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Lenny Henry with the official Black Country flag [Supplied by Steve Edwards]

FORMER HACKNEY Labour councillor Patrick Vernon has called for a recently-designed regional flag, that has a chain logo, to be replaced with a more multi-cultural image.

Vernon is stirring up a storm in his Black Country hometown because he believes the region’s flag that carries a chain logo is offensive and gives a nodding acceptance to the days when African people were shackled and enslaved as part of the Transatlantic slave trade.

The Black Country, which includes the council areas of Wolverhampton, Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall, adopted the black, white and red flag three years ago following a competition within the local community, organised by the Black Country Living Museum.

Historically, the Black Country is renowned throughout the globe for its unrivalled manufacture of chains particularly in the towns of Cradley Heath, Old Hill, Quarry Bank and Netherton, which had a virtual world monopoly on chain making.

Ironically, the poorly paid chain makers, many who were women making chains at the hearths of their own homes, were known as the white slaves of England until they went on strike in 1910 to demand better pay.

But Vernon, who was born in the Wolverhampton constituency where Conservative MP Enoch Powell once penned his famous ‘rivers of blood’ speech on immigration, feels the logo should be replaced with a more multi-cultural image.

He told The Voice: “The Black Country factories and foundries made chains, shackles and manacles during slavery that were used in colonial Africa to enslave black people.

“The same factories employed people from the Caribbean and Asia during the 1950s and 60s on lower wages and poorer working conditions compared to their white counterparts.”

Vernon, who was awarded an OBE in 2012 for his two decades of work in health and social care, added: “And of course the chain industry oppressed the white working classes too, so I feel the use of the chain logo is inappropriate in today’s world where we know the effects of this history.”

But councillor Pete Lowe, leader of Dudley Council, told The Voice: “The Black Country flag was designed by a 12-year-old schoolgirl as part of a competition run by the Black Country Living Museum.

“The white ‘cone’ shape in the centre of the flag celebrates the area’s glass making heritage, while the chains represent the proud industrial and chain making history of the region which was the driving force behind the Industrial Revolution.

“The black and red colours used symbolise the ‘black by day and red by night’ skyline of the Black Country during this period. There was coal mining during the day and the burning furnaces at night.

He added: “Thousands of people of all backgrounds have welcomed the flag as a symbol of pride and unity for the region and it has been flown throughout the Black Country and beyond. It’s seen as a flag of unity.”

Patrick Vernon

“We hope this resolves any misunderstanding caused by comments made by people who are not familiar with the background of the flag’s creation and the reality of what it stands for.”

The Black Country Festival, which runs events in the region throughout July, celebrates Black Country Day on July 14, which is the anniversary of the invention of the world’s first steam engine, the Newcomen Engine, built in the Black Country in 1712.

Festival chairman Steve Edwards told The Voice: “If Mr Vernon had a problem with the Black Country flag maybe he should have spoken directly to me or the now 14-year-old girl who designed the flag when she was 12 years old.

“Why would Mr Vernon feel the best way for him to get a response is to contact the press?

“It’s easy to try to disrupt the multicultural festivals we are putting on by pointing out a negative angle but maybe Mr Vernon should applaud the black and white communities of the Black Country for our achievement.

“The truth is, there is no offence intended to white people or black people in the flag design because like the flag, the festival is for everyone. We live in a proud multicultural society.

“The chains made here were also used for many positive things. The chain makers who were underpaid (black and white people) went on strike in 1910 for a better wage.”