Return to Web site front page

One of the most precious and enduring gifts of humanity is the gift of story telling. It is through telling our stories that we break down walls and touch one another. It is through story telling that we teach each other and future generations. We become part of history.
Jesus was the Master Storyteller. Through his stories we gain an insight into the Kingdom of God. We learn how to live with each other. We are guided to the way of life that God wants us to live.
When I began the Racism Awareness and Reconciliation Course with Tottenham Baptist Church I had no idea of the blessings in store for me. It was an honour to watch people grow in awareness of themselves, each other and the possibilities in the communities around them. It has also been exciting being part of a process aimed at guiding Christians in their recommitment to the future.
The stories in this book tell of the past and the hope for the future. It is my prayer that the lessons herein will inspire others to move forward and build together.

Rosemarie Davidson-Gotobed LLB (Hons)
Racial Justice Co-ordinator for the
London Baptist Association
 
 

1.Commitment to relationship (Ruth 1:16)

2 Acting with intention (Eph 2:14-15)

3. Sincerity (John 15:15)

4. Sensitivity (Eph 4:15-16)

5. Interdependency (2 Cor 8:12-14)

6. A willingness to sacrifice (Philippians 2:3-4)

7. Empowerment (2 Cor 8:9)

8. Recognising the call of some to be reconcilers (2 Cor 5:17-21)

With acknowledgement to Raleigh Washington & Glen Kehrein.
 
 
 

Index:
Preface
Mrs Pearl Nevers.
Joseph Mydell
Thornton Reid
Mrs Gloria Bipta
Norma Hernandez
Hannah Kajue
Les Paskell
Margo Toppin
Malcolm Patten
Shirley Toppin-Ayeni
Jim & Margaret McGlynn
16 years old
Tony Bohan
 
 
 

Preface

In 1993 two pastors, Raleigh Washington and Glen Kehrein, founded a multi-ethnic church in Chicago. They dedicated themselves to establishing a church that crossed cultural and ethnic boundaries and by so doing demonstrated the power of the gospel of Christ to break down the walls that divide us. In 1993 they wrote a book called "Breaking Down Walls" which told their story, and outlined the eight principles of racial reconciliation that they had evolved along the way.

During February and March 2001 we at Tottenham Baptist Church took those principles as the basis for our Sunday Services, and invited Mrs Rosemarie Davidson-Gotobed, the London Baptist Assoc. Racial Justice Co-ordinator to lead a Racism Awareness Course. This booklet of "our stories" is a practical step in seeking to foster better understanding and deeper fellowship in our multi-ethnic congregation. It is not the end of our programme. But it represents a step forward in our journey together.

When Tottenham Baptist Church was founded in 1827, Tottenham was a village community of about 9,000 people. Now with about 80,000 people Tottenham is part of Haringey, the most ethnically diverse region in Europe. The challenge for us today is the same as it has ever been: to proclaim the power of God through the cross of Christ to reconcile people to God, and to reconcile people to one another. The Bible gives us a picture of heaven as a place where there will be people from every nation. Today we have a taste of the glory to come!

Revd Malcolm Patten

Minister
 
 

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples,if you love one another." John 13:35
 
 

"And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations."
Revelation 22:2
 
 
 
 

Coming to England·.

I arrived here in the United Kingdom in October 1956 from Jamaica. I came here to do my Registered General Nurse Training. I lived in the nurses' home of Kingston General Hospital, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey.

My first experience of England was a thick dense fog and it was very cold. The first morning I saw snow falling. I was supposed to be in the nursesí training school at 9am. That morning I looked from my bedroom window and saw the snow. I did not get dressed but after spending some time watching the snow falling I went back to bed. When the school tutor reported my absence, the nurses' home sister came to my room to see what was wrong. When I said to her that on seeing the snow falling I thought I had to stay indoors, she could not stop laughing, needless to say I was the joke of the hospital for a very long time!

While I never had any personal experience of racism I was well aware of its existence. When I visited friends in London I would see advertisements on some house windows stating, "Rooms to let inside. No West Indians. No dogs." and some would say "No Irish" too.

Mrs Pearl Nevers.

Return to Index
 
 

Coming from the United States, I have known prejudice and racism at close hand, and this in a country that puts such store in being Christian. White Christians separated themselves from black Christians after converting them, and now in America on Sunday the hours between 11 and 3 are the most segregated hours in the country. When I came to England, I found less direct racial prejudice, but encountered class prejudice and among afro-asian communities cultural distinctions. I became aware of these cultural distinctions when I was working in community theatre. Having seen prejudice close up in the States I was opposed to it because I knew the awful effect it has on a person.

I found less racial prejudice when I began working in the professional theatre and in a company like The Royal Shakespeare Company you have blacks, asian and whites all playing characters from these great plays. A young African actor in the company who is quite vocal about his Christian faith is playing Henry VI! Martin Luther King said it is not the colour of our skin that matters but our character. When an actor is playing a character it is what we see in that character that makes us respond. This is what draws me to the theatre because it is about what is inside us, good and bad which shapes our character, not the colour of our skin.

Joseph Mydell

Return to Index
 

I was converted at a Pentecostal Church at St John's, Antigua, West Indies, 1953 and was baptised there about three months later. About three years later, I decided to travel to England. I was in two minds whether to go to Trinidad Bible College or travel to England. I finally decided to travel to England for two years and return to go to Trinidad Bible College, but yes, forty five years later, I am still here in England. However, reminiscing, I can see God at work in my life.

In March of 1956, it was finalised that I was travelling to England. The Sunday before I left Antigua, was a very solemn and serious time. At the Pentecostal Church where I was converted, baptised and worshipped, was a farewell service for me. They invited me to the altar and prayed that God would be with me, and provide a job and make me comfortable in this new country.

I travelled to England and landed at Plymouth by ship, and travelled to London by train. I came to no one. Can you imagine what that means, when one arrives on a London train station? Crowds of people, but all strangers, but in my case, God was at work, as a request of the Pentecostal Church in Antigua.

To my amazement, a man whom I did not know in Antigua came to me and addressed me by name, and asked where are you going? I replied "I do not know." He said, "You are coming with me." Those were about the most comforting words that I have ever experienced. The accommodation was about five persons to the room, but at least God provided a room, in a freezing April in London.

In my first week, I got a job, which I held for twenty nine years and was promoted to the governor's right hand man and was in charge of about five departments in a shoe factory. God granted the request of the church in Antigua. Within two years I sent for a lady friend from the church in Antigua, whom I married in 1958. We experienced rough times with housing accommodation, but not too long. In a short time we were providing accommodation to others because, as I interpret it, God was at work with us.

We found a West Indian Church in Hackney, where we worshipped. However, providence had it that we did not like the area (Stoke Newington) and sought to purchase a property in Tottenham. I came to the area seeking a church at which to worship. My first visit at Tottenham Baptist Church was a cold day, and the Minister was on holiday, it was a very unwelcoming occasion - yet I later discovered they were praying. Some months later I returned when the Minister was there. I continued attendance to secure a place of worship for my wife and two children. About two years after moving to Tottenham, I was told by Mr David Ackerman that the Tottenham Baptist Church was very actively praying for a "West Indian" with leadership qualities.

I requested membership, and was visited by the Minister of the church. At my first church meeting, I was asked to be a deacon and at my first Deacons Meeting, I was asked to be Church Secretary, an office which I held for many years.

While in membership, at Tottenham Baptist church, I learned of the London Baptist Preachers Association which I applied to and underwent a series of studies, and became an accredited member, and ended up being president in 1984. Since then I have been very active, leading worship in Baptist churches etc. throughout London and beyond until now. Thirty two years later, I am still a member of Tottenham Baptist church and learning from God.

Thornton Reid.

Return to Index
 
 

I came to England in the 1960s. When I arrived, my first impression was that there were a lot of factories, not knowing that they were actually houses. Upon arrival at the airport, my parents were nowhere to be seen. Luckily I had the address so I got a cab.

It was a surprise to see so many people sharing one house, they were all tenants and we had to share the kitchen, the bathroom and the toilet. There were people from all walks of life, but the fact that we all got on well made our living arrangements more tolerable.

I remember the first time I went to the green grocers with my dad to purchase some fruits and vegetables and to my amazement the green grocer began to weigh the oranges and bananas! In Jamaica we grew these in our gardens and they could be picked freely. Things were also significantly cheaper then than they are now. How blissful it was to purchase a whole chicken for one pound and to travel on the bus for only 2p.

My first winter here was probably the funniest as I had never seen snow before let alone walked on it. I spent most of my wintry days on my bum, as I kept on falling over.

My first job was with a Jewish company. They were very nice to me, even though I was the only black person in the office. I was never made to feel any different because of the colour of my skin. It was good knowing that they were not as ignorant and superficial so as to judge someone by the colour of their skin. I am not saying racism did not exist, because it did both directly and indirectly.

People were friendlier then and you could ask people about anything and they would be more than happy to help. Now people no longer smile at you in the streets. If you were to do so you would be branded as being crazy, and so many people are walking with their heads held down or up, failing to see their friends walking by, (that friend could be you or I).

I met my husband at work. Once we started dating we would go to the park and have our lunch each day. Through word of mouth my father found out about us and he invited him home for dinner. We were both nervous about the occasion (I remember him wearing his best suit). You see, he was from Guyana and I wasn't quite sure what my dad would say about this. We were from two different cultures and religions. It was then that I realised that I had underestimated my dad, in that he really liked him. The most important thing was that we both loved each other, regardless of where he was from. Our marriage service was conducted in a Baptist church and both families took part and we got on very well.

When I first moved to Tottenham it was very nice. It still is, but so much has changed. It was not as crowded as it is today. It was more peaceful. There was Marks and Spencers, a Woolworths, and other leading department stores. One is afraid to make a joke or say anything not knowing how it will be taken. I choose to live here because I love it, the only thing I regret is being unable to eavesdrop on people's conversation, as there are fewer English speakers here today.

I would really love to see people in Tottenham live together as one regardless of our colour, race, sex or creed. I do hope that our children will try to change the preconceived ideas and thoughts that exist. I might not be in this country to experience it as I will be returning to Jamaica, but I do pray that it will happen.

Mrs Gloria Bipta.

Return to Index
 
 

My first week in England was a very pleasant experience.

I was made welcome by a wonderful English lady called Lil, and we stayed friends for fifteen years. I have now lived in England for a while. It started off in Jamaica with a white Scottish father and a black Jamaican mother. Now I have a Polish son-in-law and an Asian granddaughter. My family is proof that we can all live happily with people from other ethnic backgrounds.

The top secret ingredients for a happy inter-racial relationship is to believe, and to teach others to respect and love one another. It's most important of all.

What has worked for me was to teach my family and others who came from different backgrounds that we are all equal in the eyes of God and he loves us all. We also need to be patient and educate each other about our different cultures and upbringing.

Growing up in a multi-ethnic society may not be as easy or pleasant for people today as it has been in my experience over the years. But we can help each other by being confident and accepting that we are all different but we all still need to be loved, respected, understood and cared for.

Norma Hernandez.

Return to Index
 

On the day of my departure from Sierra Leone in West Africa, to London , England, one of my school teachers, herself a white English woman, warned me that not everyone will be friendly to me, and that the people might behave differently.

I arrived in London on a beautiful July evening, My fiance's rented accommodation was situated opposite a pub. He told me not to go there, but looking through the window a few days later, I saw a priest going into this building. You see, I grew up in a parsonage and my grandfather was always preaching about the "demon drink". Indeed preachers were banned from the church if they were caught with the demon drink. I remember my teachers warning me of the odd behaviour. I ran across the road to the pub, to give support to the priest. I sat down in a room where I was the only black person. I stared at the priest, and the rest of the people stared at me. It went very quiet. Thinking that the priest was having difficulty attracting the people, I yelled at the top of my voice - "A-men Pastor". There were even more stares. A man asked if I was over 21 and old enough to be in a pub. Thinking that the pastor was there to preach, I told him that in my country even babies took part. Imagine my hurt when I saw that the pastor took and drank the demon drink. I went and asked him if it was OK for pastor to take the demon drink before the service. I could still hear them laughing when I ran home.

This little incident lends to demonstrate the difficulties in understanding different cultures. We sometimes label people "racist" when, in fact, it is a lack of understanding of other cultures. I am not naive not to admit that there is racism in this country, every black person will have a story to tell about racism. But very often, we do not take the other person's views. The word 'racism', is a difficult and emotive subject to deal with . I was among a large number of blacks who came to this country in the 60s. I suspect the British people were alarmed of the number of people with different skins and cultures. I can understand their fears, but it was the degree to which their fears led to contempt of the black race that was frightening.

I could remember Enoch Powell's "Rivers of blood" speeches. The National Front marches against blacks that was imprinted in my mind. When the Council was rehousing the people in my neighbourhood, my family, the only blacks in the Euston area at the time, was offered the worst accommodation. When I pointed out to the man that there was no bathroom where he was sending us, his reply was that we are black already, so dirt will not show. I kept quiet, because had I told my husband there would have been incidents. My new neighbours in Holborn were all white and friendly. There we were often visited by perhaps the first black policeman in London. Noel was stationed at Bow Street in Holborn and would visit us when he was off duty. He used to tell us that he was going to leave because of the racism in the force. We tried to dissuade him from taking such action. I was made aware that young blacks were targeted so that with a criminal record they would not qualify for the Civil Service ie Police force, Army etc.

We decided to buy our first home among our "own kind." It was here in fact we experienced the worst racism i.e. blacks on blacks. My next door neighbours went all out to make life difficult for us. They would tell my children to go back to the jungle. They would throw ink on our newly white painted walls. They would throw dirty water at our clothes, collect filth and deposit it on my doorstep. In these circumstances I could have stereotyped the West Indians as racist, but again this is a rotten apple neighbour among good ones. When my husband died, all the neighbours turned up, and I received help and sympathy, and made friends with some. Even now I look back with fond memories of Mrs Hawel my adopted West Indian sister.

At school my daughter wanted to learn to play the piano, but the headmaster told her it was a waste of time. As he put it, "You people will end up working as a mechanic and working in Woolworth's." We were as far as I know the only family in the school to own a piano. Again the head teacher refused my daughter to play the recorder. He took away the school's recorder and gave it to a white boy. So even though money was tight, I went and bought her a recorder. To see my daughter playing the recorder at the inter-school concert at the Fairfields Hall Theatre in Croydon was one of the proudest days of my life.

To sum up, on the plus side, Britain has, through legislation - The Race Relations Act - tried to address the issues. But even though it is alright to look back, I feel that we must move forward. What has happened was an experience. We must work hard to move forward, it is not easy, but we must try. I was privileged to be invited to the House of Commons with other Tottenham residents. We had distinguished speakers all of them touching on this subject - racism. When Harriet Harman MP for Peckham, told us how people were trying to destabilise the area by suggesting that the killers of Damalola had created an unease between the Africans and the West Indians. She reiterated that this was a ploy to sell papers and that the parents of the child had said they were overwhelmed by the support of the whole community - whites and blacks of all nationalities.

I believe the world has moved on and we must try to look ahead as children of God.

Hannah Kajue

Return to Index
 
 

Born in England·

I was born in Tottenham and all my school days were in Tottenham. I was told that all the pink areas on the world map were the British Empire that controlled a 5th of the world. This was in the Thirties and early Forties and the only people that I came into contact with were white Englishmen. Remember that most of this period was wartime and nobody could come in or go out of the country unless they were military personnel. The only people that were living around my streets were white people.

The only impression I got of people from other countries, for example African or West Indian or Chinese was from the American films at the cinema -and you know what they are like from the old films we see today. We did not have any television in those days.

It was only in the early Fifties that I saw for the first time a face that was not white. A family moved in next door who were from the West Indies and on the other side of my house a family moved in from Pakistan. Almost the first black man I spoke to was Mr Thornton Reid. I believe that Thornton was the first non-white person to join our Church. It seems amazing now that I was in my Thirties before I spoke to the first man who wasn't white!

Les Paskell.

Return to Index
 
 

I remember growing up as a child, coming home from school on my own and being called names by another child, a total stranger to me, on several occasions - names they'd heard from the comedy programme "Love Thy Neighbour." It was upsetting, I'd done no wrong, but because of the colour of my skin I was verbally abused.

Nowadays at work it's very subtle when speaking to customers on the phone. Occasionally I have the chance to meet customers face to face and every now and again, they are surprised. They are even more surprised when we talk about what we expect each other to look like. Ninety nine per cent of the time they are surprised to hear that you are black. I can only guess that they expected to hear a hint of West Indian in my voice as some sort of indication. Nevertheless, I've come to expect this reaction, and know it has never spoiled my relationship with customers because of the time I've spent building a good customer relationship not only in a banking capacity but also on a personal basis eg asking about each others families, holiday and weekend plans.

My parents were born in Barbados. My sister, brother and I have heard stories from our parents of them growing up and the life they had - the sea, the sun and food. It was still difficult to imagine until three years ago when I first visited the island and saw for myself what I'd missed. Every single morning I'd wake up, open the window and just look at the palm trees the sky and the fields - words fail, nothing describes this beauty.

The hardest part of the experience was meeting our family. There just wasn't enough time to meet everyone and spend time getting to know them all especially when you consider ninety percent of our family live there.

I consider myself of Bajan descent firstly and secondly British. Out of curiosity, I asked my 19 year old son the same question. He said of Jamaican and Bajan origin first and foremost.

I do feel that I have missed out on the opportunity of experiencing life growing up in Barbados. Nevertheless, I wouldn't live anywhere else but here. Having said that, upon leaving Barbados at the end of 3 weeks, I did so with a heavy heart, just having snatched a small dose of life there.

Margo Toppin

Return to Index
 

I was born in the North-East of England in a place called Hartlepool and I came to London in 1989 to train for the Baptist ministry at Spurgeon's college. When I went for the interview, I remember a loud smiling Trinidadian character. He was also being interviewed on the same day, and I found him a bit off-putting. Imagine my surprise when I turned up on the first day of term to discover he was lodging in the room next to mine! And so began a friendship which has deepened over the years and along with a Nigerian friend who was also at college over the same period we have learnt much about each other's cultures and backgrounds and grown to love and respect each other.

My time in London as a student Minister in South London and then as Minister of Tottenham Baptist Church has been a steep learning curve for me culturally. When conducting my first Caribbean style funeral I had to brace myself for the opening of the coffin in church (I had never seen a dead body before then). And then allow more time at the grave side for the filling in of the grave with the accompanying "choir". Caribbean and African style funerals tend to be all-day affairs with large turn-outs and I have come to appreciate the support this gives the bereaved family.

I never became used to the evaporated milk the Jamaican ladies of Thornton Heath used to put in my tea (it doesn't happen in Tottenham thankfully!) but I love the curried goat, the plantain, and the Aki and salt fish.

Gradually I began to recognise the differences between African and Caribbean, and then between Ghanaian and Nigerian but I confess I still can't pick up the different accent in the southern Caribbean islands from Jamaica. I've also grown to realise that when someone with a Scandinavian accent or Eastern European accent looks serious and asks a direct question, they don't mean to sound rude! Its surprising just how quickly you can understand different accents and its something I empathise with as people try to understand mine!

I feel that as a white English man and therefore part of what is sometimes called the "host community", I feel it a great privilege to play my part in helping to make England one of the most loved, respected and welcoming countries in the world. As a Christian I feel in our church that with people worshipping from many nations the privilege is ours to have a foretaste of heaven.

Malcolm Patten.

Return to Index
 
 

My parents came from the West Indies to London in the early 1960s. I was born in London in 1966. I grew up in a London street filled with young families. After school, my playground was our street (just three cars existed there). My sister and I played for hours with our fellow residents. We children played happily together, colour was not a great issue. Every so often a child would cease from playing with you to gaze intently at you. The child would reach out and touch your hair and remark "why" is it like that? or they would touch your arm and rub it and I would say, "It doesn't come off." and play would resume.

As a black child growing up in the 1970s my personal introduction to racism was slow. The National Front regularly pushed leaflets through our letter box and emblazoned across the front would be titles such as 'Keep Britain white!' Television introduced me to Enoch Powell who recommended that "They should all be sent back." It dawned on me that "they" meant "me" but exactly where was "back"? I had never been to the place that my parents and their friends referred to as "home."

During the 1970's I lost count of the number of times that people would say "And dear, which country do you come from?" and I would reply, "Edmonton, North London." At the age of 15 I travelled with my family to Barbados to see the island that my parents referred to as "home." One of the first questions I was asked by local people was, "Are you from America or are you from England?". I replied "I'm British. I'm from London."

Shirley Toppin-Ayeni

Return to Index
 
 

Living in England·

Here are some brief thoughts on our mixed marriage: For us it is totally irrelevant, the main factor is our faith, followed by our love for each other and the compatibility of our personalities. Any positive or negative factors are due to being male and female, and common to all partnerships.

We have been very fortunate in that we have not met with any antagonistic attitudes which I think might have caused some anxiety, All our family friends and relatives have been very supportive and we have been accepted as we are.

We also know other mixed couples, so do not feel particularly different, apart from our own individual idiosyncrasies!

Jim & Margaret McGlynn.

Return to Index
 
 

I'm 16 years old and I'm mixed race (half black caribbean and half white uk). I haven't really ever had a problem with my colour. This might be due to living in London where there is such a lot of different nationalities and races.

The only "problem" I could say I've come across was when someone I knew said that "light-skinned girls think they're too nice". It wasn't directed at me but it still made me think that people I didn't know would have the same attitude. The stupid thing is, the girl who said it, told me that even though I was "light-skinned", she didn't think I was too nice. So how does she know other "light-skinned" girls are the same? When I asked her that she said, "Oh, you can just tell". That conversation didn't change how I felt about my colour. I still like being mixed-race.

I feel British because that's my nationality. I was born here and I haven't lived anywhere else. People have asked me whether I feel more black or white and I always say neither. I know that society classes me as black but I acknowledge both the black and white parts of me and I feel that they make up who I am.

Return to Index
 

And Tottenham in Twenty years time?

When I first looked at this, I initially started thinking of all the negative aspects of Tottenham and thought "yes I hope that's different·.and that....and that·." I think I could have gone on for quite some time had not the thought come to me that perhaps I should start my thinking the other way round ö in what ways would I not want Tottenham to change!

So I will say that in twenty years time I hope that our Church and our Boys' Brigade section is still going strong. I hope that the Church still has the same kind friendly atmosphere and everyone gets along with one another the way that our current congregation does. I hope that young people in the church at that time are able to find the strength that they need and gain inspiration from the teachings of God in the way that I have. I hope that the Boys' Brigade still has Officers that genuinely care about them and want them to know right from wrong, and yet still manage to have a laugh the way in which we all do now.

I hope that all the people of this area are still tolerant and respectful of each other's backgrounds. I know that prejudice exists everywhere but I have lived in Tottenham all my life and I think that generally all our different cultures get along well together. I do realise though that nobody knows what someone else experiences unless they are in that person's shoes.

Looking at Tottenham as a whole, what I would like to see is a cleaner area ö I would like people to be more aware of what impact their little pieces of litter have ö it all builds up and makes the area look really scruffy. I would also like to see walls that are not covered in graffiti. I cannot see the point of people doing this and again it really makes an area look terrible as well as unsafe.

I would also hope in twenty years time everyone becomes more patient ö it seems to me that wherever you go everyone is in so much of a rush, especially when they are in their cars!! I want people to slow down a bit and have a bit more compassion and be a bit more reasonable with each other.

Finally, I hope that Tottenham is still a place that people from different ethnic backgrounds can come to feel that they are in a safe environment. And also that in twenty years time they might be coming to an area with a football team that is top of the league!! (Well I was told that I could dream a bit!!!!)

Tony Bohan.

Return to Index
 
 

Thanks
 
 

A very special word of thanks goes to all who contributed stories to this booklet. My plan was to edit them, but in the end I was so impressed by the quality that I include them more or less as they have been given to me. My thanks go also to Rosemarie Davidson-Gotobed, LBA Racial Justice Co-ordinator, for her advice and guidance, and to Clare Lee and Jim McGlynn for their help with the typing.