The 1960s were a pivotal time in the United Kingdom as many issues of racial discrimination came to a head. The culmination of this was in the Race Relations Act in 1965 which outlawed discrimination on the "grounds of colour, race, or ethnic or national origin." Even though there was never any laws that legally inforced segregation in the UK there were informal "colour bars" which prevented non-white individuals from using certain public houses, hotels, restaurants, holding different jobs and many other limitations.
Following World War II the UK saw a large influx of immigrants from the Caribbean called the Windrush Generation after one of the first boats that brought what soon would be over 500,000 people to fill jobs that were left empty due to the death and destruction brought about by the war. The increase of people of color acted as a catalyst for the already brewing tensions due to segregation. In 1958 there were the Notting Hill riots were started due to attention that an interracial couple received during a domestic dispute. A white Swedish woman was having an argument with her Jamaican Husband and others felt the need to step in which resulted in a brawl between the Jamaican man's friends and the bystanders. Later the woman was attacked by a group of white youths because they disliked that she was married to a person of color. Later that night 300-400 white people ransacked the residences of West Indian's in Notting Hill. You can view a news reel reporting on the riots below:
In 1963 there was a bus boycott in Bristol inspired by the actions of Rosa Parks and the ensuing Montegomery Bus Boycott. The West Indian residents felt that not enough was being done to eliminate segregation and thus started their own bus boycott to draw attention to the issue. Scholars consider this to be a major factor into the creation of the Race Relations Act.
Latinx people have existed in London for a long time. The Latinx individuals in London date back to 1763. These people were exiles of Spanish colonies, specifically what is today known as Peru and Colombia, that held important roles before their exile. The British were considering attacking Spain through their colonies and these people could prove beneficial as they were more familiar with the colonies than the British. Because of the community that was being created many people who were important in the colonies attempts at liberation traveled and lived in London during the late 1700's and early 1800's. These individuals included Agustín de Iturbide, Vicente Rocafuerte, Bernardino Rivadavia, and Francisco de Paula Santander.
Jumping ahead to the 1900's Britain had fostered strong economic ties with Latin America in 1913 Britain invested between 750-1,000 million pounds in Latin America. This economic bridge brought many families and companies to set headquarters up in London. The effects of World War I and the following depression weakened their relationship and many companies chose to move to the United States as it was more economically favorable. By the 1960's what there was a new interest in Latin culture largely thanks to the influential writers and other artists that took up residents in London. While the census bureau did not at that time ask people to identify their racial heritage if they came from Latin America around 2,000 individuals did say they were born in Latin America a third of which specified Argentina. This problem still exists today and Latinx people in the UK complain about feeling invisible as there is no formal recognition for them as an ethnic minority. You can read more about this issue here
Norwell Roberts is a notable figure in British history, recognized as the first Black police officer in the Metropolitan Police Service in London. His pioneering career began in 1967 when he joined the force, breaking significant racial barriers and setting a precedent for future generations.
Born in Anguilla in 1945, Roberts moved to the UK in 1954 at the age of 9 with his mother who hoped to find better employment there after the death of her husband. His recruitment into the Metropolitan Police marked a critical moment in the history of the British police service, as it highlighted issues of diversity and inclusion within the force. Throughout his career, Roberts faced considerable racial prejudice and challenges, both from within the police force and the broader society. At one point he started to experience stress eczema and transferred stations to be in a better, less hostile, environment. Despite these obstacles, he persevered and served with distinction.
Norwell Roberts retired in 1997 after a 30-year career, during which he rose to the rank of Detective Sergeant. His legacy continues to be celebrated for his contributions to promoting diversity and challenging racial discrimination within the police service.
You can hear from him in the interview below and about him on a podcast by the BBC