Celebrating Windrush

Following the Second World War people from the Caribbean arrived to help in the post war reconstruction. They became known as the Windrush Generation. You can learn more about their experiences in Britain here. .

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In the early part of the 20^th Century, Britain was at the height of her Imperial power. By 1920 there were at least 412 million British subjects spread across the British Empire which covered nearly one-quarter of the earth’s total land area. Britain used these subjects and land for her wealth and global influence and in times of great need Britain would reach out to her subjects across the Empire to help with the war effort in both the First and Second World Wars.

Following the end of the Second World War Britain once again reached British subjects overseas to help with the post-war reconstruction. In 1948 the Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury docks carrying some 492 British subjects from the Caribbean. Arriving as teachers, nurses and engineers to take up the jobs that the local population did not want these new migrants were also poets, musicians and artists whose influence would go on to rewrite what it means to be British.

Despite arriving as Britons, it was not until the immigration act of 1971 that these Britons have to choose between adopting the nationality of a newly independent country or Britain these Britons received a hostile reception being treated as foreigners, unwelcome guests. From the outset, the Windrush generation and others had to struggle to be accepted and have their contributions acknowledged.

Bernie Grant MP was at the forefront of these calls and you can explore here how those calls were made, and the response to these calls.