Norma Ashe-Watt
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Norma Ashe-Watt | |
|---|---|
| Born | Norma Ashe-Watt May 25, 1931 |
| Died | January 11, 2025 |
| Resting place | Southwark Cathedral churchyard |
| Nationality | British |
| Known for | Keskidee Centre |
| Spouse | Louis Watt |
Norma Ashe-Watt is a British accountant and social activist, born May 25, 1931, in San Fernando, Trinidad in the West Indies.[1][self-published source] At the time of her birth, Trinidad was part of the West Indies Federation, the British colonial outpost in the Caribbean, before gaining independence in 1966.
Early life
[edit]She was one of six children.[2] Growing up in Trinidad, she received an education derived from the British system, given Trinidad's colony status. Her father died when she was young, and in 1960, she left Trinidad to join her brother who was studying in England at the time.[2]
She became pregnant in the 1960s with her only son, Gene.[3] She later married Louis Watt, a primary school teacher.[3] In 1974 she moved to Manor House with her husband.[citation needed]
She died January 11, 2025, at 93 years old. Her funeral was held at her place of worship, Southwark Cathedral on February 14, 2025.[4]
Professional work
[edit]After moving to the UK to join her brother, Ashe-Watt found work in the hospitality business. While preparing for a bookkeeping exam, she trained in the catering department at Paddington station, taking any internal vacancies that were available. In the 1960s, she worked for British Transport Hotels, a subsidiary of British Rail. She became the first woman on the financial accounting team of British Transport to hold a management-level position.[2] She continued her work in the finance division at the St. Pancras Hotel until her early retirement in the 1990s.
Youth outreach
[edit]Ashe-Watt's work original began in founding an Islington chapter of the Campaign Against Racial Discrimination (CARD) at her home. She was not a member of the National CARD organization, but wanted to start an organization in response to the poor housing and education and police brutality she saw in her neighborhood.[2] CARD worked alongside other socialist organizations in the area. CARD also held fundraisers and self-financed community events, such as island dances, for the local black diaspora community.[1][self-published source] After founding the local chapter, she had an encounter with an 11-year old boy who was illiterate, so she began a supplementary school program in the office of the Movement for Colonial Freedom.[3] The supplementary school program was staffed by volunteer teachers and lead once a week.[citation needed]
Once living in the United Kingdom, Ashe-Watt came across the term, educationally subnormal, used to describe primarily black students in 1960s England, who were not well behaved or meeting the outcomes in the public education system. Ashe-Watt recognized the needs that black children, primarily immigrant children, needed in England, as they lacked a home support system that was common in African and Caribbean countries at the time.[citation needed]
"they termed them educationally subnormal and that's when Bernard Coard wrote his book, that's when we started classes in the Movement for Colonial Freedom...A lot of parents thought if children being educated in England, they were being educated properly. Some of them didn't have the time to go to parent's evening, didn't look at results of parents work."[2]
Eventually her friend and Guyanese architect Oscar Abrams joined onto CARD as Chairman, alongside Ashe-Watt. Together, the two opened the Keskidee Centre in 1971 - the first black British theatre in England. The Centre, originally opened by the pair, was intended to establish a recreational and community center with a specific focus on the "West Indian cultural setting."[5][self-published source] The organization received a grant from Islington council, but the centre primarily fundraised as well as being self-financed by Ashe-Watt and Abrams themselves. During the time of the centre's operation, CARD was able to operate the supplemental teaching program out of the building, the Evening Standard wrote a positive review for the centre's performances in 1974, Bob Marley performed and filmed his 1978 music video for "Is this love?" at the centre, and a number of black artists and players attributed their start to time at the theater.[2] The centre eventually closed in 1991 due to increasing debt.[5][self-published source]
Ashe-Watt remained a significant figure in black community life in North London until the time of her death.[citation needed]
See also
[edit]- Black british people
- Oscar Abrams
- John La Rose
- Bernard Coard
- Keskidee Centre
- Campaign Against Racial Discrimination (CARD)
References
[edit]- ^ a b adwoakorkoh (2020-12-11). "Veteran campaigner Norma looks back". Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- ^ a b c d e f "Kings Cross Voices Project - Interview Summary with Norma Ashe-Watt and Carl Brewster" (DOC). Camden County Council. London, UK. November 16, 2006. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Spirited Norma brought The Keskidee to life". Camden New Journal. Retrieved 2025-07-15.
- ^ Southwark Cathedral Eucharist. Online publication. Accessed July 15, 2025. See link to PDF: https://cathedral.southwark.anglican.org/media/4669/20250209-0900-eucharist-racial-justice-sunday-final.pdf
- ^ a b adwoakorkoh (2011-08-19). "Keskidee Centre". Retrieved 2025-07-15.