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.

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.

Collection of photographs of Charles Street (2)

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

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.

27 minutes 25 seconds interview with Bill Shelton, city councillor and Phoenix board member. Bill talks about his family background, his first job at Percivals shoe factory, and becoming a union member. Bill worked at the shoe factory for 21 years until he got a fulltime job with the Footwear Union in 1986. Bill was the union representative for Percivals employees and also Rowleys and Fairbrothers employees in the 1990's. Bill then talks about the decline of footwear manufacturing in Leicester. He then comments on the decline of the hosiery and knitwear industry. Bill then goes on to talk about the Odeon cinema and the films he saw there, and the Cinema architecture. Bill then outlines his political career, he was a member of the Communist party 1968-1982, then joined the Labour party. In 1999 joined the planning committee, now planning vice-chairman. Bill gives his opinion on the architecture of the Cultural Quarter, and the importance of retaining Leicester's industrial heritage.

13 minutes and 46 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). In this second part of his interview he talks about his life in Leicester including: living in the Cultural Quarter, the development of the Cultural Quarter through European Union money, his work for the Labour Party, giving evidence to council working parties on the development of the Cultural Quarter, the recession causing investment to cease, and his memories of the Odeon cinema. Trevor also discusses the online magazine "Arts in Leicestershire" formed in 2005, of which he is editor in chief, http://www.artsinleicestershire.co.uk/ and describes living in Deuce House.

Leicester Mercury rave newspaper cuttings 3

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

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

Final version of the historical narrative non-fiction 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.

17 second sound recording of a telephone ringing.

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

21 minutes and 43 second interview with Donna Jackman, born in Nevis, and Charmaine Blake, born in Jamaica. Donna talks about growing up in Highfields in Leicester as part of a strict Caribbean family and going to LUCA (Leicester United Caribbean Association). She also mentions shopping on Wharf Street and the bus station (now the LCB depot). Charmaine grew up in Belgrave having migrated to the UK when she was six, her family also went to LUCA. Charmaine mentions the different events at LUCA, midnight dances at the Palais, and describes a typical saturday night. Both describe the International Hotel as upmarket, Donna worked there for a time as a catering assistant.

20 minute and 43 second interview with George Cole in which he details his memories of LUCA (Leicester United Caribbean Association). George talks about the types of music that were popular, including reggae and blues. Rendezvous (next door to LUCA) was a club aimed at the Afro-Caribbean community, whilst other venues were more European and less welcoming. He mentions that the influence of the Black Power movement from America was felt in Leicester. Later on the Highfields Community Centre was a purpose built recreational space that the Afro-Caribbean community were involved with.

9 minutes and 37 second interview with Hena Lakhani. Please note audio momentarily drops out throughout interview. Hena emigrated from Uganda to Leicester in 1971 when she was two years old. Hena has childhood memories (1970s-1980s) of the St George's area being full of noisy factories, many South Asian women worked in the hosiery and packaging factories. She also remembers the Leicester fortnight when the factories and schools would shut down and everyone would go on holiday or spend time with their families. In the 1980s Hena would often go to the Odeon Cinema (now the Athena) with friends and meet them at the International Hotel for coffee.

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".

A 23 minutes and 26 seconds interview with Rhonie Gordon that includes memories of her visits to LUCA, the Leicester United Caribbean Association and the events that took place there. Rhonie describes the music that was played at LUCA for example, reggae, calypso and lover's rock. She also describes going to Spectrum, Bailey's, the Palais and Fusion.

A colour video (duration 2 minutes and 1 second) of a man recalling his memories of the cultural quarter area of Leicester in the 1980s. He mentions the Leicester United Caribbean Association, Spectrum and De Montfort University. Poor sound quality, end of the video cut off, interviewer is Sarah Vallance.

70 second recording of traffic sounds on Charles Street.

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 childrens socks with label on socks dated 11th March 1942.