Oral History Project - Winston Norton

The Oral History Project episode today is a conversation between Winston and Tyjae, both men of colour who have spent time in the care system.  

Winston was placed in care with Barnardo’s at the age of three, after his father, a soldier who had been stationed in the UK during WW2, returned to the US. He grew up in foster care and spent his teenage years in William Baker Technical School, known as Goldings, a residential school run by Barnardo's in Hertfordshire. The school is known, among many things, for providing all the Wimbledon ball boys between 1946 to 1966. Winston was one of them. 

He’s talking to Tyjae, a young man from London, who attends our Youthbuild Academy in Lewisham. He, too, spent time in care in his early years.

In this conversation, they each share their experiences of racism, Winston explains his involvement in his local Black Lives Matter protests and the hope he feels seeing young people’s interest in politics and social justice, and Tyjae, who is an aspiring musician, gets to play Winston some of his music. 

The purpose of this type of conversation is to give 2 people, one older and one younger, the chance to compare and contrast a shared life experience.

They get to swap some of the wisdom and knowledge they’ve gained on their respective journey’s, and we get to learn something too.

Disclaimer: In an effort to keep the authentic voice of the guests, this episode contains language that may be considered offensive to some listeners.