Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies (WALS)

Research resources for Caribbean Studies and the History of Black and Asian people in the UK

CASBAH SURVEY REPORT

Introduction

The WALS Survey

• Archive Collections

Survey Data

• Printed Sources

• Archive Collection Descriptions

• Summary Notes

Appendix

• 'A Selection of Books and Documents from the Archive and Local Studies Collections for the Study of Black and Ethnic Minorities in Wolverhampton' by the Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies'

Section One - Introduction

Wolverhampton is a town of 6,881 hectares in the north west of the West Midlands conurbation. It borders on Staffordshire and Shropshire as well as the highly populated areas of the Black Country - Walsall, Sandwell and Dudley. The population of Wolverhampton is falling and now stands at 240,000. This is partly because wealthier people are moving out of the borough into the counties of Shropshire and Staffordshire. The likelihood is that such people will continue to work in the conurbation and a significant number will continue to use the services provided by the Local Authority while ceasing to contribute through Council tax.

The demographic structure of Wolverhampton is very similar to that of the West Midlands, both in age profile and in gender. According to 1991 Census, males make up 49% of the population in both the West Midlands and Wolverhampton. The main difference in age profile is that Wolverhampton has a slightly greater percentage of 16-24 year olds and retired age groups, and a smaller percentage of 25-44 year olds. Wolverhampton also has a greater proportion of 16-24 year olds and fewer 25-44 year olds than Great Britain. Some sections of the population are growing - a slight increase from 11% to 11.5% of people over 65 is expected by 2001, with a sharper increase in people from black and Asian origins (from 19.6% to 22.3%). The West Midlands, in general, has a much greater proportion of ethnic minorities than Great Britain (5.5%). The numbers of Black and Asian residents in Wolverhampton is larger than that for the West Midlands in general (18.6% compared with 14.6%) with the Asian community larger (13% compared with 10%) and the Indian community more predominant.

Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies

Wolverhampton Archives Service was established in 1978, more than 100 years after the public library service in 1869. Wolverhampton Archives & Local Studies Service is dedicated to managing the long term preservation of, and access to, the unique historical resources in its care. It will provide a Borough-wide service that meets the needs of its resources and customers to the best standards of quality and value possible. Service principles Wolverhampton Archives & Local Studies will:

• Protect and preserve Wolverhampton Borough’s unique documentary heritage for the benefit of present and future generations
• Increase physical and intellectual access to that heritage in flexible and imaginative ways
• Improve understanding and enjoyment of Wolverhampton Borough’s documentary heritage
• Manage our resources efficiently and cost-effectively, in partnership with others

The development of the service will be guided by the following principles:

• Operating flexibly within a national, regional and local strategic framework
• Maximising opportunities while managing within available resources Professionalism and cross-professional co-operation
• Ethical management in all activities

For further information about Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies, visit their website at:

http://www.wolverhamptonarchives.dial.pipex.com/guides_res.htm

Section Two - The Survey

The CASBAH archive pilot survey was conducted at Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies (WALS) from 25th - 28th 2000. After consultation with Peter Evans and Mary Mills, the following Printed Sources and collections were targeted for surveying:

Printed Sources Collections

1. Wolverhampton Community Relations Council Annual Reports (Dates: 1975, 1976, 1985 and 1991)
2. Newspaper Clippings Collection*

Archival Collections

1. Blackenhall Congregational Church (DX/284)
2. Temple Street Congregational Church (DX/12 (DX/602)
3. Records of Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Company Great Britain) Ltd (DB/20)
4. Wolverhampton South East Constituency Labour Party (D/LAB/2)
5. Wolverhampton Borough Council Departmental Records (Housing and Education)
6. Wolverhampton Benevolent Society (D-S0-41)

*The Newspaper Printed Collection consists of folders arranged according to specific subject headings (numbered) that are in turn divided into several subheadings. The following folders were examined:

• Folder 3 - Religion/ Buddhists
• Folder 4 - Housing/ Slum Clearance
• Folder10 - Ethnic and National Societies
• Folder11 - Law and Order/ Riots, Racial Violence and Street Violence
• Folder24 - Housing/ Racial Discrimination

Printed sources

Archival collection descriptions

Summary Notes

Printed Sources

Local studies resources, as the WALS Mission Statement clearly states, are primarily secondary, printed or published works - books, plans, pamphlets and maps. Photographs are also included. These resources are seen to complement the archives, and can help them to be more easily understood.

For the work of the CASBAH project, the printed and audio/visual sources were central to capturing the issues and feelings of the local community for a number of reasons:

1. They provide a rich source into the social and political currents that have swept through Wolverhampton and their impact on the lives of Black and Asian residents.
2. These resources are helpful in areas where significant weeding has occurred in key areas (i.e., sub-divisions of the housing department), and in instances where archival holdings have not yet been catalogued (i.e., Wolverhampton South East Conservative Association).
3. In complementing the archives, the Local Studies provided search tools and indicators (i.e., photographs) in which to begin to identify archival records of possibly relevance to Caribbean Studies and the history of Black and Asian people in the UK. For instance, although no specific mention is made of Black and Asian workers in the records of Goodyear Tyre company that were examined, photographs were found of workers at work and at leisure. If time had allowed an examination of records related to the Company's social/community activities might have revealed specific archival evidence.

Click Here to to view the printed sources and audiovisual descriptions housed on the CASBAH database (available April 2002)

Archive Collection Descriptions

Descriptions of the following collection have been uploaded into the CASBAH database:

1. Records of Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Company (Great Britain)
2. BE-ME Black and Ethnic Minority Experience Project

Click Here to view the archive collection descriptions housed on the CASBAH database (available April 2002)

Summary Notes

The survey conducted at WALS highlighted key issues in identifying resources in Caribbean Studies and the history of Black and Asian people in the UK.

1. Survey strategy

Although there are records in most record offices related to Caribbean Studies and the history of Black and Asian History in the UK, the fact remains that different methods of searching and records have to used (i.e., photographs, records listing names, records of social activities) have to be utilised to uncover these sources.For instance, when dealing with business records, it seems that unless you are doing a detailed genealogical search (last names as indicative of descent), or looking at industrial/political/social/ trade relations (as was the case at the MRC), the search for records related to our research groups becomes that much more difficult. This was clear when searching the records of Good Year Tyre Company. Not able to find relevant written records, the Good Year's photograph collection, however, proved useful.

2. Regional and local specificity

Another important aspect of the survey process that has been highlighted is the importance of being sensitive regional and local specificity. For instance, there are several books documenting Wolverhampton as a case study of Commonwealth migration, intensified multiculturalism, and localised racism. Records were found regarding the historical impact of Black and Asian people in this town. The fact that some important records (for instance the Conservative Party Papers) are presently not listed, and others significantly weeded equally shows the impact of this history. Equally important are the recent steps that have in been made to collect and archive the lives of Wolverhampton's Black and Asian communities (i.e., BE-ME) and the impact such developments will have in the future.

3. The importance of local expertise

Mary Mills was my main contact and her knowledge of Wolverhampton, the history of the archives and its organisation was crucial to the success of the survey. It is clear that when conducting surveys in small, local settings such as Wolverhampton is vital that you forge links with people who can provide this necessary body of local information.

Appendix

'A Selection of Books and Documents from the Archive and Local Studies Collections for the Study of Black and Ethnic Minorities in Wolverhampton' by the Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies' (1999).

This guide was compiled as part of a work placement by Emily Davies in April 1999 . The following was taken from the introduction of the guide:

This introductory guide is the result of a pilot survey, and contains an initial selection of references to sources about black and ethnic minorities in Wolverhampton. Wolverhampton has a diverse multicultural population. During the course of the last few centuries, there have been several phases of immigration into Wolverhampton. Italian, Polish, French, Asian, Afro-Caribbean and other peoples have settled here. The majority came after World War Two, and most of the available sources relate to this period.

The sources identified during the survey fall into three main types. Some records relate directly to black and minority ethnic groups. Others, such as Council Reports, are more general, but do make direct reference to ethnic minorities. Some of the sources, particularly for the early period, have been included because they contain lists of names. Members of black and ethnic minorities can sometimes be identified by such names.

The guide contains the following sections:

• Introduction
  
• Printed Sources
  
• Newspapers
  
• Trades Directories
  
• Council Records
  
• Court Records
• Education Records
  
• Privately-depostited Records
  
• Sound Recordings
  
• Video Recordings

The guide can be found on the Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies website

Created February 2001 by Dr. Roiyah Saltus - Blackwood

Updated: March 2002