Notting Hill Carnival through the years, in pictures

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The Notting Hill Carnival returns this weekend for its 53rd time, and over the course of two days, more than a million people are expected to work their way through 25,000 litres of rum and five tonnes of jerk chicken.

The jewel of the Carnival, the world-famous parade, will see hundreds of dancers shimmy and shake in a spectacle to rival Rio.

It perhaps seems curious that a little corner of west London should come to hold such an event, and should – for a weekend at least – be the epicentre for a celebration of Caribbean culture. Its origins are, in a number of ways, remarkable. It starts with the impact of the Second World War, which had devastated Britain’s working population. In 1948, the country reached out around the world to what were then its colonies, encouraging immigration to sure-up the workforce. Around half a million of those who came over were from the Caribbean, some on HMT Empire Windrush – for which their generation were then named.

By the 1950s, both Notting Hill and Brixton had substantial West Indian populations. In fact, both areas became overcrowded, and conditions were poor: poverty riddled every run-down tenement building. There was no hot water, no electricity, and London was fraught with social unease and racial tension. Working-class whites clashed fiercely with their new neighbours, and in 1958, the Race Riots cracked the area further: from August 30 until September 5, mobs of white Teddy Boys vandalised houses and fought with residents. At the time, both Oswald Mosley's far-right Union Movement, and the White Defence League were both dispiritingly popular.

Later, in 1959, Antiguan carpenter Kelso Cochrane was murdered in a racially motivated attack, which remains unsolved. But the mood began to clear as these provocations proved a catalyst for change, with human rights activist Claudia Jones hosting the first ‘Caribbean Carnival’ in St Pancras Town Hall. Similar events followed, as Jones, who'd also founded the the West Indian Gazette, worked with husband and wife Edric and Pearl Connor to promote their movement, a celebration of their culture. Later, in 1966, two years after Jones had passed, community activist Rhaune Laslett took the idea outdoors and the first Notting Hill Carnival was born. True to Jones' ideas, its aim was to unwind the unease and promote integration. Notting Hill became, quite literally, a place for Londoners to find common ground.

Notting Hill Carnival 2018 - In pictures

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Since then, the Carnival has grown and grown to become what it is today, proudly boasting more than 30 sound systems, countless food stalls, steel and Brazilian bands alike. It is famously Europe’s biggest street party, and, true to its roots, has long had a diverse crowd dancing together. Old photos show punks with policeman, dub DJs with dancehall stars – flick through the gallery above to see a half century of history.

Happily, it shows no sign of slowing down. The weekend is as colourful and fun as fireworks, loud with the rumble of hundreds of drummers and reggae beats. It smells of barbecues kept hot and smoking all day, and of rum cocktails left out in the sun. It’s still built for everybody – for the first-timers who plan to dance all three and a half miles behind the parade floats, for the old hands who’ll be down on Colville Terrace to claim their favourite spot, and for everyone else in between. It’s said fewer than a fifth of the crowd are tourists; carnival really is real London. Grab your glitter and go.

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