Lloyd George Newby

The policy therefore comes as a huge setback at a time when museums are working on decolonising history. Is it affirming the argument that cultural policy is becoming more democratic, but in whose interest – the statue discourse has provoked a public debate and whose side of the story would be explained, what is the authenticity, and who would it represent? Funding of museums may eventually decline and the purpose of cataloguing and preserving history if not contextualised, would be defeated. Museums may become unpopular due to inadequate or unrepresented narrations, and this can impact not only on historical capital but other forms of benefit. As attention has been shifted to activists now, would it appear as a setback for them against the common narrative, and would museums be able to accommodate this responsibility of “retain and explain” to conserve and preserve British heritage. The law to retain will be received in a way as blanket protection for all controversial monuments that outweighs key arguments of BLM in Britain which are decolonisation and systemic racism. This policy according to many critics, is a way of “cancel culture”. It is a punitive disagreement approach based on an ideological sense of cultural pride or belonging but rejecting diversity. Social media attacks against BLM and counter attacks by administrators and politicians such as former Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden who remarked that the policy attempts to “defend our culture and history from the noisy minority of activists constantly trying to do Britain down” was countered by many both in mainstream and social media. Notwithstanding, social media played a significant part in the socio-racial mobilisation against racism (social, systemic, and institutional), police brutality following George Floyd`s death in 2020. Are statues explaining a culturally homogenising nation now or has it become a way of ostracising the protection and challenges of statues standing as British heritage? Protecting and challenging would then serve as the basis of the pull and push factors for a policymaking dilemma and a tolerant intercultural society.

LLOYD GEORGE NEWBY – A ROLE MODEL

By Pa Modou Faal

Lloyd George Newby is a retired auto mechanic who emigrated from Jamaica in 1965 at the age of 17 to join his family in England. Arriving in the winter season in Derby, Lloyd recollected how he was greeted by the freezing temperatures of the winter season. Mr Newby who already developed interest in auto mechanics back in Jamaica, rested a few days before getting straight to work in the auto garage where his father was working. Since then up to his retirement, Mr Newby continued doing what he loves.

Mr Newby did not find it easy as a young black man from the Caribbean in a foreign land going through all forms of racism and unpleasant experiences like most of his compatriots at the time. One incident that really continues to linger in his memory is the racial attitude and response he received from one of his ‘white’ British colleagues when he was made the garage foreman by his boss who was on holiday. He recollected the unpleasant reaction of one of his colleagues who could not stand receiving his job description from a ‘black man’ saying ‘I do not take orders from a spade’. Mr Newby did not understand the meaning at the time until he was told to go through a pack of playing cards where the ace of spades, ‘black card’ stood out in the conversation. This moment brought him to the realities of racism and discrimination, and he said , “I was broken-hearted, he was my best friend”. Lloyd went on to work in different garages until 1995 when he bought his workshop and keeps it as a legacy for the Afro-Caribbean in the Normanton area where generations can relate to his story of perseverance, resilience, strength, self-confidence and handwork as the path to success. Mr Newby went on to be a very respectable and prominent figure in Derbyshire not only for the Afro-Caribbean and black community but the entire city at large. He works with the Police and Crime Commission of Derbyshire to improve and uplift lives of ethnic minorities and young people. He served in various capacities and functions in different sectors of the community for over three decades improving community cohesion in Derby. Mr Newby’s story did not end there because he continued to be recognised locally and nationally. He was awarded with MBE which was presented to him by Prince Charles in a divestiture ceremony held in the Buckingham Palace. Lloyd George Newby’s story is one out an inspiring one for all of us to know.