Richard’s link to an African Heritage is through his Barbadian grandfather, a blacksmith who came to Hull in 1917. He speaks about his father’s remarkable war years and then later when Fred Weeks (his father) in partnership with his uncle (Harry Weeks) became entrepreneurs who developed the Weeks trailers that became used around the world. Richard recollects his childhood and early adulthood which changed immeasurably when both his father and uncle died prematurely. He talks about making up a personal history that was entirely untrue until it was revealed to him at the age of twenty one that he had Black ancestry. His story captures three generations of his family.

This interview was recorded as part of the ‘African Stories – Contemporary Voices’ project. You can read a full transcript of this interview over on the African Stories website by clicking here.