Notting Hill Carnival may be recognised as one of the globe’s largest street festivals today, but its origins stem from a struggle for community solidarity, togetherness and dignity.
The summer of 1958 proved to be among West London’s most turbulent periods. Racial animosity had been simmering for years, stoked by overt antagonism towards the Windrush generation establishing themselves in the neighbourhood.
In August 1958, a dispute between Swedish-born Majbritt Morrison and her Jamaican husband, Raymond, outside Latimer Road tube station became a catalyst. A mob of white men, called Teddy Boys, attempted to “defend” Majbritt, despite her instructing them to leave her be.
Violence erupted between the Teddy Boys and Raymond’s companions, all of Jamaican heritage.
The following day, Majbritt was recognised once more by a gang of white youths. On this occasion, she was assaulted in plain sight merely for being wed to a Black man, reports the Mirror.
That attack ignited three days of racial unrest, with white mobs roaming the streets wielding iron bars, bottles and makeshift petrol bombs, targeting Afro-Caribbean residences.
By the end of the bank holiday weekend, 108 individuals had been detained. Nobody was killed – but the antagonism was far from finished.
Less than a year later, on 17 May 1959, Kelso Cochrane, a 32-year-old carpenter and aspiring lawyer from Antigua, was fatally stabbed in a racially motivated attack on Southam Street. His unsolved murder sent shockwaves through the community.
Over 1,200 mourners attended his funeral, transforming it into a bold stand against racism. Accusations of a police cover-up and a lack of urgency in the investigation only deepened mistrust, prompting campaigners to take their fight for justice to Whitehall.
Amidst this turmoil, Caribbean activist and journalist Claudia Jones offered an alternative form of resistance. That winter, she organised an indoor “Caribbean Carnival” at St Pancras Town Hall, which was broadcast by the BBC, to celebrate Caribbean culture and lift spirits following the riots.
In the subsequent years, indoor events proliferated across London, coordinated by Jones, the West Indian Gazette, and Trinidadian booking agents Edric and Pearl Connor.
By 1966, community activist Rhaune Laslett – a Londoner of Native American and Russian descent – decided to host a children’s street fayre to unite Notting Hill’s diverse residents.
“We felt that although West Indians, Africans, Irish and many other nationalities all live in a very congested area, there is very little communication between us. If we can infect them with a desire to participate, then this can only have good results,” she said.
She extended an invitation to steel pan musician Russell Henderson and his ensemble, who spearheaded an spontaneous procession along Portobello Road. Residents joined in, dancing and celebrating, giving birth to the inaugural outdoor Notting Hill Carnival.
We’re celebrating the success of the UK’s black-owned businesses – and we want to tell you all about them in our #IAMBOB newsletter!
Once a month, we share news, features and comment from companies led by black business leaders – from start-ups and SMEs to blue-chip corporations and household names.
You can sign up here
Beginning with an audience of 500 in 1966, Carnival has expanded into one of the globe’s most significant cultural gatherings, attracting more than a million visitors each August Bank Holiday.
It continues to be community-driven, firmly anchored in Caribbean tradition, and distinctively “London” through its multicultural character. Following the introduction of static sound systems in 1973, live performance stages were established in 1979 by Wilf Walker featuring prominent artists, alongside vibrant musical floats, maintaining its foundational values whilst adapting alongside the metropolis it embodies.
According to organisers: “While the carnival is rooted in Caribbean culture, with its Windrush-generation influence remaining strong, it is at the same time reflective of characteristically ‘London’ – today’s modern London.”
Though the attire may transform and the musical styles may evolve, Carnival’s essence – solidarity, celebration and determination remains unchanged from its inception.
