The story of Anguillian Norwell Roberts is an amazing one and shows the resilience that Anguillians are known for. He was the first black police officer in London when he joined the force in 1967. The book, that was released on June 9 2022, tells of his experiences and the racist problems he faced in the UK at that time.
He went to England , in 1956, at the age of 9 to join his mother who had travelled a couple of years earlier to find work, like many Anguillians at that time. They lived in Bromley, Kent, where he went to school. He was the only black pupil and when he passed his 11+ exam, that would normally mean a place at the grammar school, the headmistress told his mother he could not go as “he had to learn English ways.” So he went to a secondary modern school where the pupils injured him in order to out the colour of his blood. He says in the book that he wishesdeveryone could see their faces when they found it was red.
When he finished school he worked at Westfield College and had all the qualifications for Chief Technician , but then he saw an advert for the police force and applied and took up the position in 1967. He gained much media attention, at the time, and writes in his book that the first day he reported at Bow Street police station the sergeant told him he would make sure that he never passed the probation period. His life in the police force included much racial abuse, harassment and persecution from colleagues, but he persevered became a Detective Sergeant – and in 1995 received the Queen’s Police medal for distinguished service.
In the book he describes the many difficulties he faced at that time in England. His fellow officers stole or damaged his uniform. They told him where to park his car and then he found it had been towed away. Hks car was damaged many times – and walking down the street people called him many names. However, he stood strong and did not let the people get to him.
At one time he felt like giving up but knew he was not a loser so continued. Eventually he started to make friends with the public and especially mentioned Covent Garden where he joked with many of the stallholders. He enjoyed being on the beat and gradually was accepted. He mentored a few other black police who joined the force later.
Norwell said that he knew being London’s first black police officer was not going to be easy – but nothing prepared him for what he had to go through. He says that the aim of his book is not to make people feel sorry for him but rather to describe how things were in the sixties and seventies so we can learn from them. “I often find myself disagreeing with people who say Britain is as racist as ever. Anyone who says that has no idea how bad it was to live as a black person in London back then.”
His advice in the book is “stick to it” – and that certainly paid off for him and his successful career in the police force. He retired in 1997.
– Contributed
