Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Remembering Oluwale: A timeline
A public history project by students in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences
David Oluwale was a British Nigerian who lived in Leeds for most of his adult life. He arrived in the city after stowing away on a cargo ship. Oluwale’s life in Leeds was not a happy one. He was twice detained in a psychiatric hospital, served various short prison sentences and lived rough for most of the 1960s.
David Oluwale drowned in April 1969 after being assaulted by two police officers. His death briefly caused a national scandal but was mostly forgotten until the release of police files thirty years later.
This website shows how his life has been remembered. It charts a long running campaign for justice and the cultural legacy it has left behind.
He was victimised but refused to be a victim...
David Oluwale’s story is deeply upsetting. During his time in Britain, he was the target of incomprehensible brutality at the hands of people whose job was to protect. His story highlights histories of racism, destitution and the limits of care within the post-war welfare state. Where appropriate, we touch on issues that may cause upset.
But David Oluwale’s story also shows the power of resistance. Oluwale refused to be a victim despite facing a campaign of harassment. And his story has been used to promote social justice in the years since his death.
We have organised this website as a timeline to show how David Oluwale has been remembered since 1969. The entries were mainly chosen on the strength of their reach and impact. But we have also tried to reflect the variety of ways that David Oluwale’s story has been told.
The timeline shows that memory is fallible. David Oluwale’s death may have caused a national scandal in the early 1970s, but he was virtually forgotten in the 1980s and 1990s. It is only in the last fifteen years that his name and story have been recovered. This is reflected in the gap in the timeline entries.
Timeline of events: 1969 - 2023
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1971An unfair trialAbout the trial
Geoffrey Ellerker and Kenneth Kitching were convicted of assaulting David Oluwale at Leeds assizes. The trial was widely reported. But most of the media failed to portray Oluwale fairly, stripping him of his character and humanity.
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1972"For Oluwale"About the artwork
David Oluwale’s story inspired the artist Rasheed Araeen to produce two pieces of art, For Oluwale (1972-75) and For Oluwale II (1988).
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2007"The Hounding of David Oluwale"About the book
Kester Aspden’s book on David Oluwale revitalised interest the case and led to a stage play that brought Oluwale’s story to life.
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2017King David OluwaleThe carnival tribute
The Leeds West Indian Carnival is a celebration of Caribbean and culture. Its 50th anniversary used David Oluwale’s story to make a political point about migration.
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2021BBC Radio documentaryAbout the documentary
A radio documentary aired on BBC Radio 4 about David Oluwale’s life and the way he has been remembered.
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2023A positive memorialAbout the memorial
In 2023, David Oluwale’s story will be central to the way Leeds looks at itself.
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1969A body in the riverThe death of David Oluwale
David Oluwale’s body was discovered in the River Aire in May. There was little investigation into the circumstances of his death and he was quickly forgotten.
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1972Voices of protestAbout the protesting voices
Leeds United Football fans and the poet Linton Kwesi Johnson made their voices heard about the death of David Oluwale.
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2007The David Oluwale Memorial AssociationThe founding of the association
Since its foundation, the David Oluwale Memorial Association has engaged communities with David’s story and campaigned for a permanent memorial for him.
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2008The first plaqueAbout the plaque
The first memorial plaque for David Oluwale, created by the FWords poetry collective.
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201950th anniversary eventsAbout the events
Leeds remembered David Oluwale 50 years after he was hounded into the River Aire.
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2022A blue plaque for David OluwaleAbout the Blue Plaque
A Blue Plaque in memory of David Oluwale was unveiled in April, stolen in a racist hate crime and replaced in October at a defiant unveiling event.
Developed in partnership with:
The David Olawale Memorial Association
History Courses at Leeds Beckett University
