A short video from the Jamaica Hidden Histories educational resource pack. Community elders in London, UK, shared their experiences growing up in Jamaica at the dawn of independence from Britain in 1962 with young people. They talk about how family and cultural backgrounds shaped and strengthened their identity and sense of belonging within their community. Subjects History, English & PSHE - Stage 3, Year 9 students.

A research document designed to enlighten teachers, parents, and students about the experiences of Caribbean nurses who contributed to the NHS during the 1950s and 1960s. This is a 4-page resource, available in PDF and Word formats. Subjects: History, Social History and Citizenship. Age range -14-16. This resource unfolds the oral history account of Mrs. Mary Lawrence, a trailblazing individual who journeyed from the Caribbean to Britain in 1962 and entered the profession of nursing in 1964. Mrs. Lawrence vividly recalls the perception of nursing as a prestigious profession during that era, offering unique insights into the training and working environment within the NHS in the 1960s. Mrs. Lawrence tells us about the various nursing categories, titles, and demanding training regimens, revealing that dedication often required 48 hours of weekly ward duty alongside qualified colleagues. The resource sheds light on, etiquette, manners, presentation, and patient care, illustrating the nuances of a nurse’s role in that era. Mrs. Lawrence reflects on the challenges of questioning decisions made by superiors, providing a glimpse into the professional dynamics of the time. Enhancing the narrative are two supporting archive images capturing Caribbean nurses in Nottingham during the 1960s, photographed by Esmel Woma. These visual elements enrich the learning experience, offering a glimpse into the historical context. This resource will help teachers and parents create engaging activities for both classroom and home learning. Particularly relevant for Black History Month, it offers a positive and inspiring account of the significant contribution made by the Windrush generation to the NHS. “Caribbean Nurses in Britain” is an extract from the Moving Out book by Lorna Holder.

This resource will help students to understand the painful experience many families endured in London during the Second World War, 1939 -1945. It also deals with the heartfelt decisions individuals made in leaving loved ones behind to find a new life in a foreign country. It is the oral history of Belle Johansson, a Camden elder who shared her experience of living during the blitz and losing six family members. She talked about the stigma of TB in her family after the war and hoped that “people will walk by each other, and they will not notice their differences. " Bell tells us about her great nice who wanted to be Doctor of Science and how the family struggled to support her financially with her studies. Her great nice later took the opportunity to fulfill her dreams by leaving her close-knit family behind to go to Australia to study. Bell concludes, “it was a great wrench when she went, for her and us.” The final narrative shows the family was able to meet up again in Australia, bringing joy to all. This two-page document and supporting archive images is perfect for older students to get an overview of history and shared life experiences and can help in writing narratives for a book, magazine, stage plays, and film. The resource is useful for parents and teachers for home teaching, helping to participate in interactive discussions with students about family heritage, identity, and belonging. Parents and teachers can also create their unique comprehension worksheets for students, based on issues raised in the narrative. Belle Johansson’s oral history was part of the Heritage lottery funded project, The Ones We Left Behind, produced by Lorna Holder, 2006.

This short video takes a unique look at Industrial Nottingham through the eyes of the 1960s Windrush workers . Places of work includes, Gedling Colliery (coal mining) Raleigh (bicyle factory) as well as Boots, and the NHS. Research content allows teachers and parents to create unique learning activities for students to aid homelearning and beyond. It is entertaining with unique archive images, 1960s ska music, and contributions from Caribbean elders, sharing their heartwarming stories of working in 1960s Britain. It will enable Key Stage 3- Year 9 students from diverse backgrounds to research their own cultural identity and have a better sense of belonging. Moving Out was produced by Lorna Holder for Full Spectrum Productions in 2007 and supported by Heritage Lottery Fund.

Oral history transcripts spanning three generations of women of Jamaican and British heritage. Rooted in the tradition of oral storytelling, this learning resource encourages teachers to craft unique activities, lesson plans, and comprehension questions. It empowers students to explore their cultural identity and prompts independent research. Tailored for Key Stage 3, Year 9 students, this resource supports subjects like History, English, Geography, Citizenship, Media Studies, and Drama. Ideal for both classroom use and homeschooling, these interviews, conducted by Oral Historian Sharon Rappaport, offer profound insights. Parents can use this resource to educate their children about their heritage, fostering a stronger sense of identity and belonging. Diverse communities can find shared values and experiences within these narratives. These oral interviews are part of the Jamaican Hidden Histories project (2012-2015), produced by Lorna Holder for Full Spectrum Productions. Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, this project aims to unearth and communicate information about Jamaica’s distinctive cultural identity and its links with Britain. The Cultural Re-Awakening Conference in 2013 marked the project’s inception, featuring diverse workshops, talks, discussions, storytelling, and oral history interviews. The nine-page interview transcripts, accompanied by powerful images, provide a comprehensive learning tool. These images include the Jamaica Hidden Histories banner, capturing the historical context, a photograph of female drummers at the event’s opening, and the conference flyer. Uncover the stories that shape identity and belonging, fostering a deeper understanding of cultural heritage. Explore the captivating narratives captured in the Hanging Out trailer, also produced by Lorna Holder, available on Tes."

Video of a stage production showing the difficulties a married couple from Trinidad faced, in adapting to life in 1960s Birmingham. The main character, Lattisha, once prosperous and glamorous, could not cope with living in one room, doing manual work, and dealing with her husband, Samson, an unfaithful Calypsonian singer, leading to mental health issues. A resource to help form the basis of conversation around issues of migration, family life, work, mental health, identity and belonging. Teachers and parents can create unique learning activities for Black History Month, for homeschooling during holidays and beyond. Subjects, Social History, English & Drama, Age code: 14-18 Comes with supporting images. Set in 1960s Birmingham , the monologue Indigo Blue Room highlights some of the issues of social exclusion still pertinent today. It was performed and filmed at the King’s School in Worcester in 2004, starring Indra Ove and Leon Herbert. The monologue, Indigo Blue Room was written and produced by Lorna Holder, based on the Living Under One Roof stage play written in 2003.