Battle of Bamber Bridge 80th Anniversary, 22nd – 25th June 2023
Interviews with PBHG partners and local people, and including the speeches at the 80th anniversary festival.
Audio interviews by Bernie Velvick, Preston Black History Group, photos by Tony Maiden, Preston Black History Group. All copyright Preston Black History Group
Visit our Battle of Bamber Bridge webpage to find coverage of all of the anniversary weekend events
Clinton Smith, Chair of Preston Black History Group Interviewed Eunice Byers, aged 106, the last known witness of the Battle of Bamber Bridge. The interview was filmed and edited with thanks to UCLAN Film and Media Lecturers.
Speeches at the beginning of the Battle of Bamber Bridge 80th anniversary festival at Ye Olde Hob Inn, Church Rd, Bamber Bridge. 24th June 2023. These speeches give a great deal of information and context to the anniversary celebrations
![Prof Alan Rice, Clinton Smith, Prof StJohn Crean, Aaron Snipe,](https://www.prestonblackhistorygroup.org.uk/new/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/23-1024x683.jpg)
Chris Lomax, Mayor of South Ribble Borough Council, Prof Alan Rice, UCLAN, IBAR (Institute for Black Atlantic Research, MIDEX (Research Centre for Migration, Diaspora and Exile), Prof StJohn Crean, UCLAN Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise, Clinton Smith (Chair, Preston Black History Group), Aaron Snipe, US Embassy Spokesperson
Interviews with the partners for all the events. Many months, even years, of planning, meetings, research, and background work went into making all the events happen.
Chris Lomax, Mayor of South Ribble Borough Council
![Kim and Chris Lomax (Mayoress and Mayor of South Ribble Borough Council), Eunice Byers, (aged 106), last known witness of the Battle of Bamber Bridge and Clinton Smith Chair PBHG](https://www.prestonblackhistorygroup.org.uk/new/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/41.jpg)
Aaron Snipe, US Embassy Spokesperson
![Clinton Smith, Mayoress Kim Lomax, Aaron Snipe and Mayor Chris Lomax have a spirited reunion](https://www.prestonblackhistorygroup.org.uk/new/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/42.jpg)
Prof Alan Rice, UCLAN, IBAR (Institute for Black Atlantic Research)
![Prof Alan Rice talks to Eunice Byers about the bible she received from an American GI in 1943](https://www.prestonblackhistorygroup.org.uk/new/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/37-1.jpg)
Jemma Rodgers, Producer of ‘The Railway Children Return’ Film
![Jemma Rodgers and Prof Gregory Cooke at the Battle of Bamber Bridge plaque](https://www.prestonblackhistorygroup.org.uk/new/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/12.jpg)
Danny Lyons, ‘Brigger’ (Bamber Bridge resident), Film maker, Sculptor, and local historian
![Danny Lyons with Mayoress Kim Lomax and Mayor Chris Lomax](https://www.prestonblackhistorygroup.org.uk/new/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/44.jpg)
Prof Gregory S Cooke, Film maker and educator.
![Rev Karen Le Mouton and Prof Gregory Cooke](https://www.prestonblackhistorygroup.org.uk/new/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/141.jpg)
Rev Karen Le Mouton, Minister at Bamber Bridge
![Sylius Toussaint (PBHG member), Rev Karen Le Mouton and Prof Gregory Cooke](https://www.prestonblackhistorygroup.org.uk/new/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/50-1.jpg)
Visitors from afar and local people share their thoughts and impressions of the anniversary events with Bernie.
Sarah Locke, Landlady of Ye Old Hob Inn, Bamber
![Ye Olde Hob Inn after the performance](https://www.prestonblackhistorygroup.org.uk/new/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/461.jpg)
Eunice Evans, ‘Brigger’ (Bamber Bridge resident), niece of Eunice Byers (aged 106, last known witness of the Battle of Bamber Bridge)
![Members of Preston Black History Group with Prof Gregory Cooke, Mayor and Mayoress Chris and Kim Lomax, Eunice Byers and her family.](https://www.prestonblackhistorygroup.org.uk/new/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/40.jpg)
Ros Martin, British playwright, poet, performance artist, curator and activist, based in Bristol
![Ros Martin (writer, artist (pavement chalking) and archivist of black and working class histories) asks Gary Younge a question. With Sylius Toussaint and Bernie Velvick from PBHG](https://www.prestonblackhistorygroup.org.uk/new/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/UCLAN-BBB80-05.jpg)
Denise Johnson, Lay Preacher, Bamber Bridge Methodists
![Lay Preacher Denise Johnson and Minister Rev Karen Le Mouton](https://www.prestonblackhistorygroup.org.uk/new/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/6.jpg)
![‘Guerilla’ memorial placed under the Battle of Bamber Bridge memorial plaque outside Ye Olde Hob Inn, Church Rd, Bamber Bridge](https://www.prestonblackhistorygroup.org.uk/new/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/63.jpg)
Visit our Battle of Bamber Bridge webpage to find coverage of all of the anniversary weekend events