establishing the Community
We called a meeting in a pub to sort
out some kind of youth organisation. First we called it the Friendly
Youth Association, then the Indian Progressive Youth Association. A
year after that we changed the name to the Asian Youth Movement, because
we wanted to say, 'Look, we are Asian, we're proud of that'.
(Second Generation Asian Man, b.1954)
We held several demonstrations. I believe it
was 1967, when Mr. Kruschev was in England, that we held our first
demonstration. Then a year or two later there was a Russian choir
or dancers in St. George's Hall, so we published our own leaflets.
This, and the Captive Nations Committee, make sure our voice is
heard.
(First Generation Ukrainian Man, b.1922)
I've always been interested in Irish culture,
and anywhere there was Irish dances, no matter how far, I always
made it my business to attend them. We decided that we would try
and seek out a hall of our own, get our Irish dances going, and
be separate from the Church.
(First Generation Irish Man, b.1935)
I bought a restaurant, I opened that one in 1967.
In those days, not a lot of English people used to go to curry
houses, only Asian people. Men came here by themselves, so they
were supposed to cook their own food. People would go and pay
two or three shillings for a meal. At the end of the 60s, wives
and children start arriving, thereafter Asian people start settling
here and cooking at home. From the 70s, curry has been popular
among the local community.
(First Generation Asian Man, b.1937)