Southampton tour guides trained up on the city's Black History

Untold stories of how Black people shaped the history of Southampton are to be shared for the first time.

A new group of tour guides are being trained up on the city's Black history, including its links with the slave trade.

The new Hidden Histories Trail course will train a new group of tour guides in Southampton’s Black History - after intensive research by one of the city’s most knowledgeable historians has revealed many previously untold stories.

The training - which is free to participants and open to all - is being paid for by God’s House Tower, as part of the heritage venue’s 2021 programme.

The team at GHT are hoping to recruit Southampton participants from diverse communities so that the city's history is told by a diverse range of voices.

Participants will also have the option of becoming an accredited White Badge tour guide as part of the course, also paid for by GHT.

Course leader Dr Cheryl Butler said:

“There are so many fascinating stories to tell, from the character known as Black John who was helping to repair the town crane back into the 1490s, to Ira Aldridge, already a famous actor at the age of sixteen, who performed Othello at Southampton in 1828, to the only black passenger on the Titanic.

“There is also the story of Southampton’s links to the notorious slave trade. Jane Austen’s next door neighbour on Castle Square was one of several plantation owners in the town.

“It’s really important that the wider public hears diverse histories of the city, and we'd love to recruit members of Southampton's many diverse communities to tell these stories."

GHT venue manager Hannah Preston added:

“GHT - and its parent organisation ‘a space’ arts - is committed to becoming an anti-racist organisation. As part of this commitment we are programming specific projects that address the lack of Black representation in Southampton’s arts and heritage offer.

"This is one of those projects, and we hope it will go some way to shining a light on the many diverse and fascinating stories of the city, told by people from all communities and backgrounds in Southampton.

"It is also part of our plan to revive interest in Southampton’s beautiful Old Town, and we are sure that local visitors and those from afar will enjoy the tours.”

The course starts on March 9th and will be delivered via Zoom.