Skip to content

Arthur France: Granddaughter's poem for 'Father of Leeds Carnival'

Halima France Mir's poem on her experience of Leeds' West Indian Carnival, which is organised by her granddad.

Arthur France started the carnival in Leeds 50 years ago in 1967.

Now his granddaughter brings her memories of the celebrations to life.

25 August 2017

Explore More

People in high-vis jackets walk next to a car submerged in floods on the left of a split screen with a snowy road on the right

Atmospheric river dumps snow and record rain on California

Science & Environment

Phone footage of a skate surfacing out of grey waves to a rigid inflatable boat.ttack the side of a inflatable

Watch the moment a skate attacks a fisherman's boat off Shetland

NE, Orkney & Shetland

Smoke billows from house fire.

Video shows flames and thick smoke at house fire

A view from an EasyJet plane window as it flies above and to the side of an erupting volcano

Plane passengers film Iceland volcano lava from above

BBC News

East of England weather forecast

Composite image of Sir Keir Starmer and BBC Radio WM presenter Kath Stanczyszyn, who is pictured wearing headphones and speaking into a purple microphone

Will there be a Birmingham pub bombings inquiry?

Birmingham & Black Country

A huge Christmas tree on a flatbed lorry in font of the US Capitol building

US Capitol Christmas tree arrives in DC

Blurred still image from video clips shows people being taken out of a car

Migrants asked to rate trip in smuggler review videos

John Darvall sat on the left of a composite image, in a purple studio with a microphone in front of him. On the right is Keir Starmer with grey hair and brown glasses.

PM challenged on West's councils facing bankruptcy

BBC Newsline

BBC Newsline signed summary

BBC Scotland weather presenter Christopher Blanchett in front of a weather map of Scotland showing snow warnings.

Watch the Storm Bert weather forecast for Scotland

Mural of The Smiths bassist Andy Rourke unveiled

Parts of West Burton A power station being demolished

Power station demolition captured by drone

Man clinging to a cliff being rescued

Moment person clinging to cliff is rescued by helicopter

A woman in a hospital gown grins on the left and a monitor lit up with lungs is on the right of a split screen.

Woman gets first double lung transplant done by robot

Ryan Borgwardt

US kayaker who faked own death thought to have fled to Europe

Ruth Dodsworth in the BBC studios in Cardiff. She is sitting on an orange sofa. She has cropped blonde hair and is wearing a fitted mauve top,

Stalking was part of my daily life, says presenter

A Christmas tree with lots of blue and green lights. A building nearby has yellow lights and a red bow so it looks like a present. You can see people stood in front of the building.

Manx capital sparkles at Christmas lights switch-on

A woman has her make up done in a Swansea salon for Beaujolais Day

'Beaujolais day is Swansea's Christmas'

A woman polished a large Gromit statue at the launch of the Gromit Unleashed 3 trail in Bristol. The statue has a multicoloured sparkly pattern. The woman is wearing a red and white shirt and a black dress over the top and she has red hair cut in a bob style

Aardman unveils new Wallace and Gromit trail

A peacock on a roof

Rooftop peacock leaves residents sleep deprived

The bird, which escaped from a farm in West Yorkshire, has been waking people up in the night.

Leeds & West Yorkshire

A bollard in front of a ramp leading up to a train

Wheelchair user unable to board train

Doug Paulley, from Wetherby, finds he could not get on the train to Leeds.

Leeds & West Yorkshire

Billy smiling at camera

Boy, 13, praised for two-year tent fundraiser

Billy has raised £3,000 for charity by sleeping in a tent every night since June 2022.

Leeds & West Yorkshire

Peter Gray

Romance fraudster victim 'felt world fall apart'

Hannah began a relationship with Peter Gray but said she was "manipulated" and later became pregnant.

Leeds & West Yorkshire

Peregrine falcon eggs

Video shows peregrine falcon emerging from egg

The moment the egg hatched was live streamed by the University of Leeds.

Leeds & West Yorkshire

A building collapsed in Leeds

Derelict building collapse prompts road closures

People are being urged to avoid the Kirkgate area of Leeds following the incident.

Leeds & West Yorkshire

Fire at derelict buildings on Birkdale Road, Dewsbury

Major fire tackled at former school site

Fire crews from across West Yorkshire tackled the fire at the former school in Dewsbury.

Leeds & West Yorkshire

Club-goer enjoying nightclub experience

SEND-friendly nightclub event launches

More than 200 people descended on the The Acapulco Club on Monday for the Easter-themed event.

Leeds & West Yorkshire

Leslie watching the football

Fan, 98, remembers club chant despite dementia

Leslie Bray is Leeds United's oldest season ticket holder.

Leeds & West Yorkshire

Aggie Curry

Miner's wife: 'We were strong and we never give in'

Aggie Currie recalls being arrested as husband Pete went on strike 40 years ago in South Yorkshire.

Leeds & West Yorkshire

Man being arrested

Moment double killer is arrested caught on video

Police release body-worn video of Marcus Osborne's arrest after he killed Katie Higton and Steven Harnett.

Leeds & West Yorkshire

Princess Anne and Rob Burrow

Princess Anne praises 'extraordinary' Rob Burrow

The Princess Royal meets the ex-rugby league player at an event at Headingley Stadium in Leeds.

Leeds & West Yorkshire

Man playing saxophone for train passengers

Sax player hits the high notes for train customers

Ex-music teacher Brendan Duffy, 67, entertains passengers on a late night service from Leeds.

Leeds & West Yorkshire

Det Ch Insp James Entwistle of West Yorkshire Police

Watch plea to mother of baby found in pub toilet

The baby was found at the Three Horse Shoes in Oulton just before 17:00 GMT on Sunday.

Leeds & West Yorkshire

Older lady with made up face

Artist gives care home residents a makeover

Charlotte Orrell says the glow-ups offer her an amazing feeling as well as cheering up residents.

Leeds & West Yorkshire

Plane landing at Leeds Bradford Airport

Pilots battle storm at England's highest airport

A flight from Lanzarote landed after a go-around during Storm Jocelyn on Tuesday night.

Leeds & West Yorkshire

Leeds Bradford Airport

Stormy landing at England's highest airport

Pilots battle strong winds to land safely at Leeds Bradford Airport during Storm Isha on Sunday.

Leeds & West Yorkshire

KSI performing at Leeds Festival in 2021

KSI 'chuffed' to be in Leeds

The well-known YouTuber and boxer is in Leeds promoting his fight company Misfits Boxing

Leeds & West Yorkshire

Stab victim in hospital with medics

Meet the medics on the knife crime front line

On-shift with the Leeds hospital team caring for knife crime patients in West Yorkshire.

Leeds & West Yorkshire

Prince William meeting Rob Burrow

William awards Burrow and Sinfield CBEs

The prince praised their "outstanding efforts" during their motor neurone disease charity fundraising.

Leeds & West Yorkshire