Solihull: Industrial & Skilled Labour
From Lord Bill Morris’ trade union legacy to Dr Beverly Lindsay’s community entrepreneurship, Black workers have always been the heartbeat of Britain’s infrastructure in transport, healthcare, and skilled labour. They powered cities and challenged inequities, making space not only for themselves but for all who followed. Today, Legal & General’s investments in communities and social infrastructure continue this journey rooted in respect, legacy, and belonging.
“Trade unions are not just economic organisations; they are instruments of social justice.” – Bill Morris
The West Midlands, including Solihull, has long been the beating heart of British industry. From car plants and foundries to the NHS and public transport, Black workers played a pivotal role in post-war economic recovery. After the Empire Windrush docked in 1948, thousands of Caribbean and African men and women arrived in the Midlands to meet urgent labour shortages. They built Britain’s cars, staffed its hospitals, and kept its buses running.
But they also faced entrenched racism. In Birmingham and Solihull factories of the 1960s and 70s, Black workers were often restricted to the hardest, lowest-paid jobs. Trade unions became arenas of both exclusion and solidarity. Campaigns for equal pay, fair treatment, and dignity at work were fierce, and Black trade unionists became central to wider struggles for racial justice. Bill Morris, who arrived from Jamaica in 1954 and worked as a bus conductor, rose through the ranks to become General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers’ Union in 1992, the first Black leader of a British trade union.
The industrial Midlands has since evolved into a hub of advanced manufacturing and digital engineering. Black professionals now contribute to cybersecurity, healthcare IT, and logistics, ensuring that the backbone industries of the Midlands remain globally competitive and resilient. The legacy of Black labour in Solihull is not only one of hard work but of leadership in demanding fairness, challenging discrimination, and transforming unions into forces for social justice.
1948 – Empire Windrush brings workers filling NHS, transport, and manufacturing shortages.
1950s – Caribbean and Asian migrants power Birmingham’s car industry (Jaguar, Rover) and foundries.
1960s – NHS hospitals in Solihull and Midlands staffed by Caribbean nurses and doctors.
1962 – Commonwealth Immigrants Act restricts entry; unions defend Black workers’ rights.
1968 – Enoch Powell’s Birmingham “Rivers of Blood” speech sparks anti-racist resistance.
1970s – Black union activists in Midlands campaign for equal pay and against shop-floor racism.
1980s – Decline in industry leads Black workers to diversify into service and tech roles.
1992 – Bill Morris becomes General Secretary of TGWU; first Black leader of a UK trade union.
1999 – Unite union formed; Morris’s legacy influences inclusivity in labour representation.
2000s – Midlands advances in manufacturing technology; Black IT engineers secure supply chains.
2010s – Regional cyber-security clusters emerge, protecting transport and manufacturing industries.
2020s – Black professionals lead in healthcare IT, logistics, and cyber resilience in the Midlands.