17 Apr – 11 May 2025
Frontline 1984/1985
Victor Wedderburn
A fascinating exhibition exploring Black Bradford in the ’80s.
Black Bradford in the 1980s is brought vividly back to life in local photographer Victor Wedderburn's first exhibition.
Victor Wedderburn Jr arrived in the UK from Jamaica in 1971 at the age of 16, joining his Windrush Generation parents here in Bradford. When redundancy took his job at Crofts Engineers in the early 1980s, he used his pay-off to buy a second-hand camera and film developing kit, then set about documenting life in the city.
Frontline 1984/1985, the first ever exhibition from this self-taught photographer, vividly evokes Afro-Caribbean life in Bradford 40 years ago. From Lumb Lane landmarks such as Roots Record Shop and the Perseverance Hotel to sound system parties and anti-apartheid marches, these photographs tell a story that’s sometimes written out of Bradford’s history.
Don’t miss this powerful evocation of a lost era – a striking snapshot of a community that Victor Wedderburn knew from the inside out.
About Loading Bay
Loading Bay is a brand new pop-up arts venue in Bradford City Centre for Bradford 2025.
It’s set to open in March 2025 with an action-packed programme – join us on Duke Street as we bring a true Bradford 2025 buzz to the heart of the city.
With thanks to Checkpoint - Bradford's West Indian Community Centre, Dominica Association Bradford and Windrush Generations UK for their support of this project
Lead image: © Victor Wedderburn
