Belgrave Memories

The interviews carried out for the Belgrave Memories project cover a wide range of social history. Some interviewees live in Belgrave, others left years ago, and while people do talk about Belgrave's recent history there are plenty of stories and anecdotes from many years ago. In the face of so much information, the following clips can only give a very brief taste of the sort of things people have talked about.

Asmeeta Bhogatia 2.25mins [589kb]

Asmeeta Bhogatia has lived in Belgrave since 1983 and talks about the demographic changes she has noticed in the population since then.

Linda Foxworthy 2.52mins [694kb]

Linda Foxworthy moved into Belgrave in the 1980s and speaks enthusiastically of the community in Vicarage Lane and Belgrave Avenue.

Brian Morley 3.49mins [922kb]

Brian Morley's childhood was spent in the community around Holden Street and he talks about the area as he remembers it in the 1940s.

Girish Patel 3.53mins [942kb]

Girish Patel grew up in Belgrave and tells of starting school in 1958 not speaking any English. Extra tuition helped him to gain a place at the Alderman Newton School and then at Oxford University.

Rita Patel 2.16mins [550kb]

Rita Patel came to Belgrave in the 1960s and, despite witnessing instances of racism, remembers the camaraderie of her schooldays fondly.

Raymond Ross 3.10mins [767kb]

Raymond Ross is a Scot who lived in Belgrave at the end of the 1970s. He is a member of the City of Leicester Pipe Band and talks about playing at Asian weddings, and about the differences between different pipe bands' styles.

Franz Utecht 3.27mins [838kb]

Franz Utecht was a German prisoner of war who moved to Belgrave after World War II and lived there until his retirement in 1973. Franz tells how he rescued a girl who fell in the river at Abbey Park and embarked upon an illicit slipper smuggling plan.

Having trouble hearing the extract? Our technical statement should explain the source of common problems.

Sound Clips

Hear extracts from some of the interviews

Photo Gallery

Look at photographs of Belgrave and some of its people.

More information

Further information about Belgrave.

Information about the people involved with this project.

Last updated: 16/09/2007
East Midland Oral History Archive Web maintainer
This document has been approved by the head of department or section.