OUR JAMAICAN PROBLEM

SV Emigrants from West Indies disembarking at Plymouth from the S.S. Colobie, onto tender. CU West Indian man disembarking. CU Another man disembarking. CU Pan, woman with floral dress on, disembarking. SCU Long haired West Indian man vaulting gangway. SCU A French sailor carrying child down gangway. SV Piled up luggage on deck. SCU Pan, West Indian people on tender as it approaches shore. LV Tender as it approaches shore, with English coastline in background.

CU Road sign: “Somerleyton Road” in Brixton. GV Pan, Somerleyton Road in Brixton. SV Interior, Walter Austin (8 years here) post office worker, joined by his wife on easy chair. CU The Austin children – twin girls. SV Interior, Mrs Dorothy Morgan (2 years here) husband on night work, and woman on right Miss Edna Young (2 years here) nurse in the South & General Hospital. CU Miss Young, pan to Mrs Morgan. SV & CU Mr and Mrs Samuel Davis, a commercial teacher, at present working as display machinist (been over here for four months). CU Mr and Mrs Samuel Davis.

LV Brixton labour exchange. SV Notice board outside exchange. GV Loughborough Park building site. SV Black workers on site. SCU Workers receiving instructions. SV Men at work. CU Man working on scaffolding. CU Another man working on scaffolding.

SV Interior, black children in nursery at Coldharbour Lane. CU Mixed children in care of attendants. SCU black child and white child together on rocking horse. CU black child in swing. SCU Attendant feeling black girl’s hair.

Angle shot, Colonial Office. SV. Deputation led by Mayor of Lambeth, Councillor White outside. CU Mayor of Lambeth. SV Deputation entering, pan up to Colonial Office. SV John Parsons, Pathe reporter interviewing Mayor of Lambeth. lead for voice. SCU Mayor saying: “…First is long term policy which will have to be adopted… …development of West Indies themselves… …only answer to this problem.”

GV Pan, sugar plantation in West Indies. SV & CU Man cutting down sugar cane. GV Line of people carrying cane to barges. SV people dumping cane in barge. GV & SV Pan, houses in the West Indies. SCU Small boy being bathed in bucket. SCU & CU Woman washing clothes on side of river. CU Woman beating washing with stick. GV A West Indian market street. SV Vendors sitting in road with their goods. SCU Bunches of bananas. SV Pan, black women walking over to fruit market in Brixton. CU Woman pointing. SCU Woman’s purchase being handed to her. CU Woman receiving purchase. SV Sequence of black people walking about Brixton.

SV John Parsons walking with Bill Strachan from Jamaica. He was commissioned bomber pilot in R.A.F. during world war two and now a council office worker. Lead for voice – CU Bill Strachan being interviewed (natural sound). Parsons asks about his views on Jamaican emigrants. Strachan replies: “…our people from West Indies here have no enmity to any British people… …will be a strength to them… …are ambitious… …will not under cut trade unionists… …will help in the cultural life… …co-operative with the British people… …no special privileges or anything more than other British worker.”

SV Another load of emigrants arriving in bitter weather. LV Emigrants aboard ship lining to see emigration officer. SV Official checking their papers. SCU Well wrapped people on ship. SV & SCU People with children being helped down gangway. SV Emigrant families down gangway. SCU Two heavily clothed but frozen looking emigrants.