Many of us think that ethnic minorities in Dorset are very recent – that Dorset people saw their first black person in the Second World War when black American troops were stationed here. In fact there were Africans in Dorset from the early 17th century, if not earlier. Jews and gypsies have lived in the county for many centuries.
The history of Africans, Jews and gypsies is explored here not because they are of a different ethnicity, but because they are very much part of the history of the area. Their history has not been researched here before. We have had to ignore lots of material on other people – Irish, French, Russian – to keep everything within a reasonable size.
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We have yet to discover any portraits of black people who lived in Lyme – this is probably Olaudau Equiano, painted in the 1780s, who lived for a time at Exeter
Exeter City Museums & Art Gallery
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This exhibition, and research, was made possible by the Heritage Lottery Fund and grants from the South West Museums & Libraries Council, and the Lyme Regis Development Trust.
The exhibition has been written by Jo Draper, from research by Judy Ford; Jo Draper; Louisa Parker; Penny Bartholomew; David Badman; Bob & Frances Eliot; Jenny, Liz & Fred Humphrey and Ann White.
We are grateful to the Dorset Record Office & the Dorset County Library for much help, and to the many people who have helped us with information, photographs and ideas.
Exhibition boards designed by Christopher Chaplin, & Malcolm Yesson of Lam-Art.
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Advertising card for the first photographer to set up in business in Lyme, Jonas Walter, who arrived in the early 1860s. Jonas Walter was a Jew: when he died in 1888, he was buried in the Jewish part of the cemetery at Exeter. The photograph shows Broad Street, Lyme Regis: his shop was the first on the left. At twice original size.
Lyme Regis Museum
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Lyme people dressed up for a carnival, probably 1920s. Mostly they are dressed as gypsies, but two of the men have blackened faces. Africans and gypsies were seen as exotic, suitable for carnivals and celebrations. There were certainly gypsies visiting the town in the 1920s, but it seems no people of African descent lived in the town at that time.
Lyme Regis Museum
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