Black History Month
Profile of Gloucester City
Gloucester is the county town of Gloucestershire and in 2001 the city proper had a population of 123,205. However the built-up area extends beyond the city boundary. The 2001 census gave the population of the whole "Gloucester Urban Area" as 136,203.It is located on the eastern bank of the River Severn, approximately 100 miles north west of London. It is sheltered by the Cotswolds to the east, while the Forest of Dean and the Malvern Hills rise prominently to the west and north west, respectively.
Gloucester is a port, linked via the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal to the Severn Estuary, allowing larger ships to reach the docks than would be possible on the tidal reaches of the river itself. The wharfs, warehouses and the docks themselves fell into considerable disrepair until their renovation in the 1980s. They now form a public open space. Some warehouses now house the National Waterways Museum, others were converted into luxury residential apartments, shops and bars. Additionally, the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum is located in the Custom House. The port still houses the most inland RNLI lifeboat in the UK.
The traditional industries are match works, foundries, railway carriage and wagon works, printing, timber yards and sawmills, chemical works, rope works, flour mills, engines and agricultural implements, and boat and ship building yards. The modern industries include aircraft, nylon, frozen foods, and others. It is today predominantly a prosperous city based on a diversity of industry.
Gloucester is twinned with Metz in France, St Ann in Jamaica, Trier in Germany and Gouda in the Netherlands.
Gloucester has a very strong cultural identity and socialising here has traditionally been based around pubs and social clubs which reflect the rich ethnic, political and manufacturing mix of the city. At weekends the streets around the Cross are full of groups of young people moving between 30 pubs and 4 nightclubs. But it also has one of the best arts centres in the region, a growing community of artists and four museums full of two million years of history. The Three Choirs, Cajun, Blues, and Carnival festivals attract huge and enthusiastic audiences. Blast in November brings a massive shot of art to the city with exhibitions, installations and performances.
Jamaican Sports and Social Club
The club was set up in the 60s to accommodate the needs of the large and lively West Indian community.
All the top Jamaican acts, including Desmond Dekker, Millie Small and Ken Booth, have squeezed onto their stage in the last 40 years. Until recently DJ club nights drew a new generation from all over the region, but unfortunately the club has now closed down.
Barton & Tredworth
Population: Around 3,225
Just outside the gates of the city, Barton was created during the Civil War.
Royalists established the Gates of Gloucester but left an area outside which grew up as Barton.
Around 45 different communities live side by side in the area which, despite being outside the city centre, displays the characteristics of an inner city area.
The main street has a diverse shopping offer including an Asian and continental grocery store.
Barton is made up of Victorian housing, with some Georgian, Edwardian and modern homes.
There is also some sheltered housing and flats. It is within walking distance from the city centre.
It is estimated that there are around 50 languages spoken in Barton & Tredworth including:
English
Bengali
Gujrati
Polish
Portuguese
Punjabi
Swahili
Urdu
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