A Caribbean Heritage Trail is being launched as part of Huddersfield’s Black History Month programme during October 2016. A guided walk on Sunday 9th October will introduce people to sites and stories associated with the rise and cultural contribution of Huddersfield’s Caribbean community over almost seventy years. The trail recaptures some of the pioneer years from the late 1940s to early 1970s when people came, by invitation, to work in the town.
Points of interest include some familiar and unexpected places: the ‘Railway houses’ and the ‘Houses of Parliament’ where people used to sit on park benches and discuss the concerns of the time. the trail reflects the diversity of Caribbean history and recalls where people lived when they first came, where they did their shopping, went to church and socialised. The walk will share memories of early school days, trying to keep out of the rain and warm indoors with coal fires, door to door traders and a reminder of local music hotspots that have now disappeared under town centre redevelopment including the legendary music venues of clubs in Sparrow Park (the site of the bus station) and Venn Street (now a carpark).
The Caribbean Heritage Trail has been devised by Building African Caribbean Communities (BACC) over the past year. Made possible by the Discover Huddersfield Partnership, it is part of a series of led and self-guiding walks produced by experts that provide insights into the town’s diverse historic, architectural and community heritage.
Reaching out widely offered an opportunity for people to come forward with their own suggestions of places that deserve to be acknowledged as part of the town’s wider Caribbean history. ‘The trail risked turning into a marathon as so many suggestions came in as people heard about the project’ said Heather Norris Nicholson working with Natalie Pinnock-Hamilton and Denzil Nurse and other founding members of BACC. ‘We couldn’t include every point of interest within a manageable walking time but this provides a starting point for people to identify what they believe is important locally.’ The trail is also part of more ambitious plans to make Huddersfield’s Caribbean legacy better known.
A guided walk will leave from St George’s Square (Harold Wilson Statue) on Sunday 9th October at 2.30pm. It will last for approx. 1.5-2.00 hours with a charge of £3.00 per adult. No booking is required. The guided trail leaflet will be available from early October freely from the library, railway station and many other locations across town.