Celebrating the life of my black hero, Roy Hackett MBE

When we think about civil rights pioneers, we often revert to the voices of our brothers and sister in the USA. We think about Frederick Douglas, Martin Luther King, Malcom X, Muhamad Ali, James Baldwin, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks and the list goes on. And understandably there is a legacy of slavery that propelled the conversation of anti-racism in this region. 

But all too often because of this, we never hear the voices our own true black heroes here in the UK. I want to shine a light on one of those heroes today, Dr Lurel Roy Hackett, who I have known throughout my life as Uncle Roy.

Bristol Bus Boycott

This was a moment in Bristol’s history which led to historic change across the UK “should be taught in every school”, said Labour leader Kier Starmer.

In 1963 Roy Hackett saw a black man crying outside the Bristol Omnibus Company. Roy asked the man why he was crying, the young man told him that the company told him that even though he did very well in his interview for a job as a bus driver they were unable to employ him due to the 1963 colour bar.

Roy was in disbelief; he couldn’t believe that this was happening and got together with friends to see how they could put a stop to this blatant discrimination.

Through the partnership of the West Indian Development Council (WIDC) which consisted of Owen Henry, Roy Hackett, Audley Evans, Prince Brown and Paul Stephenson, Bristol’s first black youth officer, they organised a boycott. 

The planning of the Bristol Bus Boycott took a lot of time and energy, but all involved agreed that this was an important thing for them to do.

Supporters from all walks of life stopped taking the buses and chose to walk instead. Roy was one of the first people to stand in front of a bus to stop it from moving. He persisted and used his voice to ensure that he and his community were heard. 

The campaign lasted for 4 months and was supported by national politicians, with interventions being made by church groups and the High Commissioner for Trinidad and Tobago. Because of all the publicity gained the Bristol Omnibus Company had to back down and change its colour bar rules.

It has been said that The Bristol Bus Boycott was considered by some to have been part of the reason for the passing of the Race Relations Act 1965 which made “racial discrimination unlawful in public places” and the Race Relations Act 1968, which extended the provisions to employment and housing.

In February 2013, Laurence Faircloth, the Unite union’s South West secretary apologised for the union’s stance at the time, “It was completely unacceptable. I can well accept the sense of injustice and pain that has been felt because [of] what happened in Bristol all those years ago.”

In 2009, Stephenson, Hackett and Bailey were all awarded OBE for their part in organising the bus boycott.

Celebrating the life of Uncle Roy

The August morning sun warms me up as I watch the squirrels jumping across the fence, their life is so much more fulfilling than mine right now.

I’m the only black woman on the train, it’s often like that, but today I don’t actually mind that feeling.

Looking out the window I see the beautiful British countryside, (something I’ve seen a lot of over the past couple of weeks).

As the train pulled into Bristol Temple Meads station, it suddenly hit me, I’m here for a funeral. For Uncle Roy’s funeral. I could feel my stomach tightening and the warm burn of tears starting to sting the back of my eyes. I looked up to the sky and thought “Grandma, wherever you are please give me the strength to get through this today”. I paused for a second. I just needed to catch my breath, and a little more time.  I didn’t know what to expect or who would be there, but this wasn’t about me it was about representing the family.

As the Uber neared St Elim’s church in the City centre, I couldn’t help but notice the closed roads everywhere. The driver tried to go down a side road and was stopped by the police. They were directing drivers in another direction. 

The Uber driver asked what was going on.

“The roads have been closed off for one of the most important pioneers of the UK’ a policewoman said. It’s a very important occasion”.

“I need to get this lady to the church, can I let her out here?”

The police officer looked at me and nodded. I stepped out of the car and she then said ‘I’m so sorry for your loss.’

Walking down the cobbled street, I noticed the huge crowds waiting to enter the church and a large bus, in tribute to Roy.

Once in the church, I was ushered into a great hall, where a grand poster of Roy stood. It was magnificent. I couldn’t believe it.

I was starting to feel overwhelmed by the sheer scale of this event. I mean I understood how significant Roy was to the black community and to Bristol, but actually, this man touched the hearts of so many people across the world.

As I stepped in the church, Ray Charles could be heard singing ‘Take These Chains From My Heart’. I was handed a programme of events all done in the style of a Jamaican Passport. On the first page was a picture of the young Lurel Roy Hackett with its original immigration office 1952 stamp.

Uncle Roy’s coffin was designed with the Jamaican flag pressed on to it. The colours of black gold and green could be seen in everywhere. On the door the words “You have to be in it to change it” were scribed on the outside, along with image of his beloved Jamaican flag and his trilby hat. 

Honestly it made me shiver with pride. I’ve always wondered where my pride for Jamaica came from, and here it was, I was surrounded by people who love that island of beauty.

Roy’s early years were spent in St. Mary’s, Islington Jamaica. On attending school at the age of 7 which was the age that all children went to school in Jamaica, he was put in the class with the 9-year-olds. Even when the teachers said that wasn’t an option, his grandmother told them differently. So as a child Roy was ahead of his own year in schooling.

After passing his book-keeping and accountancy diploma in Jamaica, In 1952, he chose with so many other Jamaicans to travel to the UK by ship as part of the Windrush generation. He had heard of the land where the streets were paved with gold, the land of opportunity. He had heard the call from Queen Elizabeth II and wanted to be a part of the generations to help re-build the UK back to its’ original standing. He was 29 years old.

Arriving in the UK as a qualified bookkeeper and accountant and having experience working at Tate & Lyle one would have thought it would have been easy for Roy to get a job in the UK, however it was challenging. Roy through his own resilience never gave up. He had quite a few different jobs while he lived and worked around the UK. He worked in Liverpool, Wolverhampton, London, and finally settled in Bristol.

It wasn’t easy for him in Bristol and on his first day there while knocking on the door of his new residents, was refused entry as soon as the landlady saw he was a black man. This left him with no option but to spend his first night sleeping in a doorway. For Roy “Great Britain was not great to its Commonwealth people”

At that time there was no equality act, so there was no protection for people that didn’t fit in with what was considered the norm of that day. Roy was the kind of person that wanted to change this, and not just change it for himself, but for others as well.

On purchasing his first new home, he noticed a crowd of people standing outside his front door. He thought it was a welcome party, and why wouldn’t he? But it wasn’t. It was a group of white people protesting for him to leave.

Dress to impress. Is always at the forefront of the Caribbean family’s mind.

From the moment we wake, grooming is a thing.  Our skin has to glow. Back in the day it was all about Palmer’s Coco Butter, Red Fox Tub O’Butter, or the king of moisturisers the blue tub of Astral cream (I still use this today). Our hair is pristine, whether it be in braids, plaits, afro puffs, silky, straight long or short, and the clothes… Peacocking is a thing and we do it well.

I look over at my black suit jacket and my beautiful black lace dress, and I think to myself how precious life is. The last time I wore this dress I was 8 months pregnant, and on the brink of bringing life into the world, and today I was wearing it to a funeral watching a great advocate being laid to rest. 

The gentlemen of the Windrush era were legendary when it came to fashion and Uncle Roy was no exception to the rule.

He was dapper and dressed in a distinct and classic way. He wore 3-piece suits, and was always dazzling in his matching suit jacket, trousers and waistcoat/vest. For many of us we will always remember him in his trilbies.

 On the day of his funeral, his great-grandson wore his hat in his honour.

‘Great Grandad you would really like to see what I’m wearing with your hat. Me look wicked man!’ was how the speech was opened and it ended with ‘I miss you great grand-dad and I will never forget you.’

We often forget how precious life is because we don’t always think about the present.  We are in a constant process of planning the next big life thing, be that a holiday, family event or a career move, but how often do we just sit in the here and now and enjoy what we have.

Grief is something that is so individual, it’s something that we all experience so differently. On the morning of the funeral. I feel sad at the world’s loss of another great advocator of black worth. I feel sad that I didn’t get to really enjoy the time I spent with this fine gentleman.

During the reading of his eulogy by Sherrie Eugene-Hart she told the congregation about an interview where Roy was informed that the company didn’t employ Africans.

Roy said, “I’m British.” I can only imagine how surprised the interviewer was. “I was born in Jamaica which is a part of the Commonwealth and that makes me British”. Not only did this help him secure the job, but through hard work, he became the foreman of an all-white team.

Throughout history, the image of the Jamaican has been, loud, brash and show off, when actually we are a really great culture of people who are passionate, humble and proud. We embrace everyone, through our nurturing natures, and are the best allies anyone could ask for.

During the ceremony, Rebecca Scott MBE and Professor Judith Squires Deputy Vice Chancellor of Povost, from University of Bristol presented Roy Hackett with an Honorary degree to recognise his lifelong campaign against racism, which brought us the Bristol Bus Boycott and paved the wave for the race relations act of 1965.

Gwarrn Dr Lurel Roy Hackett!

Closing thoughts

Today as an Inclusion & Diversity Consultant, I spend time with my members looking for ways to make the workplace a more inclusive environment.

I wonder if I would be here doing this today if Uncle Roy didn’t stand in front of that bus during The Bristol Bus Boycott? He used his voice to speak about discrimination, but he didn’t just raise his voice, he pushed forward for change.

Organisations across the UK employ I&D professionals like me, to ensure that the injustices of yesterday don’t happen again. We all have to take action now, during Black History Month, and beyond and be a part of these conversations.

The Mayor of Bristol Marvin Reeves spoke of how Roy was the type of person that would open doors for others, it didn’t matter if those doors were big or small. So on that note, I task you to be like Dr. Lurel Roy Hackett and be a part of this movement to open up doors for others. And remember once those doors are opened it’s then up to you to take others through it.