School you - Winifred Atwell

Friday evening I was minding my own business watching the One Show on BBC1. It was already an episode that had caught my attention.  Not only did it feature one of my heroes, Lord Robert Winston, talking about coping with the lose of his father, but, the show's special guest was the beautiful Naomi Harris, another lady who I have a definite girl crush on, talking about her part in James Bond, fashion and her up and coming role as Winnie Mandela in The Long Walk to Freedom - the Nelson Mandela biopic.

Naomi (middle) with One Show presenters Chris Evans (left) & Alex Jones (right)

About 2/3's of the way into the program they featured a women I had never heard of, Winifred Atwell (1914-1983).  This Trinidad born British pianist achieved some remarkable things in her life.   When she moved to the UK in 1946, she gained a place at the Royal Academy of Music, becoming the first female pianist to be awarded the Academy's highest grading for musicianship.  She later went on to be the first Black person to have a UK number one in the singles chart, the first British artist to sell a million records and then to have 2 other consecutive million selling hits, another first.   Over her career, Winifred Atwell sold in excess of 20 MILLION records!

Here's Winifred and one of her most popular hits 'Five Finger Boogie'

Winifred also enjoyed International fame.  When she moved to Australia in the 1960's her celebrity prompted the Australian government at the time, to give her special dispensation from their racist immigration laws and allow her to make the country her home. While there Winifred was outspoken about Racism in the country and fought to highlight the injustices towards Aboriginal Australians.

Winifred getting her hair did in her salon

These are just a fraction of Winifred Atwell's achievements.  They're made all the more impressive by the fact that Post-WW2 immigration to Britain, from it's colonies, had resulted in Racial tensions and many ethnic minorities faced considerable prejudice.


I was pretty damn impressed by Winifred already and then the One Show dropped this nugget....Winifred opened what's believed to be the UK's first salon catering to Black women in Brixton, in 1956.  In the package, hairdresser Errol Douglas comments on the significance of this. 


Unfortunately the original building on Railton Rd, where Winifred's Salon once stood, is no longer there.  Ironically it was burnt down in the 1981 Race Riots.

You can watch Friday's One Show HERE on iPlayer as long as it's up.  The segment about Winifred starts from 21.14 mins.


How have I never heard about this remarkable woman! Have you?!



Kanika x