Historical Attitudes in UK

A story I'm working on is going to involve characters meeting people - predominently from Britain (the island off the coast of Europe, so there's no confusion about what I mean by the term) - from different time periods.

One of the characters is going to be a young woman of African descent, born in London in the early 1960s, grew up through the 60s, 70s and 80s (her "present day" is around mid-to-late 80s). East End, working class family.

She, and the other protagonists, will encounter people from various historical times from the reign of King Henry I up to people from her own recent past.

Problem: I'm not a woman of African descent who grew up in the London of the 60s-80s, nor have I travelled to different parts of Britain's history.

I would be grateful for any help regarding the attitudes she would have encountered growing up and the sort of attitudes she's likely to encounter amongst people in earlier times.

I don't want to sugar coat everything and have everyone she encounters espouse 21st Century ideals of equality, nor do I want to go to the equally inaccurate polar opposite of assuming everyone's going to treat her like rubbish.

I'd like accurate, realistic reactions based on those times - or at least a good reading list of books that would help me.

I dare say that for some people, her sex would be more of an issue than her colour, for others the reverse may well be true. Or the issue may be her "Cockney" accent and obvious working-class attitude, or her style of clothing (bearing in mind she's not likely to be changing her clothes from mid-to-late 80's fashion).

Doesn't anyone have any advice or reading lists that would help me understand the culture throughout the ages?

You might want to give Buddy a look. It gives a pretty good view of the British working/under class in the 80's (black minorities included).

Or at least I assume it does (I wasn't around in the 80's so I can't really say how accurate it is , but it was on the curriculum when I was in school, so someone must think there's something to it).

edited 23rd Jul '14 4:13:39 AM by Bisected8

Cheers for that, I'll see if my local library has a copy or can get it on Interloan.