Former Raleigh head office becomes 400,000th listed building
The former head office of the Raleigh Cycle Company in Nottignham has been named as Historic England as the 400,000th listed building in the UK.
The building has been listed at Grade II by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) on the advice of Historic England.
Raleigh was the world’s leading manufacturer of bicycles when the head office was built in 1931 – at its largest the company produced over one million bicycles in a year across a 60 acre site.
The factory was also the focal point for a challenge to the racially-selective employment policy of many of Nottingham’s biggest companies, which resulted in the factory becoming one the city’s largest employers of African Caribbean workers.
Duncan Wilson, Historic England’s chief executive, said: “The List is a treasure trove of special historic places that demonstrates the rich variety of England’s history. Reaching 400,000 entries is a milestone – it confirms just how important our heritage is and how much deserves protecting for future generations.”
Jeremy Wright, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said: “The National Heritage List for England tells the story of our past, and the people, places and events that shaped it. This landmark highlights the huge diversity of historic places that we have protected and the integral role heritage plays in our culture.”
The Howitt building is one of the last tangible reminders of the 100 years Raleigh spent in this part of Nottingham. Despite the closure of the factory, the history of bicycle manufacture on site is still visible – the front of the building has decorative panels showing putti (cherubic children) holding bicycle parts and using the tools of the trade, mimicking a production line.
The putti were sculpted by Nottingham-born artist Charles Doman and modelled on the architect Thomas Cecil Howitt’s son Ian. Locally they are known as ‘the little Ians’.
The building also has an important place in the history of the African Caribbean community in Nottingham. Oswald George Powe, a leading member of Nottingham’s African Caribbean community and an activist for racial equality, campaigned for change to Raleigh’s racially-discriminatory employment policy.
Having failed in negotiations with the company, Powe sought the assistance of Jamaica’s first premier, Norman Manley, who promptly placed an embargo upon bicycle imports from England.
This action helped change the company’s employment policy and led to Raleigh becoming one of the largest employers of African Caribbean workers in Nottingham.
Now known as Lenton Business Centre, the building houses office space, the Marcus Garvey Centre and the Marcus Garvey Ballroom, both named after the celebrated activist, journalist and poet who became Jamaica’s first national hero.
The centre provides support facilities for older members of Nottingham’s African Caribbean community and the spacious concert hall was re-opened in 1981 as a music venue known fondly as ‘the Garvey’.
