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On 15 December 1969, The Times newspaper
published a supplement promoting the City of Leicester titled `Leicester -A
Special Report'. This special feature reflects the optimistic stance
of the supplement and its distinguished contributors more than three
decades ago. |
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The main article in The Times
supplement on Leicester was written by the distinguished Leicester-based
historian, the late Professor Jack Simmons. His overview of the city
and its relationship with the county of Leicester was titled `Roots in the
Family Business'.
The making of shoes and socks, and light
engineering was given as the city's main industries. Simmons
described the lively market and the enthusiastic support of local people
for their principal sporting teams, Leicester City and Leicester Tigers;
and he wrote of how the character of modern Leicester is derived from its
historic past: |
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"To
a degree unusual for a great industrial town it is the product of a long
evolution, to be traced back almost continuously for two thousand years.
Apart from the sieges it suffered in 1173 and 1645 its history has been
little interrupted by violence. Its life has been a story of steady
continuous adaptation to changing circumstances and opportunities." |
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The final article in the supplement was
written by the then Bishop of Leicester, the Right Revd Dr Ronald
Williams. He spoke of Leicester's religious history, tracing it from the
3rd Century until the time he was writing, and underlining the strong
tradition of religion-based charity, citing the Elizabethan Wyggeston's
Hospital, the Mission for the Deaf and the Samaritans of the present day.
In 1969, the Bishop was also mindful of the challenge presented by
immigration, and praised the incumbent of St Peter's Church for creating
`a warm-hearted centre for those willing to be identified as Christians
(which is) at the heart of wider community efforts for the whole immigrant
community:
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"Leicester still keeps
some of its traditions, one of which is a marked spirit of good will
towards the religion it has known for at least 1500 years, and a strong
social conscience, combined with a sturdy refusal to be dragooned into too
much churchgoing or involved in too much generosity by those whose duty it
is to engage in such irritating activities" |
The veteran BBC journalist, the late Roland Orton, described the employment
prospects for Leicester people. He presented the remarkable statistic that if
every job then advertised at the local Employment Exchange was to be take by a
local person, only forty people would remain out of work.
Leicester was still
a city of relative prosperity, with textiles at its heart. However, he
noted the decline in the membership of the Leicester Footwear Manufacturers
Association, warning of future problems in that industry, yet concluded his
article on an optimistic note:
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"Whatever the future holds for hosiery and
shoes, one thing seems assured - the variety of trades in Leicester and
district, spearheaded by a thrusting engineering industry, assures a
continuance of the conditions which make it one of the busiest and most
prosperous cities in Britain." |
"The College of Art, first recognised as a regional college in 1935, is
one of the largest in Britain and offers a wide range of studies.
New buildings are springing up around the ancient Newark Gateway, a
reminder of the past as Leicester Polytechnic looks to the future."
John Watson
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"Few cities can claim to be as well placed as Leicester for
communication links with the rest of the country. Its situation in the
centre of England gives it a geographical advantage which eases travel
and assists commerce."
Edward Parkinson |
"Leicester may seem a rich prize for a shopkeeper, but it is a tough one
to take. At least one large store has been driven out by slow initial
sales. Leicester shoppers are canny and close with their money. They are
slow to take to a new store, but once their trust is won they are
faithful."
Carol Wright |
"All Leicester's
culture, though, relies heavily on the work of an enthusiastic minority.
The solid lump of citizenry remains largely indifferent to the arts and
prefers to sit glued to the television."
Michael Tate |
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"Leicester stands at the very centre of its county, which is
pre-eminently agricultural: the county of Robert Bakewell, of pork pies
and good cheeses, the sweet-sour Leicester, the noble Stilton. Much of
the produce of Leicestershire still flows into Leicester, to the great
open market at its heart."
Leicester - A Special
Report
The Times
Monday 15 December 1969
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