Title:
Interview with Carlton Darrell, 8 January 2018
Level: Category
Sound Archive
Level: Fonds
EVEWRIGHT ARTS FOUNDATION
Level: Series
Caribbean Takeaway Takeover: Identities and Stories
Scope and Content:
Interview with Carlton Darrell.

[00:00:] His early life in Bermuda; living in a segregated society; his parents; moving to different places on the island; purchase of land near Southampton, Bermuda and building own home; British colonisation of Bermuda; gradual desegregation of the island; move to Canada at the age of 18; attending Berkeley Institute grammar school; interest in history.
[04:10:] Gaining scholarship to attend teacher’s college in Ottawa, Canada; boarding at YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association); different attitudes to black people in Canada.
[06:00:] Desire to move to Britain and travel around Europe; move to England in September 1960; living in boarding house in King’s Cross, London; clothing he wore at the time; first impressions of England; day spent walking around London; seeing people eat fish and chips; acclimatising to English weather; second thoughts about staying in England; differences between English people and colonialists living in Bermuda; attending a Church of England in London and being invited over for lunch.
[12:05:] Seeking work; wanting to stay close to Heathrow Airport; gaining part-time teaching role at Woodside Primary School, Thurrock; travel to Grays by steam train; his first day on the job; move to a room in South Ockendon to be nearer to work; getting a taxi from London to South Ockendon.
[18:35:] Trip to Canvey Island; meals provided by landlady; move out of room in South Ockendon; renting room in Grays and finding it was infested by fleas.
[22:45:] Making friends with other people from the Caribbean, including other teachers and nurses; joining Grays Roundtable; spending time with Edna Ulett and Sybil Batson, the first Black midwives in Grays; being stopped by the police on the way to a Roundtable dinner.
[27:05:] Discussion of the English history of colonisation; impressions of English people in Bermuda compared to people in England; one experience of receiving racist comment; working as Deputy Headteacher at Woodside and Headteacher at Chadwell St Mary Primary School; having reunions with former colleagues; keeping in touch with former pupils.
Dates of Creation:
8 January 2018
Extent:
29 minutes 48 seconds
Creator Name:
Ionie Richards and Everton Wright
Admin History:
Carlton Leroy Darrell was born in Pembroke, Bermuda in c. 1939. His father was a baker, and his mother was a housewife. He attended Berkely Institute grammar school and gained a scholarship to attend teacher training college in Ottawa, Canada.

Carlton moved to England in September 1960. He worked as a teacher at Woodside Primary School, Thurrock, for much of his career, being promoted to Deputy Headteacher. He then became Headteacher at Chadwell St Mary Primary School.

Carlton quickly became involved in local organisations, including the Roundtable. He was awarded in MBE in 2010 for services to the community in Thurrock, particularly for his work starting and running Thurrock Junior Badminton Club.

(Information from depositor as well as from interview.)
Archivist Note:
SJM 10 October 2018
Custodial History:
Recording of interviews was edited into approximately 30 minutes before deposit.
Copyright:
Copyright Evewright Arts Foundation; ask permission before allowing publication or allowing profit-making organisations to use.
Physical Characteristics:
Digital MP3 file created from original WAV recording
Not Available:
Use digital copy available on Soundcloud

Key terms

TypeKey termsDescription
Subjects Education Interview with Carlton Darrell, 8 January 2018 Former schoolteacher in Thurrock
Personal Names Carlton Leroy
Darrell 		Interview with Carlton Darrell, 8 January 2018
Place Names Bermuda Interview with Carlton Darrell, 8 January 2018 Former resident of Bermuda
Place Names Thurrock Interview with Carlton Darrell, 8 January 2018 Former teacher in Thurrock
Document Types Sound recording Interview with Carlton Darrell, 8 January 2018