Across the uk bringing colder air all the way from iceland, a mixture of sunshine and showers, pushed in on those very brisk winds, particularly frequent showers, Northern Scotland down those north sea coasts, but some further west as well. The winds are going to be very strong and gusty, perhaps touching gale force in Northern Scotland, temperatures struggling to make double figures, 16 in the far south, but everywhere feeling colder in the strong wind. Hello, this is bbc news with ben boulos. The headlines. Labour opens its annual conference as its leader, sir keir starmer, prepares to set out the Dividing Lines between his party and the new conservative government. He tells the bbc he would reverse the governments cut to the top income tax rate. The head of the rmt union describes talks with the new Transport Secretary as a good start. The next strike is planned for the 1st of october. Voting is under way in italys general election, which polls suggest may result in the countrys most right wing government since the second world war. A man has died after a fire in a block of flats in bristol. Eight other people are currently being treated in hospital and 90 were evacuated. Now on bbc news, Witness History Black British history. A warning that this programme contains language that some may find offensive. Hello. Im celestina olulode, and welcome to this very Special Edition of witness history from the m shed museum in bristol. This month, we are getting first hand accounts of some important moments in black british history. Coming up, the uks First Caribbean carnival set up to showcase west indian culture. We travel back over 100 years, to hear a witness to liverpools 1919 race riots. We meet britains first black female head teacher. And were in manchester to discover a legendary nightclub that became a haven for the citys black and mixed heritage communities. But we start here in the city of bristol, where, in 1963, and 18 year old called guy bailey wanted to get a job working on buses like this one here. He secured an interview, but when he arrived, the bus company turned him away because he was black. Now, despite this being racist, it was completely legal in the uk at the time. The treatment guy faced sparked a boycott of bristols buses. In 1963, the Bristol Omnibus Company refused to employ black people on its buses. We dont want them on there, thats the main reason. There aint going to be enough work for the whites, leave alone the blacks. We intend to go an engaging white labour rather than coloured labour. They didnt know that i was black, but on my arrival things changed and i become a black person, not a person. At the time, every day there was adverts in the paper for bus drivers and conductors. Injamaica, id never seen a double decker bus, and when i saw the double decker buses over here i thought, oh, id love to be able to drive id love to be able to drive one of those. What you want, mr green, is to restrict the numbers of coloured people who come and getjobs in the Transport Department as drivers and conductors . Well, thats what i am instructed to do by my branch. A local west Indian Association felt it had to take action. You could arrange an interview by telephone, which i did, with the help of our spokesperson. The surprising thing was that the secretary was so shocked when i arrived and it was a black person. I could hear her saying, mr bailey is here but hes a black, hes a black man. And i could hear also that the person in the other room was saying, tell him that the vacancy is filled. And this was only an hour after id confirmed that i was going to have an interview. The following day, we went to the Managers Office and the manager told us, under no circumstances hes going to employ black people. I was working out how best to bring this to the notice of the public and its then i was thinking of luther king and his bus boycott, and i decided, yes, iwill ask the people of the city to boycott bristols buses. The Bristol Omnibusl company carries over 1 Million People a day. Is this really going to make any difference . There was good support. We had hundreds of University Students that were supporting the boycott, they were sitting in the road and lying across in front of the buses. The controversy is now in its second week and the policy of the bus company that started it all still applies. Once you change thisjob over, and it becomes known as a coloured mansjob, well, then the white man does not take any further interest in it. The campaign gained National Support from among others sir learie constantine, Howard Wilson and tony benn. What about the west indies cricketers here . Do you think they are having any trouble . They are not, but surely they cant be very happy playing knowing that their countrymen are discriminated against, 50 yards from the playing field. Mr paul stephenson, you have now read the agreed statement between the company and the unions, what are your views on it . Of course, we are very pleased indeed. I was asked if i wanted to be interviewed for a job, but i refused, because i was scared to be beaten up. I thought i was safer doing something else. A shopkeeper cant refuse to serve a man because of his colour. Some people believe that the government should go much further, that it should be made illegal to deny a man a job. However, one of the uks First Caribbean carnivals took place in 1959. The actor and dancer, Corinne Skinner carter, was there and tells us how its organiser, Claudia Jones, was determined to showcase Caribbean Culture and counter racial violence. Claudia did it at exactly the time that we were having it in trinidad, which meant it was cold here when people got off the train, got in with the costumes on, everyone was staring at them. Whats wrong with these black people, coming out in costumes and things like that in this weather . you know. In Highgate Cemetery lies the grave of a woman who was probably the most influential Afro Caribbean in britains post war history. Her name was Claudia Jones. She was a communist and she was imprisoned in america for quite some time. Claudia came here the same year that i came, and she was such a warm person that you took to her immediately. Something new and uglyl raises its head in britain. In notting hill gate, only. A mile or two from londons west end, racial violence. About 15 fellas came out the car, all with bottles, sticks and knives. At that time, we were having riots in notting hill gate. We cant go home. Our homes is all surrounded by young teenagers who are | Hurling Bottles and bricks. She was always for black people, most of her politics was because of our treatment, and she decided enough� s enough. Let us have a party that we can involve everybody. So they would see what we are and what we can give. So, that was her whole idea of having the carnival, to bring people together. It was indoors in st pancras town hall. She had singers and dancers. I danced there at the first carnival. She had groups and she had steel band and people paraded in their costumes to show what carnival in the west indies is really like. We relaxed, not putting the prejudice away, but in the background. We were there to enjoy ourselves. And where people were scared of going home because of what might meet them on the street, they forgot about all that for that space of time. In late 1959, just eight| months after the riots, notting hill again made national news, when a West Indian Carpenter named Kelso Cochrane was stabbed to death by three teddy boys. It was britains first acknowledged race killing. The murder of Kelso Cochrane shocked claudia. She was really, really angry. They had gone beyond what they should have done. He was just a normal person and they treated him like dirt. So she tried her best to do whatever she can. I want to declare the Fourth Annual caribbean carnival officially open. She thought that if she brought people together, they would understand us more. Because, as far as she was concerned, they didnt understand us. It was a very good success. When Claudia Jones died| in 1964, rhaune laslett, another community worker, picked up the mantle and started up a multicultural neighbourhood festival of her own. Claudia would have loved the carnival as it is now, because she was that type of person that enjoyed pleasure as much as she enjoyed politics. Corinne skinner carter talking about her friend Claudia Jones. And now to liverpool, home to one of europes oldest black communities. As troops returned home from the first world war, increasing levels of unemployment turned the Working Class against minorities and led to rioting in seaports across the country. In liverpool, one young serviceman who had just returned from action found himself targeted. Itsjune 1919. World war i is over, there is huge social unrest, the Working Class are angry. Ernest marke was a seafarer from sierra leone in west africa. While he was living in liverpool, he joined the army to defend the motherland in her hour of need. After all, there was Lord Kitchener pointing his finger at everybody, your king and country want you and we considered ourselves, well, that the country is our country, and the king is our king, so we march along with them. The next thing we know, we are in the recruiting office. Black and asian people played an absolutely crucial role during world war i as the british call for patriotic support was heard throughout the empire. Many men and women answered that call, leaving their homelands to contribute as soldiers, sailors, labourers and nurses. During the war, there were a lot ofjobs. Anybody could get a job at the munition factories, colour didnt mind, black, white, yellow, Green Everybody can work. After thejob was over, and they were all demoralised, the white soldiers seemed to forget that the black man was also in the navy and the army with them. And they couldnt get the jobs and they demanded that these black people would leave the factory so that they can get in, englishmen, englishmen, these black people were savages from africa. So, the race riots started. A gang attacked and they got really mad and some of them took off their clogs, because men used to wear clogs in those days, took off their clogs and, leave him alone, hes done nothing to you they got me. And all i could do was fixing my hand, i couldnt fight, punch anything, punching the air, punching anything. Finally, i ran and got away from them. Charles wootton was a bermudan seafarer, 2a years old. His Boarding House was raided by police. He fled and was chased by an angry white mob into the river here and was then pelted with stones until he drowned. The homes of black men and their families were looted and burned. 700 were marched to local Police Stations and Fire Stations and housed there for their own safety. A friend and i, a west indian from saint lucia, we were going to see a friend in Brownlow Hill liverpool this was. This gang spotted us. Before we know whats happened, they were chasing us. So we ran like hell. A woman opened a door, and they were all white women, there were no black women in those days, so my friend and i ran around the corner, into the hallway and we found a door open, came in, the woman shut the door and we went upstairs. They made us a cup of tea while she looked out of the window to see if everything was all right. And it wasnt long after when she said, ok, you can go now. Now, she saved our lives. Ernest marke there, talking to the bbc back in 1989. Remember, you can watch witness history each month on the bbc news channel, or you can catch up on all of our films, along with more than 1,000 radio programmes, in our online archive. Head to. Next, when Yvonne Conolly became britains first black female head teacher in 1969, she received so many racist threats she needed a minder for her first day in the job. Yvonne told us how she refused to let prejudice define her relationship with the children she taught. Archive there is no Colour Problem at ring cross infant school. Mrs Yvonne Conolly has to be thanked for that. I but theres an awful lot of love, most of it for her. Shes londons First West Indian head teacher, and what a hit she is withi the kids, all 200 of them. Im yvonne, im Yvonne Conolly. I was one of the first black head teachers in inner london in 1969. I had done three years of teacher training injamaica, so i thought, ill come to britain. I came in august 1963. A grey, grey day. I wondered what i had done. I had planned to be here for three years. But three years led to four years. I was very aware that there were racial tensions in quite a number of schools. I would turn up and somebody would just. I suppose without meaning it, say, but you are black. My reply was, yes i am, but i am also a teacher. So they were small silly things. Nothing dangerous, but enough to cause discomfort. After six years, i applied fora headship, and ijust wanted to see what interviews at this level might be, and i was absolutely amazed when my name was called. You know, mrs conolly. The newspapers picked this up the next day and the school was inundated by quite a number ofjournalists who came to take photographs. Since she took over the headship of the school a few weeks ago, she has. Brought a new vitality to it. Her children, from many parts of the world, mix happily, unaware of prejudice. When i was appointed, somebody threatened to burn down the school. I had Newspaper Articles were actually sent to me, with crossing out my photograph with actually nasty comments. Go back to jamaica. I also had letters from, interestingly enough, members of the black community, who felt that i had sold out to the white establishment. These letters reminded me in no mean terms that i was here only for the black children. Dear black sister. The racism was coming, both from the white side and from the black side. I had a responsibility for all the children in my school, regardless of race or religion. In fact, the differences were less than the commonalities that we shared. And therefore, one had to get on with it. Happily, the parents were only interested in whether their children would get a good education. And that certainly was my focus. I felt that i had a job to do in britain, and i am happy, having been here now for 56 years. The remarkable Yvonne Conolly there, who died in 2021 at the age of 81. Finally, we bring you the story of The Reno Nightclub, opened in manchester by a nigerian man, phil magtotiwan. New to the city, phil wanted to create a space that was welcoming to all. My name is lisa and my dad owned The Reno Nightclub in manchester. Hed lived in nigeria his whole life, he knew where he was there wasnt the scope to do anything, but had the vision from being really young that he wanted to do more and he thought the opportunities to go on a ship and try and make his way here. He was looking at the premises of the reno and opposite, there was a pub on the corner with big glittering lights and they went into the pub and asked for a guinness and the barman said, we dont serve monkeys in here. And he pointed to a large wooden barrel at the side of the bar that people were throwing dead ends of the pints in and he said to my dad, monkeys drink out of there. My dad said, one day i will have a bar, i will remind you of this. Many years later, he managed to get a liquor license, opened the reno and the owner of the pub on the corner came over and was like, can i get a title like a red stripe . My dad said, you dont remember me . He said, no i dont remember you. I said, i came in your place and asked for a drink and this is what you told me. And he said the man was really embarrassed and said, im so sorry, its wrong, can you forgive me . My dad said yes, everybody is entitled to make a mistake. I think the reno was a great destination for everyone because it was a safe place. It was inclusive for all. I suppose mainly it was black, but there was a really nice mix of a lot of white women, and then obviously a lot of mixed culture coming from the marriages of black men with white women. And other places you would go, i think they would be ridiculed, be made to feel uncomfortable, whereas anybody who would go down they would have a good time and would feel welcomed. My dad had previously gone to montreal to see muhammad ali fight, a year, maybe 18 months later, muhammad ali came to manchester, england, and came to the club and brought him a gift, which was a gold boxing glove that muhammad ali had received for one of his fights. Them days, the police was very. Harassing. They was very harassing to people and very aggressive with black people. Theyre not like they was today. The rioting in moss side was brief, but such was the legacy of tension and bitterness left afterjust two nights of disorder, that Greater Manchester council decided a speedy inquiry was essential, if peace was to be restored to the community. It wasnt long after that that they forced my dad to close the reno. They made an excuse of, they was extending princes road. Music is a Stress Reliever for everybody, so yeah, to take away venues where music is being played and black people was able to relax and let go of all of their worries what the race wars was causing is going to then cause a lot more attention. So, this is the spot where the reno used to be, its hard to believe, cos its just wasteland now. I think my dad was quite upset to see it demolished. It was his legacy. He did build a really good vision that was everything he wanted it to be, and im really proud of him. Lisa talking about the Renowned Soul And Funk Club that was founded by her father in a manchester basement. And thats all from this Special Edition of witness history from the m shed in bristol. We will be back soon with more first hand accounts of extraordinary moments in history, but for now, from me and the rest of the witness history team, goodbye. Hello. The weather is certainly changing, the wind is picking up at the moment and its going to be a windy day on monday. Its going to feel colder deal that do to that area of low pressure. Bringing some rain and pushing a hill of it a lot of cloud. That rain is not going to last long. It gets swept through scotland and northern ireland. Following on from that, the wind direction changes. It will be windy overnight so not a lot as cold as last night, down to seven eastern scotland. By morning, the band of rain is in the english channel. After that, we get this stronger northerly wind which will bring colder air all the way down from iceland. Once we lose that band of rain from the english channel, the south coast, its going to be a day of sunshine and showers. Some of the showers could be heavy and more for you going to cross Northern Scotland and running down these coast more frequent. The winds are going to be strong and gusty, may be touching gale force in Northern Scotland and here, temperatures will struggle to make double figures. Talk numbers 16 in the far south, or typically 1a, but for all of us, it will feel colder in the wind. They temperatures may recover but it will be cold for a while at night. Mixture of sunshine and showers before we get some wet and windy weather arriving. Before we get some wet and windy weatherarriving. But before we get some wet and windy weather arriving. But the forecast for tuesday has changed a bit. This Weather Front that was trying to come in from the atlantic is not making it. Instead, the low near iceland is feeling, so pressure is rising in the winds arent as strong. Its going to drift down with the uk. It may well be windy on tuesday, tending to ease across the east, but with the pressure, we are left with lots of clouds and showers, maybe longer spells of rain which could be heavy at times. Its going to feel quite cold. 13 14 degrees on tuesday. Things start to come down around the middle part of the week. Its not as windy. Theres going to be more sunshine around as well and fewer showers. As a result, those temperatures are slowly creeping up, but still only around 1415 creeping up, but still only around 111 15 celsius. This is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. Final hour of voting in italy. The country is deciding whether to choose its most right wing government since the second world war. Iam i am live in rome where we will soon find out if italy has swung behind its first foray to leader since the iranian president threatens Decisive Action to stop the wave of Anti Government protests sweeping the country. And houses are washed into the sea, as storm fiona batters the east coast of canada the bbc goes behind the scenes of americas spy agency as the cia marks its 75th anniversary