Patti Flynn (born Patricia Maude Young, 1937 – 10 September 2020) was a jazz singer, author, model and social activist. She was a founder and patron of Black History Wales. In 2019 she was honoured with the Ethnic Minority Welsh Women Achievement Association's (EMWWAA) Lifetime Achievement Award.

Early life

Patti Flynn was born Patricia Maude Young in 1937 in Sophia Street, Cardiff. She was the youngest child of seven to Wilmott George Young and Beatrice Young (née Silver). Her father was merchant seaman from

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

and her mother was from Cardiff. Her father came to Cardiff during the 1920s and during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

he lost his life when his boat was torpedoed. When she was one year old, the family moved to 40 Pomeroy Street and she later attended St. Mary's School in Clarence Road, Cardiff. The family also lived in North Church Street, which is close to the Church of St Mary the Virgin and St Stephen the Martyr in

Butetown Butetown (or ''The Docks'', cy, Tre-biwt) is a district and community in the south of the city of Cardiff, the capital of Wales. It was originally a model housing estate built in the early 19th century by the 2nd Marquess of Bute, for whose t ...

. She went on to have a career as a jazz singer, and was a contemporary of

Shirley Bassey Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey (; born 8 January 1937) is a Welsh singer. Best known for her career longevity, powerful voice and recording the theme songs to three James Bond films, Bassey is widely regarded as one of the most popular vocalists ...

, who was also born in the area of

Tiger Bay Tiger Bay ( cy, Bae Teigr) was the local name for an area of Cardiff which covered Butetown and Cardiff Docks. Following the building of the Cardiff Barrage, which dams the tidal rivers, Ely and Taff, to create a body of water, it is re ...

. She was also an author, radio actress and was co-founder of the Butetown Bay Jazz Festival.

Later life and death

In later life she lived in the Cardiff suburb of Fairwater

She campaigned valiantly for 26 years to have a monument erected and together in 2019, Patti Flynn,
Uzo Iwobi Uzoamaka Linda Iwobi ( Companies House form IN01 (Appointment to register a company) for Race Council Cymru, full name Uzoamaka Linda Iwobi. The form is accessible at the entry for 28 November 2011 Incorporation born 7 February 1969) is a Bri ...
and Race Council Cymru worked with Deputy Minister and Chief Whip
Jane Hutt Jane Elizabeth Hutt MS (born 15 December 1949) is a Welsh Labour Party politician serving as Minister for Social Justice since 2021. She has served as the Member of the Senedd (MS) for the Vale of Glamorgan since 1999. A member of the Parli ...
MS, Cllr Susan Elsmore,
Cardiff Council Cardiff Council, formally the County Council of the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Cyngor Sir Dinas a Sir Caerdydd) is the governing body for Cardiff, one of the Principal Areas of Wales. The principal area and its council were established ...
, Royal Commonwealth Society Wales, British Legion and British Armed Forces represented by Colonel Jonah MacGill and the stone masons organised to have the monument installed. Patti Flynn wrote the words on the face of the monument and in so doing ensured that her legacy and the selfless sacrifice of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic service men and women in Wales will never be extinguished". - Black History Wales

In 2019 she was honoured with the Ethnic Minority Welsh Women Achievement Association's (EMWWAA) Lifetime Achievement Award, at the same time as her friend Humie Webbe who also won awards. She was also a founder and patron of Black History Wales. Patti Flynn died of cancer on 10 September 2020, aged 83 years.

Bibliography

* ''Fractured Horizon: A Landscape of Memory/Gorwel Briwedig: Tirlun Atgof '' 2003

Discography

Album

Singles

References

External links

Patti Flynn talking about her life to Diverse Cymru
{{DEFAULTSORT:Flynn, Patti 1937 births 2020 deaths 20th-century Black British women singers 20th-century Welsh women singers People from Butetown Musicians from Cardiff Welsh people of Jamaican descent British women jazz singers Welsh jazz singers