Explore Bermudian merchant seamen and how archives, oral histories and art recover Charles Wotten’s story before the 1919 Liverpool riots.

This Black History Month, explore the lives of Bermudian merchant seamen and uncover how archives, oral histories and creative practice are helping to recover the hidden story of Charles Wotten.

In the 1970s, Black Liverpudlians recovered the memory of Bermudian merchant mariner Charles Wotten’s murder during the 1919 Liverpool 'Racist Riots'. Details about his death, and the attacks that occurred in port towns across the nation that year, have been studied by a range of historians since. Almost a decade ago, Kristy Warren was encouraged by one of those historians, Dr Gemma Romain, to investigate Wotten’s life.

This talk explores the collaborative research undertaken concerning the lived experiences of Wotten and other Bermudian merchant seamen, such as Rev John William DeShield. It considers the potential and limits of official records with reference to family archives, oral history and art making.

Kristy Warren

Kristy Warren researches the history, vestiges and legacies of British colonialism in Bermuda, the wider Caribbean and the United Kingdom. She is especially interested in the role Caribbean individuals and groups play in bringing about change. Kristy explores these themes through collaborative research, writing, and art. She is Senior Lecturer in Black History at the University of Lincoln. Kristy also works with cultural institutions seeking to create content that better reflects the histories, experiences and desires of Caribbean people.