A Front Room in 1979

Crochet was taught to young women in the Caribbean by Christian missionaries. The pieces displayed in the room belonged to Michael’s Mum, Letha, and family friends Cynthia and Linda, who, like many Caribbean migrant women, made pieces to supplement their income.

Crochet doilies, Credit: Jaron James

By the 1970s, many of the objects used in the home such as telephones, radios, toys and ornaments were made from plastic. Seen by many as the material of the future, plastic was celebrated for its low cost and endless uses, and little concern was paid to its environmental impact until the end of the century.

Plastic in the home, Credit: Jaron James

Class and ethnicity play an important role in the design and content of this home. Front rooms in the homes of many Black Caribbean families were filled with objects and colourful patterns drawn from a tropical palette, a style distinct from English interiors of the time.

Filled to the brim, Credit: Jaron James