Page 23 - Herioter 2021

An example of an EJ Oxley lithograph E.J. Oxley (holding the ball) in Heriot's colours
EJ Oxley: an excelled in art and sports’. A simple message
A 2015 Scotsman article marking the 125th
anniversary of Heriot’s rugby highlighted the
artist and a tragedy of the racial bias he experienced: ‘Oxley to us all: stop
was a brilliant sevens exponent.
racism
‘Sadly, he lived in an era when the colour of
sportsman your skin meant that despite being outstanding
on the field he never did stand out when
the selectors met. The flanker should have
been Scotland’s first black player in 1935, 75 In their assembly, Kuzamium Dangata and
Kenzie Murray encouraged pupils to simply
years before Joe Ansbro put that one to ‘stop racism’. They offered four pieces of
Edwin James Oxley attended Heriot’s from 1921- bed.’ advice that are listed below.
27. Oxley was a talented artist and sportsman, After leaving Heriot’s, Oxley became a litho We need to make the effort to play our
playing in both the rugby and cricket teams at artist at Morrison and Gibb printers in Edinburgh. part in celebrating black history and achieving
Heriot’s. Oxley was captain of Raeburn and the The library owns one of his litho prints – a view racial equality in our society.
School rugby team. He continued to play rugby of the school. Oxley also painted watercolours, We can do this by educating ourselves
for the FP team up until the 1940s. Oxley was mostly of Scotland’s coastlines. They are still sold about black history so that we can know how
described in the Doomsday books as ‘courteous, in auction houses today. to effectively contribute to change.
We should appreciate and respect the
culture and heritage of our friends and fellow
Saroj Lal: a students
We must call out racist jokes or slurs. Racist
teaching pioneer jokes aren’t jokes.
These principles, in turn, helped pupils write
their own commitments and pledges.
Saroj Lal – the mother of one of our School
Governors and grandmother of Isha Saini
(S5) – was one of the first BAME teachers in
Edinburgh and taught at South Morningside
Primary School from 1970-73.
She went on to become director of
Lothian Racial Equality Council and was the Saroj Lal
inspiration for many initiatives involving racial the trust of orthodox Asian parents and
equality in Edinburgh. Saroj was the first encouraging girls to pursue their education
Asian woman in Scotland to be appointed a by creating the Asian Cultural Girls’ Club at
Justice of the Peace. Drummond Community High School and the
Writing her obituary in The Scotsman, her Continuation Course at Telford College. As
son, Vineet Lal, said: ‘Saroj’s achievements Kaliani Lyle, former head of Citizens Advice
were all the more remarkable given what Scotland, said: ‘Saroj was a feminist – bottom
was predominantly a male world and an line. A woman who cared for and about other
often sexist environment. Yet she clung women. She embodied it, lived it, practised it.’
to her long-held principles, striving to win Decades before #MeToo.’

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