Every child in Regency(Bridgerton) London knew Billy Waters, the “King of the Buskers.” Born in 1770s New York, he became a Royal Navy sailor one of many African Americans who fought for the British since the American revolutionary war (1776)
After losing his leg in a 100 foot fall from the rigging, the talented and irrepressible Waters became London’s most famous street performer and lived in the St Giles/Bloomsbury area but performed along the Strand.
His extravagantly costumed image blazed across the stage and in print to an unprecedented degree. His remarkable life story was ripped off by a white playwright William Thomas Moncrieff, whose show ‘Tom and Jerry in London’ made him money while Billy busked for small change outside the Adelphi theatre where the show took place.
On the 19th November we will unveil a Nubian Jak blue plaque to recognise his legacy.
This unveiling is brought to you in collaboration with: Black History Walks, Nubian Jak Community Trust and Peabody Housing
Full programme and exact details will be sent to those who register
For more on Billy Waters see Billy Waters is Dancing by Mary L Shannon
For more on Black British Civil Rights see our book, ‘Black History Walks in London Vol 1’ (see image below) available from Jacaranda Books
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This plaque is produced by Nubian Jak and sponsored by Black History Walks.
Correcting the lack of historical blue plaques to Black people
Blue Plaques are associated with English Heritage but according to their own research only 4% of their 900 London plaques represent Black and Asian people, the percentage of Black people in London is 40% https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/about-us/search-news/diversity-blue-plaques/ In 2016 they set up an initiative to find evidence for more diverse plaques. B.A.S.A, the Black and Asian Studies Association has been submitting names and lobbying for more Black people on plaques since the 1990s.
Out of 900 English Heritage plaques in London, only 18 are about Black people or just 2%. Their blue plaque scheme goes back to 1866. English Heritage is a body that was set up in 1983. Their budget is around £180 million.
The Nubian Jak charity has unveiled 100 plaques and two statues honouring African/Caribbean people. They were established in 2006 and do not have even 1% of the English Heritage budget.
Other coming events from Black History Walks
- Black History Bus tour
- Black History River cruise
- Fighting the Slavemaster walk
- Regents Canalboat cruise
- Harlem in Mayfair walk
- Trafalgar Square walk
- The Little Mermaid’s real Black history and the books to prove it
- African Superheroes Day