Oral History with Yvonne Shelton

00:00 Introduction – performer and studio artist, community project facilitator. Raised in Hulme/ Moss Side/ Rusholme.

Learnt to sing in the church choir. One of the first groups to have an agent. Contacts led to work in recording studios. Labels asked her to be a feature singer.

02:13 Now divorced from her first husband. Moved to Stockport after their marriage. Met through the choir.

03:45 Choir sang with famous performers . Practiced all weekend for church services on Sundays.

05:03 Reminisces about the high profile of her husband’s band .

06:06 About Stockport: has supportive neighbours, but sometimes feels ‘uncomfortable’. Describes family’s participation in WW2 and settlement in Old Trafford – a diverse neighbourhood. Contrasts with her experiences of overt racism in Stockport.

09:52 Prejudice at college and university. Felt a target as the ‘only person of colour’, and as someone with a public profile.

10:45 Mum loved reggae, jazz and blues. Remembers grandmother’s family home in Chorlton. Relatives brought their children to live in the UK ‘bit by bit’. Rented out rooms to earn an income.

12:19 Attended Levenshulme High School for girls. Mum became pregnant early so wanted her daughters to avoid doing the same. Yvonne has no children of her own, but step-children of her husband’s.

12:35 Mum came to live with her uncle in the UK. Worked in the mills. Buoyant job market. Grandmother as landlady; collected rents and worked at Smith’s crisps . Used to confiscate son’s wages. In those days women had ‘swag’.

14:33 Sunday dinners, Saturday soup, Friday night fish. ‘Replenishing’ food at weekends.

15:30 Family members attended school; diverse student body, continuing friendships. One of a minority to enter further education. Studied Fashion. Tempted to leave after a placement year in industry. Frustrated by the lack of support from her employer. Worked as a designer after graduation.

18:02 Employed as a session singer throughout university. Used to having an income. Bought a car with her first design job; loved the independence, was able to bypass abuse at the bus stop. Didn’t discuss racism with family and friends for fear of offending them or looking ‘a wuss’.

20:28 Mixed feelings about living in Stockport.

22:26 Young people in rural areas want to escape to the big city. Similar attitudes in outer areas of the borough. Problems with drugs. Founded various groups to help young people through music. Recognises her own progression from choir to education to career.

28:55 Began organising events in Stockport. Seen as an outsider by black youth leaders, treated negatively. Persisted anyway – as a positive role model. Worked with Aba Graham for Black History Month.

31:52 Today’s media means young people are less willing to ‘put up with it’. Labelled ‘an angry black woman’ for taking a stand. Feels her home is a bolthole. Has coached a number of young, successful singers. Feels humbled by their achievements/ expressions of gratitude.

36:40 Didn’t understand the significance of Blossoms road sign or the Blossoms pub . Got a call asking her to sing on various tracks for the band and the album went to #1.

39:38 Feels more of a facilitator than a star. Enjoys session work at studios and gigs. Proud of her upbringing and achievements.

44:40 Sings excerpt from ‘Out of the dark, into the light’.

45:39 The importance of archiving black history. Also contributing to a heritage project about Strawberry Studios . This project is ‘a long time coming’. Feels humbled to be remembered.

47:53 Describes some changes in Stockport. ‘England is a shared space, let’s get on with