Trace and Tell your Family's Empire Stories
Introduction
Adrian Lester was born in Birmingham in 1968 and is an established figure in both the UK and Hollywood, having received critical acclaim in film, TV and theatre roles. He starred in four series of the BBC drama 'Hustle'. His film credits include 'The Day After Tomorrow', 'Primary Colors', 'Born Romantic' and 'Love's Labour's Lost'.
Stories of Jamaica and its colonial past have resonated throughout his life. Though he is British by birth, Adrian's family came to Britain from the Caribbean island of Jamaica when it was under the rule of the British Empire. The key to his family history is Adrian's grandfather James, who returned to live in Jamaica in 1990.
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Adrian Lester's story will be broadcast on Channel 4 at 9pm, 6th August, 2007. After the broadcast, you will be able to read his full story here. You will also be able to watch the entire show online using 4od: http://vodapp.grid.channel4.com/c4links-web/VODLi
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The show will be repeated on More 4 at 9pm, 12th September, 2007.
Time: 19:13 Date: Aug 07, 2007
This is what I wrote on my Facebook Walls: : : Did you see? 07.08.07 : : : : Empire's Children / Channel 4 / 06.08.07 21.00hrs Having watched one Empire's Children the previous week and found it fascinating and compelling viewing, I thought I'd come back for some more. Last night's episode featured actor Adrian Lester as he recounted the struggles of his family as he retraced its history. He interviewed members of his family as well as searching public archives to discover how the social integration of immigrant Jamaicans fared in 1950s Britain. Some of the recounts of social exclusion were really quite appalling, yet, the new settlers took it with good grace and this to me is highly commendable and worthy of admiration. I am not sure whether I would have been able to take such a measured approach. In fact, I think if I had to face some of the nonsense that they had to put up with, my brief encounters with people would have ended very quickly with two words, ending in OFF! There were pictures of the era from a Jamaican photographer of the period - a true custodian in recording, in pictures, the events of the time. The photographs were absolutely excellent in terms of technical accomplishment as well as capturing the tenure of the times. The programme concluded with Lester reflecting, sat at the table. He had gone to Jamaica to meet his grandfather, and sadly, only to lose him to illness shortly afterwards. He said this about his grandfather's good grace in the face of hardship and adversity. He told him: "It's the best lesson that you could give a young man." He remembered the moment clearly as he recalled that his grandfather brushed his compliment aside and asked him if he wanted a cup of tea. Lester finished off by saying: "He heard me, yeah, he heard me." Very touching indeed. Copyright Fai Lee 2007 http://channel4.empireschildren.co.uk/
By failee98