01. Westminster Tournament, 1511
This is the earliest known image of a person of African descent living in London. 'John Blanc' first appears in the records in 1507 as a musician at the court of Henry VII paid 8d a day. He is seen here at a tournament to celebrate the birth of a son to King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. (reproduced with permission from the College of Arms)

- Go to next image
- Go back to 'Celebrating the Black Presence in Westminster' home page
Was this useful?
Whatever your interest, Westminster City Council welcomes and encourages you to get in touch with suggestions for improvements to the site. Please tell us how useful this page was to you.

