Frank Crichlow’s complaint to the Race Relations Board, 23 December, 1969. Catalogue ref: CK 2/690.
The Mangrove Restaurant was owned by Frank Crichlow.
[Frank Crichlow’s Letter of Complaint, 1969. Recorded by Daniel Ooko for SPID Theatre Estate Endz Black History Project in partnership with The National Archives, Decolonising the Archive and Black Cultural Archives. Project funded by Camilla Schofield with AHRC, University of East Anglia. Aug – Oct 2020, online workshops.]
Transcript
‘I am the owner of The Mangrove Restaurant, 8 All Saints Road, W. 11.
I received on 23rd December 1969 a letter from MR John WEIR of the Kensington Council, refusing to renew my licence to operate an all-night café.
My restaurant is patronised by respectable people, has never had a case with the police before – although they have unlawfully raided the premises on two occasions.
One of the grounds of refusal of the licence was that people with criminal records, prostitutes and convicted persons use the premises, and the manager allows them to have meals.
This power they claim is vested by the New Act (Greater Powers Act) by the G.L.C.
I am the first known test case under the New Act – I object to the entire incidence because I know it is because I am a black citizen of Britain that I am discriminated against.’
Tasks
- What caused Frank Crichlow to make a complaint to the Race Relations Board?
- Explain why Frank Crichlow states that it is ‘respectable people’ who come to his restaurant.