“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” — Coretta Scott King (wife of Martin Luther King Jr)

The Flax Mills of Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury, is the county town of Shropshire, in western England, and was home to one of the most significant early examples of industrial innovation in Britain – the Shrewsbury Flaxmill, often dubbed the “grandfather of skyscrapers” due to its iron-frame construction, a precursor to modern skyscraper technology. Built in 1797, this mill marked a pivotal point in the Industrial Revolution.

Flax, cultivated for its fibres to produce linen, was integral to British industrial growth during this period. The labour-intensive process of growing and processing flax often relied on raw materials and profits generated through colonial ventures, including connections with the Caribbean.

Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and Shropshire


Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia did not reside in Shrewsbury, UK, but he did spend time in the surrounding Shropshire area during his exile in the late 1930s. In January 1938, he visited Walcot Hall near Lydbury North, arriving at Craven Arms railway station on Tuesday January 18, 1938 for a week-long stay.  During this visit, he was also seen in Bishop’s Castle, a nearby town.  While in exile from 1936 to 1941, Haile Selassie primarily resided at Fairfield House in Bath, England.

The Emperor also spent time in other locations, including Malvern in Worcestershire.  Although there is no record of him living in Shrewsbury itself, his visits to nearby areas in Shropshire indicate his presence in the region during his exile.  He is said to have come to the area at least three times, this would have been the first visit by the Emperor of Abyssinia, as he was known then. 

 

A large crowd gathered outside the station to greet him and cheered as he left by Rolls-Royce for Walcot Hall, the home of Ronald and Noel Stevens, who were described as “well-known Midland hardware manufacturers.  “During his stay in Shropshire, the Emperor is known to have had a haircut, and played table tennis.

 

Links to Jamaica and the Caribbean


The transatlantic economy during the 18th and 19th centuries linked Britain’s industrial centres, like Shrewsbury, to its colonies. While the flax mills themselves processed flax for linen, the broader colonial network provided the financial foundation and raw materials needed for their operation:

The Role of Linen in Slavery: Linen produced in Britain, including in Shrewsbury’s mills, was often exported to the colonies, including Jamaica. It was used for “slave clothing” in plantations. The mills were therefore indirectly complicit in sustaining the plantation economy.

Capital from the Slave Trade: Many industrial ventures, including flax mills, were financed with profits from the triangular trade. Wealth generated from enslaved labour in Jamaica funded industrial projects in Britain, fuelling economic growth.

Jamaican Sugar and British Industry: The sugar trade, a cornerstone of Jamaica’s colonial economy, created demand for industrial products from Britain, such as machinery, textiles, and other goods. This cyclical trade entrenched connections between places like Shrewsbury and Jamaica.

Marcus Mosiah Garvey once said, “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”

 

Connection to The BLAC Awards


  • Innovation and Inheritance: Acknowledge the industrial innovations of the flax mills while spotlighting the untold stories of Black labour, ingenuity, and survival in the face of colonial exploitation.
  • Diaspora Connections: Celebrate the enduring cultural, social, and economic ties between Jamaica and Britain, particularly the contributions of Jamaican and Caribbean communities to modern Britain.
  • Reclamation and Resilience: Honour the strength of the African and Caribbean diaspora in transforming legacies of oppression into narratives of empowerment, much like how BLAC Awards uplift Black excellence today.

The BLAC 


BLAC seeks to highlight this intricate history, connecting the revolutionary advances of the Shrewsbury Flax Mills with the untold stories of its global impact:

  1. HONOURING the Contributions and Suffering of the Enslaved: Acknowledge the role of enslaved Africans in building the wealth that enabled the Industrial Revolution.

  2. CELEBRATING Historical Awareness: Educate visitors on the hidden connections between Britain’s industrial heritage and the Caribbean’s colonial past.

  3. EMBRACING Cultural Resilience: Showcase the enduring spirit and contributions of the African and Caribbean diaspora, whose histories are inseparable from the story of industrial progress.  

“If everyone does a little, no one has to do a lot.”  Charles Harper

The BLAC Awards