Beyond London's Borders: Northampton's Alt History of Reggae (UWI Conference, February 2024)

This paper was part of the University of the West Indies' conference "Century of Sound" in February 2024 celebrating one hundred years of sound system.

Based on interviews I have conducted as part of my PhD about Northamptonshire (in the UK East Midlands), and its Windrush and post-Windrush histories, 1948-1985, it is drawn from the testimonials of Windrush children, first-generation Caribbean British kids, and their white English friends all living in Northamptonshire as teenagers and young adults during the 1970s.

this paper is about Northampton Town’s history of reggae. It works to archive diasporic Caribbean history in Northamptonshire, since most Windrush-era history in the popular mainstream has been eclipsed by London and other major cities. It hopes to offer a contrasting history of reggae music to major English cities. For many white and Black people,
reggae in Northampton was the school that prepared them for life.

Matta Fancanta

Lecture    • “Wi Likkle, But Wi Tallawah”: Northam...  
Sarah Berry Interview - https://eafa.ehost.uea.ac.uk/work/?id...