Inside a pub on a now-lost estate near Hulme 65 years ago, a boxer took a public stand against racism and bigotry.
Len Johnson walked inside with friends and ordered a round of drinks at the bar. He was refused because of the colour of his skin. Police were called to the Old Abbey Taphouse pub on the Greenheys estate between Hulme and Moss Side on September 30, 1953, and they were all thrown out.
He launched a campaign and enlisted the help of the then Lord Mayor of Manchester, and the Bishop of Manchester, and over the course of the next three days, more than 200 people, black and white, gathered to take part in a demonstration outside, standing together against the licensee's ban. Eventually it was overturned and Len - who was teetotal - was invited inside and sat down to share a drink with the publican.
Len's victory inspired others and fuelled the drive to end the so-called 'colour bar' policies of the era, both across Manchester and the country.
"I'm a historian researching a history of anti racism in Manchester since 1945. Together with a fellow historian Shirin Hirsch, I was discussing how we can bring the history to life so it is not forgotten. I was part of the team that organised the '40th anniversary celebration of the Northern Carnival against the Nazis exhibition in NIAMOS.
Two of the greatest anti-racist activists of post war years, both Communists, the black boxer Len Johnson and the scaffolder Wilf Charles, campaigned against the colour bar in Manchester. I've put something about what they did below. Getting rid of the colour bar at the Old Abbey was one of their victories. It was reported at the time, see the attached newspaper clippings."
- Geoff Brown
All research courtesy of Geoff Brown
"We campaigned then in the pubs for the freedom of people to be able to go in without discrimination and we had a big campaign against the Abbey pub in Park Street, Moss Side, who refused to serve coloured, Blacks and we forced a test case and got that lifted and that had a big effect.
Len ... ordered two pints and they said we don't serve Black men... I insisted they would serve him or no-one else would get served. So they brought in the police and they asked us to go - we created a tremendous problem inside the pub.
Next day I went to see the Lord Mayor and the Bishop of Manchester and got statements that they deprecated this action and ... we put on a mass picket of blacks and whites from the Communist Party and progressives - some 200 people - so the ban was lifted in a matter of two or three days. [This was] round about 1948 or ‘50. I've got the newspaper cuttings somewhere..."
Len Johnson walked inside with friends and ordered a round of drinks at the bar. He was refused because of the colour of his skin. Police were called to the Old Abbey Taphouse pub on the Greenheys estate between Hulme and Moss Side on September 30, 1953, and they were all thrown out.
He launched a campaign and enlisted the help of the then Lord Mayor of Manchester, and the Bishop of Manchester, and over the course of the next three days, more than 200 people, black and white, gathered to take part in a demonstration outside, standing together against the licensee's ban. Eventually it was overturned and Len - who was teetotal - was invited inside and sat down to share a drink with the publican.
Len's victory inspired others and fuelled the drive to end the so-called 'colour bar' policies of the era, both across Manchester and the country.
"I'm a historian researching a history of anti racism in Manchester since 1945. Together with a fellow historian Shirin Hirsch, I was discussing how we can bring the history to life so it is not forgotten. I was part of the team that organised the '40th anniversary celebration of the Northern Carnival against the Nazis exhibition in NIAMOS.
Two of the greatest anti-racist activists of post war years, both Communists, the black boxer Len Johnson and the scaffolder Wilf Charles, campaigned against the colour bar in Manchester. I've put something about what they did below. Getting rid of the colour bar at the Old Abbey was one of their victories. It was reported at the time, see the attached newspaper clippings."
- Geoff Brown
All research courtesy of Geoff Brown
"We campaigned then in the pubs for the freedom of people to be able to go in without discrimination and we had a big campaign against the Abbey pub in Park Street, Moss Side, who refused to serve coloured, Blacks and we forced a test case and got that lifted and that had a big effect.
Len ... ordered two pints and they said we don't serve Black men... I insisted they would serve him or no-one else would get served. So they brought in the police and they asked us to go - we created a tremendous problem inside the pub.
Next day I went to see the Lord Mayor and the Bishop of Manchester and got statements that they deprecated this action and ... we put on a mass picket of blacks and whites from the Communist Party and progressives - some 200 people - so the ban was lifted in a matter of two or three days. [This was] round about 1948 or ‘50. I've got the newspaper cuttings somewhere..."