Ridley Road- surely the wrong time.

I wonder if you are jumping to conclusions too quickly trisher?
Maybe the the first episode is to establish the Jewish nub of the story, but will be fleshed out later?
With regards to the lack of signs stipulating who can and cannot apply for lodgings, I wonder why this wasnt reflected in the program?
Do the BBC usually shy away from realism?

Thanks for your experiences BlueBelle it must have been a difficult time. I remember my mum telling me that when we moved council houses in the 50s her old neighbours were very angry with her because the old house was given to a black family. She had nothing to do with the allocation of course, but apparently the family were rehoused because they had lost a child. I often wonder what life was like for them on that estate. Every day racism was so common.

In the early 60’s I was in a relationship with a black S.A. Priest,
we went for a day to the Cotswolds, went in a pub for lunch and
was asked to sit in a back room, so not only London

Gosh you’re still not getting it Elaine
no one has suggested it should be about black peoples just that it gets historical facts in correct perspective ??‍♂️

Not everything has to be about black history. What about everyone else?
I watched it as I know nothing about anti-semitism. Never come across it in my area so decided I needed to find out a bit more. First episode was interesting but still didn't understand why there were Nazi flags. Does anyone know if these things happened in Scotland too?

Yes Early years of poor representation
Trisher this was set in 1962 the following year I met my husband to be and will completely confirm that most boarding houses had those notices in their windows I had to leave my lodgings as the neighbours ‘would not like a black man coming to the door’ We were in London at the time and it was prudent to keep a low profile not get enmeshed with police activity Mind you there could have been a black man sweeping the roads !!!!!
I won’t shout at your avaline but it’s a poor post Black History month has always been October perhaps it’s passed you by

I'm not shouting at you Aveline but it's worth noting that Black History Month was first celebrated in the UK in October 1987 - which year was also coincidentally the 150th anniversary of Caribbean emancipation and other notable events in black history - so it's been an annual event for 34 years.

I have no problem with "colour-blind" casting. It just adds another dimension to dramatic interpretation and a note of realism in some cases.

Black people have lived in the UK for centuries, e.g. tens of thousands in London from the 1700s. Many were former American slave soldiers, who had fought on the side of the British in the American Revolutionary War and resettled as free men in London.

One could argue that black people have been severely under-represented in drama.

I think one example is when she was looking for accommodation and we know signs saying "No blacks no Irish,no Jews" were common but there weren't any/ I think it would have highlighted as well the casual racism of the day.

The 62 group fought fascism and stood for all minority groups. They were primarily Jewish but I remember they marched with banners that included "Black and White Unite" so it would be realistic to expect some sort of mention in the series as I think that area of London was home to quite a few minority communities. It would be strange to see a whitewash. They marched for making incitement to racial hatred a crime but I think it took over a decade for that to happen.

I know I'll be shouted at but, these days, every month seems to be black history month. The percentage of black faces in all sorts of dramas even set in the most remote areas in times long ago is very striking.
I'm not saying that's a bad thing just a very noticeable thing and could even set things back a bit.

Thank you Jane. Maybe the poster talking about episode two saw it on iPlayer.

trisher said ‘it was the wrong time to show it ‘

Annie look at it this way if the programme was about Catholicism as the main subject you would still expect the other things in the back ground to be represented as close to life as possible wouldn’t you

It’s the equivalent of seeing a car in the streets of a horse drawn period drama

I don’t think for a minute Trisher was saying it should have been ABOUT black peoples but that it should be portrayed in more realistic terms for the period

I did a double take when I saw the black guys in the crowd too trisher

Sorry my last post appeared twice no idea why or how that happened I ll try better next time

maddyone

I thought last night’s episode was the first episode. Have I missed one episode whilst we were away?

I thought it was the first episode last night too

If it isn’t advertised as Black History Month why the need to
bring Black History into a programme about anti semitism.

I don’t except anti semitism to be included in a programme about The Windrush and wouldn’t complain that it wasn’t.

Thanks Bluebelle you have explained things much more clearly. I'm feeling a bit Pooh-bearish this morning -you know you have an idea in your head but when you write it down it just
isn't!
maddyone it was the first episode last night and I only know it is Black History Month because my library is advertising it

This happened when I was 14. I remember hearing the name Colin Jordan, but knew nothing about what is going on in this story until I saw last night's episode.
The slogans the National Front were shouting are still being used today. "Take our country back", Take back control".
Now it is about black people as well as Jews. The evil is still there.

I thought last night’s episode was the first episode. Have I missed one episode whilst we were away?

I only caught the second episode but it seems like a excellent drama to me and captured the times extremely well.

Is there ever a wrong time to educate people about their own history?

travelsafar

We don't know what will happen further down the line. The guy in the hairdressers has already received racial abuse when trying to help the girl after she was trapped in the crowd. He is also seen spying on her so there maybe be more incidents relating to black or mixed race people.

Yes, I wondered this too. Was the close up of her stomach to suggest she was pregnant with Jacks baby?

I didn’t even know it is Black History month (I’ve been away on holiday so might have missed advertising) but I thought we had Black History month not long ago. Or could it be that it was a whole year ago and I didn’t realise? If that’s the case, my God, where did that year go?

I think what Trisher is saying is that although the story line covers the anti Semitic movement the portrayal of other ethnic groups is not correct for that period and she is right
The drama is still covering the anti Semitic movement but the background stuff should be correct too and it isn’t

I think what Trisher is saying is that although the story line covers the anti Semitic movement the portrayal of other ethnic groups is not correct for that period and she is right
The drama is still covering the anti Semitic movement but the background stuff should be correct too and it isn’t

This shouldn’t be either/or.

There is room for both

It isn't advertised as being part of black history month I just think it is the wrong time to televise something which doesn't actually seem to mention black history or the racism involved in the National socialist movement.