Affective Digital Histories

These cuttings relate to the Affective Digital Histories flash fiction commission, "An Imperial Typewriter" by Divya Ghelani.

These cuttings relate to the Affective Digital Histories flash fiction commission, ‘An Imperial Typewriter’ by Divya Ghelani.

These cuttings relate to the Affective Digital Histories flash fiction commission, ‘An Imperial Typewriter’ by Divya Ghelani.

These cuttings relate to the Affective Digital Histories flash fiction commission, ‘An Imperial Typewriter’ by Divya Ghelani.

These cuttings relate to the Affective Digital Histories flash fiction commission, 'An Imperial Typewriter' by Divya Ghelani.

These cuttings relate to the Affective Digital Histories flash fiction commission, 'An Imperial Typewriter' by Divya Ghelani.

These cuttings relate to the Affective Digital Histories flash fiction commission, "An Imperial Typewriter" by Divya Ghelani.

These cuttings relate to the Affective Digital Histories flash fiction commission, "An Imperial Typewriter" by Divya Ghelani.

A collection of newspaper cuttings from the Leicester Mercury regarding the Leicester United Caribbean Association. The original LUCA centre building was demolished to make way for the Curve theatre.

Newspaper acticle describing how a licence was refused for a proposed gay club on Abbey Street.

Leicester Mercury newspaper article celebrating 20 years of rhe Phoenix Arts Centre in Leicester from 1963-1983.

47 minutes and 9 second interview with an anonymous Leicester man aged 42 who recounts his memories of growing up in Leicestershire, working in London as a magazine publishing intern in the 1990s and of the Dielectric club in Leicester. He started going to the club in 1993 and describes the interior of the club building and the different types of music played. He talks about the rave scene in general and the "authentic experience" of the Dielectric. He describes the clothes worn by the ravers and the alternative atmosphere in the club, as well as the drug use. Later in the interview the man talks about the changes to Leicester in the late 1990s, his mother's involvement in the hosiery industry and the closure of the Dielectric in 1998.

50 minute interview with Anna Mee, lifelong resident of Leicester. She describes her family background and how she left school at fifteen and became a cutter, eventually working at several hosiery manufacturers in Leicester. She recalls her brand new Secondary Modern school ; going from work to the lunchtime dances at the Palais on Fridays ; how the industry employed an entirely white workforce until the 1970s, when Asian women started to be employed ; meeting her husband at El Rondo ; being sacked for coming back to work drunk after lunchtime drinks ; as a child going to see the Coronation with her school at the Odeon cinema ; how she and her husband took over the running of The Charlotte in the early 80s. She recalls how Helsinki's was the fashionable place to go, and the scene at El Rondo where the black guys liked to dance and so were popular with the white girls. She relates how the hosiery factories were gradually replaced by small units and the area became run down.

38 minute 50 second interview with Beverley Haddon, longtime resident of Leicester, formerly an overlocker at various Leicester hosiery companies. The interview includes Beverley talking about her family background, leaving school at fifteen and beginning work at Corah's. She describes the division of labour by gender and recalls how the younger women spent their wages on clothes. She recalls working at Cherub's and finding the work boring and the atmosphere old fashioned. She remembers how the women hosiery workers became friends with Asian immigrants to the city, teaching them how to work the machines. Beverley lists some of the many jobs she has had over the years in various Leicester hospitals, and her work with the homeless and victims of domestic violence. She recalls some of the clubs and bars in what is now the cultural quarter and how young white women often mixed with young Afro-Caribbean men. She speaks about how the hosiery industry began to decline in the 1980s and 1990s.

19 min 27 sec interview with John Barradell, retired textile designer employed by Thompson Fabrics, Leicester. The interview includes; family background; training as a graphic designer, career outline; marriage; John and his wife design for Corahs, then employed by Thompson Fabrics in their design studio, large factory employing 200 workers; John describes the overwhelming stench coming from the nearby Butchers' Hides and Skins building; unions; the area around Thompson Fabrics; retirement; social life in area; closure; John then worked in Hinckley setting up a youth opportunities program; decline of textile industry.

Leicester Mercury rave newspaper cuttings 2

Leicester Mercury rave newspaper cuttings 3

Two photographs of B.L. Scaffolding, Queen Street.

Final version of the flash fiction commissioned as part of the Arts & Humanities Research Council's Affective Digital Histories project.

1 minute 4 second sound recording of a film projector whirring and clicking.

Final version of the choreopoem commissioned as part of the Arts & Humanities Research Council's Affective Digital Histories project.

34 second sound recording of a steam kettle whistling.

18 second sound recording of someone using the rotary dial on a telephone.

51 second sound recording of a busy market, with the sound of wheels turning, motor vehicles and peoples voices.

27 minute and 1 second interview with Paul Shelvington [slightly edited to remove interruptions]. Paul Shelvington grew up in the Wharf Street, St Matthews area of the city and remembers the area in the 1960s. He mentions the "Longship" one of the many peephole clubs in the city at that time, as well as the Top Rank Suite and watching soul bands perform at Il Rondo. Paul recalls the Freeman, Hardy and Willis factory (known locally as the "three blind mice"), and his time aged 16 in 1971 spent working at the Leicester Hide and Skin to renovate the roof and install central heating. He talks in detail about the working conditions he witnessed there. Paul also recalls his mother's working career in hosiery factories. Paul talks in depth about the northern soul club night he ran "Centre Soul Club".

27 minutes and 42 second interview with Randy Stabana who was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1957, he moved to Leicester in 1967 and lived in the Charnwood area of the city. Randy attended the Avalon Youth Club and Mandela Boys School, he started to go to LUCA (Leicester United Caribbean Association) in the late 1970s around the age of 16. He mentions going out to nightclubs in Leicester for example, Bailey's, the Adam and Eve club and some of the racial tensions in the 1970s, 1980s. Randy also mentions the Odeon Cinema, the old bus station (now the LCB Depot), City Hall, the Palais and midnight dances at the International Hotel. Finally Randy talks about his business Stabana Cultural Products and the closure of LUCA.

20 minute and 39 second interview with Sheila Ghelani in which she recalls her time in Leicester as a student studying dance. She has memories of performing at and visiting the Haymarket Theatre. She also mentions visiting the Silver Arcade, Leicester market, Mud club, Streetlife and Helsinki. Sheila worked at the Rainbow and Dove pub for 2-3 years from 1992 and she describes the pub and its regular customers.

30 minute and 42 second interview with Wendy Christian in which she recalls her visits to LUCA in the late 1970s-1980s, she describes the venue and the different events held there. Wendy talks about the music scene in Leicester at that time and mentions the Spectrum club, Freewheelers, Adam and Eve, and the Palais. Wendy also recalls her singing career and the homegrown, vibrant music scene in Leicester in the 1970s and 1980s.

A colour video (duration 1 minute and 7 seconds) of a man talking about his memories of the Leicester United Caribbean Association Centre, which used to be where Curve now stands. Poor sound quality.

70 second recording of traffic sounds on Charles Street.