Lunchtime Talk: 'Charlie Hutchison: Life of a Black British anti-fascist'

‘Charlie Hutchison: Life of a Black-British anti-fascist from Oxfordshire’

Born in Eynsham in the outskirts of Oxford, Charlie Hutchison was raised in foster care and then an orphanage. Despite these difficult beginnings, he went on to lead a remarkable life: as a young man, he became involved in politics and trade unions and fought against the British Union of Fascists at the 1936 Battle of Cable Street.

Later that year, Charlie enlisted as a volunteer in the Spanish Civil War on the side of the anti-fascist forces, joining approximately 2,500 volunteers from the British Isles. He returned to the UK in 1939. During the Second World War, he served across Britain, the Middle East, and in mainland Europe with a unit delivering life-saving supplies to Nazi concentration camp survivors.

Charlie later started a family and lived the rest of his life in the south of England, rarely talking about his wartime experiences. It is only in recent years that information about his remarkable life has been rediscovered, with research and school projects dedicated to preserving Charlie’s memory and honoring his legacy. MOX awarded a Peter McQuitty Bursary to local historian Dan Poole to carry out research on Charlie’s life, and we are excited to welcome Dan back to MOX to hear about his latest findings.

Tickets cost £6 and are available online via Eventbrite (booking fee applies) or at the Museum shop. Tickets for this event also include access to our Galleries.

Complimentary tea and coffee will be available to enjoy during the talk. We recommend arriving before the start of the talk if you would like to grab a refreshment.

Sales from tickets help support our work to deliver fun and accessible family activities, community engagement projects, schools workshops, exhibitions and special events for Oxford’s people in our Museum spaces.

Dan Poole is a historian of 20th century Britain and a team-member of Uncomfortable Oxford and the Oxford IBMT, and his research into Charlie Hutchison was funded and supervised by the Museum of Oxford. He is currently a post-graduate student of Oxford University.

Scaffolding at Oxford Town Hall:

From August 2025, scaffolding will be in place outside Oxford Town Hall. Both entrances to the Town Hall (main steps and level access entrance) will remain fully open and accessible while these essential maintenance works are carried out. More information can be found on our Plan Your Visit page.

Access:

There is step-free, level entry access to the Town Hall via the entrance closest to Carfax Tower (to the left of the main steps as you face the Town Hall). Inside the Museum, Museum Makers is accessible via a platform lift to the Galleries and then a lift to the basement.

Accessible toilets are available in the Museum (close to Museum Makers) and in the Town Hall on the ground floor, before entering the Museum. Please if you’d like to talk to a member of staff about your access requirements. Further access information can be found on our page dedicated to .

Photo consent:

Please be aware that photographs will be taken at this event for use in marketing. If you (or a member of your group) would prefer not to be photographed, please let a member of staff know during the event.

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