African Stories in Hull & East Yorkshire
  • Home
  • Project
    • Stories archive
    • Contemporary Voices
    • Schools
    • Gallery
    • Further information
  • Blog
  • What's New!
  • About
    • Events
    • Exhibitions
    • Get involved
    • Media coverage
    • Contributors
    • Referencing
  • Contact

Research blog

Filey memorial plaque unveiled

3/4/2023

0 Comments

 
On Saturday, 1st April 2023, the 105th anniversary of the RAF, a plaque was placed at 85 Queens Street, Filey to commemorate the recruits from the Caribbean who volunteered to come to the ‘Mother Country’ to help during World War Two.

This was the culmination of 3 years of tireless effort on the part of Glenn Parsons, supported by Gifty Burrows, who had attempted to get the local Filey Town Council to agree to a permanent location in the Memorial Gardens but without success. Instead, the location of the plaque is the outcome of the generosity of Linda Burrows, a local hotelier, who after hearing about the refusal of Filey Town Council to allow these recruits to be commemorated in the town’s memorial gardens on the basis that they "were not from the town" offered her premises to host the plaque. Linda, like many of the other past and present residents of Filey, was outraged at the stance taken by members of the Town Council, who continue in their reluctance to understand the important and unique role played by the town in welcoming these young men. These men risked their welfare in becoming members of the British Royal Air Force, and were stationed far away from home and all that was familiar.

Over 200 people gathered to witness the plaque being unveiled and the occasion was honoured by the presence of six veterans: Gilbert Clarke, John 'Jack' Crawford, Neil Flanigan MBE, Alford Gardner, Prince Albert 'Jake' Jacob and Ralph Ottey.

It was a truly remarkable occasion with friends and family of those brave airmen who sadly were no longer with us supported by former residents of the town who had travelled hundreds of miles to witness the unveiling of the plaque.

Speeches were made by Air Commodore Adam Sansom (the regional representative of the RAF) who acknowledged the tremendous bravery and sacrifice of the Caribbean servicemen. Major Johanna Lewin JP (retired), Chair of the Jamaican branch of the RAF Association, read a statement on behalf of the Jamaican Government. Glenn Parsons, who had contributed so much in support of the memory of his family and others also gave a speech. The Mayor of Filey attended but did not speak.

On this occasion Glenn stated in his speech: 

"It is so important to remember that the arrival of these overseas servicemen represented the first mass immigration of people from the Caribbean to these shores, several years before the Empire Windrush even set sail. Many of those that came were teenagers, some may even have lied about their age and were perhaps not really old enough to serve, but they came nonetheless, they came because the ‘mother country’ was in need. 

They came and they were proud to do so.  Some lost their lives and never returned home. So let no one be mistaken, these men made a real and significant contribution to the war effort and some made the ultimate sacrifice for their troubles. However, after the war, their selfless service and acts of bravery were almost completely erased from the history books. 

These men and their courageous deeds became invisible in that great story of those that fought for the rights and freedoms that we all enjoy in this country today. There are people both young and old who simply have no idea that people of colour fought and died alongside their British counterparts in both World Wars. It is an omission and a most grievous wrong that I and many others just could not let stand.  That is why this plaque is so very important."


The fight for a permanent presence in the Memorial Gardens will continue, but for now the plaque remains prominently displayed for all to see in Queens Street.

Photo credits: Glynis Neslen, Glenn Parsons

Further articles can be found at the following news websites:
  • Yorkshire Post 
  • BBC 
  • Greatest Hits Radio
  • The Voice




0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Follow us

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    April 2023
    June 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    February 2019
    December 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016

    Categories

    All
    1881 Census
    2016 Roundup
    2017 Catchup
    2017 Roundup
    2018 Roundup
    Abolitionists & Activisits
    Adolphus Meheux
    African Chiefs
    African Dancing
    African Presence
    #AfricansInYorks
    African Students In Filey
    Afro-Caribbean
    American Archives
    Bevereley
    Beverley Treasure House Exhibition
    Blackbird Theatre Group
    Black History
    Black Servicemen/women
    Blaire Cunningham
    Brandesburton Pygmies
    Bridlington
    Bud Sugar
    Call For Information
    Chiedu Oraka
    Children's Homes
    Clive Sullivan
    Contemporary Voices
    Cottingham Servicemen
    Dennis Fyle
    East Yorkshire Research
    Emancipated Slaves
    Events
    Exhibition Comments
    Exhibition Guided Tours
    Family Histories
    Filey
    Garabu
    Goole Museum Exhibition
    Happy New Year!
    @HeritageLottery
    Heritage Lottery Fund
    #HLFsupported
    Hull City Of Culture 2017
    Hull Exhibition Roundup
    Hull Fair
    Hull History Centre
    Hull Maritime
    Hull Maritime History
    Hull Museums Collection
    Hull Sailors
    Hull Trawlers
    Human Curiosities
    Hymers College
    Ivan George Exell
    Job Vacancy
    John Ward Hull Painter
    Josiah Henson
    Jubilee Singers
    Leon Riley
    Lest We Forget
    #LoveHeritage
    Market Weighton
    Military History
    Moses Roper
    National Archives
    New Material
    New Project Feature
    New Release Schedule For 2018
    New Research
    Nick The Cook
    Olaudah Equiano
    Opening Night
    Oral Histories
    Our Histories Revealed Exhibition
    Paul Robeson
    Peter Fryer
    Photo Gallery
    Picture Blog
    Picture Gallery
    Project Study Day
    Queen's Gardens
    Racial Equality
    RAF
    Remembrance Sunday
    Research
    Roy Francis
    Rugby
    Samuel Samei Marco
    Save The Date!
    Schools
    Schools Study Day
    Sculpture
    Servicemen
    Sierra Leone
    Sport
    Sudanese Officials
    'Uncle Tom'
    University Of Hull
    War Graves
    Who Do You Know?
    Wilberforce House
    Wilberforce Monument
    William Wilberforce Monument
    WISE
    WWII

​All work (and images) published on African Stories in Hull and East Yorkshire is the intellectual property of its creators and requires permission to be republished or reproduced.

If you wish to use any of the images on our website, please submit an enquiry via the Contact page.
​
Stories
Contemporary Voices
Blog
What's New!


Schools
Get involved
Media coverage
Events
About
​Meet the team
Referencing
Contact
© Copyright 2024 African Stories in Hull and East Yorkshire.
  • Home
  • Project
    • Stories archive
    • Contemporary Voices
    • Schools
    • Gallery
    • Further information
  • Blog
  • What's New!
  • About
    • Events
    • Exhibitions
    • Get involved
    • Media coverage
    • Contributors
    • Referencing
  • Contact