Asquith Xavier

Asquith Xavier was already an experienced guard when he arrived in England from Dominica in April 1958. As part of the ‘Windrush generation’ looking for better opportunities, he answered the call to come and help rebuild the weakened British economy following World War 2. 

He gained employment with British Rail as a porter before becoming a guard at Marylebone depot in London and applied for a job at Euston station, but he received a letter telling him that his application had been rejected because at the time the station was operating a whites-only recruitment policy. 

Asquith was told that he was denied the job due to an unofficial ‘colour bar’ which operated at the station, excluding black people from working in customer-facing roles.

He demanded change and his story made its way to Parliament, and the then Secretary of State for Transport Barbara Castle.

As a result of his hard-fought battle, on 15th August 1966, Asquith became the first non-white guard to be employed at Euston Station, although he received death threats, and had to be assigned a police escort.

In 1972, Asquith and his family moved from London to Chatham, from where he commuted daily by train. Asquith’s courage and moral strength will always be remembered. He defied racial prejudice. His battle changed Great Britain. His fight for justice led to changes to the 1968 Race Relations Act, making it illegal to refuse employment, housing or public services to an individual on the grounds of their race.

A plaque in honour of Asquith Xavier, the pioneer for black equality who successfully broke the racist ‘colour bar’ at Euston station over 50 years ago, was unveiled in Chatham in Medway, on Thursday 24th September 2020.