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.

A colour photograph of Cannon House, which is on Rutland Street next to St. George's Church.

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

Collection of photographs of Charles Street (2)

Collection of photographs of Morledge Street, corner with Southampton Street, Leicester.

Newspaper article describing how Leicester Gayline Friend would like to open a cafe at its' King Street base.

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.

30 minutes and 43 seconds interview with Trevor Lock. Trevor Lock was born in Portsmouth in 1949 and moved to Leicester in 1975 to work as Information Development Officer at the National Youth Bureau (now the National Youth Agency). He talks about his life in Leicester including running a pub called G3 for 3 to 4 years, living in the first converted mill flats in Deuce House StGeorges and visiting the Helsinki Club where Garage and Happy Hardcore music was played, he also describes the interior of the club. He describes raves at Rack and Roll on a Saturday night that went through to 7am Sunday, the interior of the G Spot sex club, the different "estate tribes" using the pubs in Leicester and the unsafe atmosphere in the city centre in the evenings during the 1970's/80's.

41 minutes 52 seconds interview with Winston Thomas former doorman. Winston talks about his training as a carpenter, and painter and decorator in 1970's and also his martial arts background. Started door work in 1982 at Coasters in Lee Circle. Later he worked at Helsinki's bar, a popular bar, with huge mix of people, everyone was welcome. Winston goes on to talk about racism among club goers and bouncers. He was busy and worked all over Leicester, he finished working as doorman in early 1990's after almost 15 years. He describes an incident at Coasters involving 20 members of the Baby Squad gang who caused a large fight, Helsinki's was quiet place in comparison with only occasional fights. Finally, he recalls other incidents whilst working as a doorman.

34 second sound recording of a steam kettle whistling.

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

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

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.

A colour video (duration 2 minutes 1 second) of a man recalling his time when he was seventeen spent working at Leicester Hide and Skin in the bad working conditions. He also recalls seeing the Odeon cinema, International Hotel and other industrial buildings in the area at that time. Poor sound quality, beginning and end of video cut off.

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.

89 second sound recording of building works taking place at the Squirrell Building.

Newspaper article describing how S.A. Squirrell Co. was convicted and fined for supplying counterfeit training shoes.

Colour photograph of Cherub brand sock made in the 1940's

Colour photograph of Cherub brand childrens socks with label on socks dated 11th March 1942.

Colour photograph of the Guild of the Crippled, empty and boarded up.

Colour photograph showing the detail on Premier House

Colour photograph showing the detail on Premier House

Colour photograph of Premier House.

Colour photograph showing the detail on Premier House

Colour photograph of the Serbian Orthodox Church, St George the Martyr.

Black and white photograph of the Bishop of Leicester, Rt Revd Dr Richard Rutt, with Father Georgije Djokic at the handover of St George's Church from the Church of England to the Serbian Orthodox Church, 26 April 1983