of details via the Bulletin.
Saturday, 21 January 2012
A tribute to John Ryde by the Hinckley Times
A further tribute to John has been noted by various people, which we reproduce here. Unfortunately, I cannot find a link to it online so apologies for that. It was printed in the Hinckley Times on January 12th.
Tributes flooding in after death of popular villager
By MITCH IRVING
mitch.irving@trinitymirror.com
Tribute has been paid to John Ryde, a member of Newbold Verdon Parish council and village personality, who died on December 29th after a long fight against cancer.
Mr. Ryde, who was 73, gained a mayor's award for outstanding services in the borough in 2003 and 5 years later was the British National Party (BNP) East Midlands Activist of the Year.
He stood as a candidate for the BNP in district, county and Parliamentary elections.
An active member of the parish council, he took the lead on the crime and safety forum.
Clerk to the council Rick Bell said: "He was also an active supporter and contributor to the Neighbourhood Watch scheme. He gave very generously in many ways both materially and personally. He will however be best remembered for his involvement with the jazz club which he ran at Newbold Verdon Working Mens' Club for many years. Many famous bands attended and fans came from all over the country.
"In the civic year 1995-96, the then mayor asked John if he would be willing to run an event in aid of his charity. John kindly agreed and approximately £1,000 was raised on the night. John did this for several years for consecutive mayors and over the years raised a considerable amount of money."
A well-known wrestler on the circuit in his younger days, Mr. Ryde's working life was in sales and marketing.
On the BNP website, East Midlands regional organiser Geoff Dickens led tributes from the party to which almost 30 comments were added.
Mr. Dickens wrote: "I first met John around 1974 [when] we were both active nationalists. John had resigned from the Conservative party after the disgusting treatment of Enoch Powell by Heath. He had been a Monday Club member.
"I will always remember John's sense of humour. No matter how bad things were he always had a quip at hand to lighten the situation," added Mr. Dickens.
Alwyn Deacon, West Midlands organiser, wrote: "He was one of the party's best and will be missed but never forgotten."
Mr. Ryde leaves a son and daughter, their spouses and five grandchildren.
The funeral service was held on Monday at Nuneaton. There were family flowers only, donations in lieu being for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Tributes flooding in after death of popular villager
By MITCH IRVING
mitch.irving@trinitymirror.com
Tribute has been paid to John Ryde, a member of Newbold Verdon Parish council and village personality, who died on December 29th after a long fight against cancer.
Mr. Ryde, who was 73, gained a mayor's award for outstanding services in the borough in 2003 and 5 years later was the British National Party (BNP) East Midlands Activist of the Year.
He stood as a candidate for the BNP in district, county and Parliamentary elections.
An active member of the parish council, he took the lead on the crime and safety forum.
Clerk to the council Rick Bell said: "He was also an active supporter and contributor to the Neighbourhood Watch scheme. He gave very generously in many ways both materially and personally. He will however be best remembered for his involvement with the jazz club which he ran at Newbold Verdon Working Mens' Club for many years. Many famous bands attended and fans came from all over the country.
"In the civic year 1995-96, the then mayor asked John if he would be willing to run an event in aid of his charity. John kindly agreed and approximately £1,000 was raised on the night. John did this for several years for consecutive mayors and over the years raised a considerable amount of money."
A well-known wrestler on the circuit in his younger days, Mr. Ryde's working life was in sales and marketing.
On the BNP website, East Midlands regional organiser Geoff Dickens led tributes from the party to which almost 30 comments were added.
Mr. Dickens wrote: "I first met John around 1974 [when] we were both active nationalists. John had resigned from the Conservative party after the disgusting treatment of Enoch Powell by Heath. He had been a Monday Club member.
"I will always remember John's sense of humour. No matter how bad things were he always had a quip at hand to lighten the situation," added Mr. Dickens.
Alwyn Deacon, West Midlands organiser, wrote: "He was one of the party's best and will be missed but never forgotten."
Mr. Ryde leaves a son and daughter, their spouses and five grandchildren.
The funeral service was held on Monday at Nuneaton. There were family flowers only, donations in lieu being for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Thursday, 19 January 2012
Leicester - the way we were
This is an interesting article I picked up from a comment on a blog. It appeared in The Independant and was written in 1993; the author compares news from the Leicester Mercury that year with a 1953 addition of the same month:
ON 8 AUGUST, a jewellers' in High Cross Street, Leicester, was raided and a pad of seven watches, valued at pounds 25, was taken. The thieves had smashed the window by driving a motorcycle at it. In another incident, Jack Beresford, the Olympic oarsman, had his car stolen from outside the Constitutional Club: its starting handle was later found inside a shop window from which televisions and a radio had been removed.
The first incident reflected recent raids in London, where the 'now-familiar technique' of attaching a plank to the front of a car and driving it at a shop window is commonplace. There's nothing new about ram-raiding. But, leafing through the Leicester Mercury of the first week of August 1953, there is little else that is remotely familiar.
Semper eadem - 'always the same' - is the Leicester motto. It could hardly be less appropriate. On the face of it, no city in Britain has undergone more change. Though the population has remained stable at between 270,000 and 290,000, since 1951 its nature has changed entirely. In that year, 1.9 per cent of the city's population was born outside the UK. In 1961, that figure had risen to 2.9 per cent. In the 1991 census only 71 per cent described themselves as 'white' - 22 per cent as Asian.
In 1972, when Idi Amin expelled 27,000 British-passport- holding Asian Indians, Leicester - Britain's 10th largest city, with a population in decline - became the new home for up to half, despite determined opposition - advertisements were placed in Ugandan newspapers advising them to stay away.
The city's daily, the Leicester Mercury, was not slow to catch the local mood, and ran articles with headlines like 'Leicester is full up', and 'Madness to accept Commonwealth immigrants'. But Leicester did accept them, and many more. By 1989, it was estimated that the city had absorbed 40,000 Hindus, 20,000 Sikhs and 15,000 Muslims. The Leicester Mercury has launched an Asian edition, with news from the sub-continent as well as matters of Asian interest in the UK.
Yet, even without this enormous change in the cultural complexion of the population, the tenor of life seems to have changed out of all recognition.
The Mercury of August 1953 gives an impression of a placid, humdrum community characterised chiefly by its lack of what we would call news. It reflects a community that still tugs its forelock. A front-page picture story is headlined 'Lady Nutting found time to hold visitor's baby', above a respectful piece telling how Sir Harold and Lady Nutting graciously welcomed 1,200 sightseers to 'their stately home', Quenby Hall, in need of money for restoration.
Parish pump matters are a local newspaper's business, and the Mercury of 1953 had a good idea of its priorities. A story on Leicester dog show, and its near- record entry, sits beside a bald account of power cuts in East German factories and the wrangling over exchanges of prisoners-of-war in Korea.
It is the week of the August bank holiday, and a good proportion of the Leicester population has gone to the East Coast for a week by the sea. Reporters were despatched to Skegness ('The bathing pool at Skegness attracted quite a crowd on Sunday . . .') and the Mercury was on sale at the seaside. So we learn of 12-year-old Raymond Withers, of South Wigston, who missed his footing stepping on to the platform from a train on his return from Mablethorpe, and hit his head. Leicester Royal Infirmary states his condition to be 'quite fair'.
The Mercury still dispatches reporters to East Coast resorts, but the holiday jollities reported last week were different. Last Saturday was the Caribbean Carnival - police 'anticipated 30,000 revellers at the event'. At the beginning of the week was the Hindu and Sikh Raksha Bandan, or Rakhi, festival, a celebration of kinship.
Holiday entertainment has changed too. For those left in the city in August 1953 there were three theatres, 12 dance halls and 28 cinemas. There are three cinemas now: judging by the 'It's Leisure' page, most Mercury readers are going to car-boot sales for their fun.
Crime, the staple diet of a local paper, has also changed. Page three of the Mercury of 3 August 1993 has stories of plans to put security guards in a community centre to combat drug-dealing; a teenager who had a glass smashed in his face at a wedding reception; a rape case; the pensioner tied up, threatened and robbed of pounds 1,200; a man in court on a murder charge; police comment on the rise in vandalism - 11,500 incidents in 1991 to 12,200 last year - on one estate alone.
A whole week of the 1953 Mercury has news of two or three burglaries ('The Carlton Kinema was broken into over the weekend, but nothing was stolen'), a suicide attempt ('Man admits trying to frighten wife'), two arrests after a pub fight. A Loughborough 20-year-old is charged with stealing pounds 1 from his father.
That week's running story concerns 36 phials of 'deadly poisonous' Novocaine, the dentists' anaesthetic, put through several Leicester letter-boxes. By the end of the week the police discover that children found them on a waste tip. The August 1993 Mercury had a spate of robberies on city taxi drivers to carry it through the week.
There's no shortage of crime stories today. The number of reported crimes in the city in 1953 was 2,449, including one murder, three rapes and 375 burglaries. In 1963, it was 6,654. Last year, Leicestershire Police's central sub-division dealt with 21,143 reported crimes: 1,696 of them burglary, five murders, seven attempted murders and 38 rapes. There were 338 racial attacks.
Unemployment in the Leicester travel-to-work area was 9 per cent in June (the national figure was 10.4 per cent), and one significant similarity in the newspapers is the impressive number of job advertisements - two tight columns in tiny print in the 1953 broadsheet, more than a page in the modern tabloid. And an extraordinary number are still in traditional Leicester industries - hosiery and textiles.
Textiles and clothing are Leicester's largest industry in the manufacturing sector, providing nearly 15 per cent of all jobs. And it is commonly acknowledged that, without the influx from Asia, that industry would be dead. Nearly 1,000 enterprises are listed in the council's Directory of Asian and Afro-Caribbean businesses: the largest section covers clothing manufacture and retail.
Pravin Lukka arrived in Leicester in 1971, initially to work in textiles. He is now a manager with the social services. He explains the success of the Asian businesses in simple terms: 'The Asian entrepreneurs began because the textile industry couldn't face the international competition in the Seventies. Sure, some of them were running sweatshops and paying very low wages, but it put the industry back on its feet.'
The process of change is now slowing, Mr Lukka believes. Primary immigration has halted and the violent racism of the Seventies is a distant memory. 'I am very optimistic about the future. And I wouldn't swap Leicester for anywhere.'
His words echo those of Leicester holidaymakers in 1953, returning from a France stricken by train strikes. 'Thank goodness,' one says. 'I'm sick to death of these unstable countries. I do not think I shall leave home again.' Semper eadem.
We are now almost 18 years on from when that article appeared. Far from primary immigration halting, we have seen further influxes of moslems, Somalians, Vietnamese boat-people, and Eastern Europeans, so Mr. Lukka was wrong there.
ON 8 AUGUST, a jewellers' in High Cross Street, Leicester, was raided and a pad of seven watches, valued at pounds 25, was taken. The thieves had smashed the window by driving a motorcycle at it. In another incident, Jack Beresford, the Olympic oarsman, had his car stolen from outside the Constitutional Club: its starting handle was later found inside a shop window from which televisions and a radio had been removed.
The first incident reflected recent raids in London, where the 'now-familiar technique' of attaching a plank to the front of a car and driving it at a shop window is commonplace. There's nothing new about ram-raiding. But, leafing through the Leicester Mercury of the first week of August 1953, there is little else that is remotely familiar.
Semper eadem - 'always the same' - is the Leicester motto. It could hardly be less appropriate. On the face of it, no city in Britain has undergone more change. Though the population has remained stable at between 270,000 and 290,000, since 1951 its nature has changed entirely. In that year, 1.9 per cent of the city's population was born outside the UK. In 1961, that figure had risen to 2.9 per cent. In the 1991 census only 71 per cent described themselves as 'white' - 22 per cent as Asian.
In 1972, when Idi Amin expelled 27,000 British-passport- holding Asian Indians, Leicester - Britain's 10th largest city, with a population in decline - became the new home for up to half, despite determined opposition - advertisements were placed in Ugandan newspapers advising them to stay away.
The city's daily, the Leicester Mercury, was not slow to catch the local mood, and ran articles with headlines like 'Leicester is full up', and 'Madness to accept Commonwealth immigrants'. But Leicester did accept them, and many more. By 1989, it was estimated that the city had absorbed 40,000 Hindus, 20,000 Sikhs and 15,000 Muslims. The Leicester Mercury has launched an Asian edition, with news from the sub-continent as well as matters of Asian interest in the UK.
Yet, even without this enormous change in the cultural complexion of the population, the tenor of life seems to have changed out of all recognition.
The Mercury of August 1953 gives an impression of a placid, humdrum community characterised chiefly by its lack of what we would call news. It reflects a community that still tugs its forelock. A front-page picture story is headlined 'Lady Nutting found time to hold visitor's baby', above a respectful piece telling how Sir Harold and Lady Nutting graciously welcomed 1,200 sightseers to 'their stately home', Quenby Hall, in need of money for restoration.
Parish pump matters are a local newspaper's business, and the Mercury of 1953 had a good idea of its priorities. A story on Leicester dog show, and its near- record entry, sits beside a bald account of power cuts in East German factories and the wrangling over exchanges of prisoners-of-war in Korea.
It is the week of the August bank holiday, and a good proportion of the Leicester population has gone to the East Coast for a week by the sea. Reporters were despatched to Skegness ('The bathing pool at Skegness attracted quite a crowd on Sunday . . .') and the Mercury was on sale at the seaside. So we learn of 12-year-old Raymond Withers, of South Wigston, who missed his footing stepping on to the platform from a train on his return from Mablethorpe, and hit his head. Leicester Royal Infirmary states his condition to be 'quite fair'.
The Mercury still dispatches reporters to East Coast resorts, but the holiday jollities reported last week were different. Last Saturday was the Caribbean Carnival - police 'anticipated 30,000 revellers at the event'. At the beginning of the week was the Hindu and Sikh Raksha Bandan, or Rakhi, festival, a celebration of kinship.
Holiday entertainment has changed too. For those left in the city in August 1953 there were three theatres, 12 dance halls and 28 cinemas. There are three cinemas now: judging by the 'It's Leisure' page, most Mercury readers are going to car-boot sales for their fun.
Crime, the staple diet of a local paper, has also changed. Page three of the Mercury of 3 August 1993 has stories of plans to put security guards in a community centre to combat drug-dealing; a teenager who had a glass smashed in his face at a wedding reception; a rape case; the pensioner tied up, threatened and robbed of pounds 1,200; a man in court on a murder charge; police comment on the rise in vandalism - 11,500 incidents in 1991 to 12,200 last year - on one estate alone.
A whole week of the 1953 Mercury has news of two or three burglaries ('The Carlton Kinema was broken into over the weekend, but nothing was stolen'), a suicide attempt ('Man admits trying to frighten wife'), two arrests after a pub fight. A Loughborough 20-year-old is charged with stealing pounds 1 from his father.
That week's running story concerns 36 phials of 'deadly poisonous' Novocaine, the dentists' anaesthetic, put through several Leicester letter-boxes. By the end of the week the police discover that children found them on a waste tip. The August 1993 Mercury had a spate of robberies on city taxi drivers to carry it through the week.
There's no shortage of crime stories today. The number of reported crimes in the city in 1953 was 2,449, including one murder, three rapes and 375 burglaries. In 1963, it was 6,654. Last year, Leicestershire Police's central sub-division dealt with 21,143 reported crimes: 1,696 of them burglary, five murders, seven attempted murders and 38 rapes. There were 338 racial attacks.
Unemployment in the Leicester travel-to-work area was 9 per cent in June (the national figure was 10.4 per cent), and one significant similarity in the newspapers is the impressive number of job advertisements - two tight columns in tiny print in the 1953 broadsheet, more than a page in the modern tabloid. And an extraordinary number are still in traditional Leicester industries - hosiery and textiles.
Textiles and clothing are Leicester's largest industry in the manufacturing sector, providing nearly 15 per cent of all jobs. And it is commonly acknowledged that, without the influx from Asia, that industry would be dead. Nearly 1,000 enterprises are listed in the council's Directory of Asian and Afro-Caribbean businesses: the largest section covers clothing manufacture and retail.
Pravin Lukka arrived in Leicester in 1971, initially to work in textiles. He is now a manager with the social services. He explains the success of the Asian businesses in simple terms: 'The Asian entrepreneurs began because the textile industry couldn't face the international competition in the Seventies. Sure, some of them were running sweatshops and paying very low wages, but it put the industry back on its feet.'
The process of change is now slowing, Mr Lukka believes. Primary immigration has halted and the violent racism of the Seventies is a distant memory. 'I am very optimistic about the future. And I wouldn't swap Leicester for anywhere.'
His words echo those of Leicester holidaymakers in 1953, returning from a France stricken by train strikes. 'Thank goodness,' one says. 'I'm sick to death of these unstable countries. I do not think I shall leave home again.' Semper eadem.
We are now almost 18 years on from when that article appeared. Far from primary immigration halting, we have seen further influxes of moslems, Somalians, Vietnamese boat-people, and Eastern Europeans, so Mr. Lukka was wrong there.
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