Windrush helped shape our multi-ethnic society
The 75th anniversary of the Windrush is like a Diamond Jubilee for modern, diverse Britain.
In June, we are celebrating four generations of contribution, legacy, struggle and positive change.
It is a moment to look to the future too, at how we address the challenges to come.
And it is something that local councils – both in our most diverse areas and in those that have seen far less change over the past 75 years – will be looking to acknowledge and celebrate.
The HMT Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury docks on 22 June 1948, bringing more than 800 passengers from the Caribbean to start new lives in the UK.
It wasn’t the only ship that made the journey – or even the first, in fact – but it is the Windrush that has come to symbolise the post-war Commonwealth migration to Britain that has shaped the multi-ethnic society we share today.
The Windrush 75 network was set up in 2022, with the aim of bringing together those institutions, organisations and individuals who want to ensure that the 75th anniversary is marked in a significant way.
Many local councillors are among our members.
It also aims to bring together, in one place, listings of all the events happening across the country to mark Windrush 75 – so media producers, prospective partners and interested members of the public can easily find them. So, if you’re holding an event, do let us know!
The anniversary comes at a time when our public and political debate about issues of migration, race and history can sometimes be angry and polarised.
It also comes on the back of the Windrush scandal that denied people their rights, with many still waiting for compensation.
From my experience over the past five years since the scandal broke, in 2018, I know that many local authorities have started to recognise Windrush Day.
I have supported a number to develop motions at full council, recognising and endorsing Windrush Day and supporting the Windrush generation’s rights to access justice to resolve their status and make a claim through the Windrush Compensation Scheme.
Some have reviewed housing policies and made representations direct to the Home Office on the scheme’s failings.
The campaign continues and needs support from local councillors to lobby for the Windrush Compensation Scheme to be removed from the Home Office and managed by an independent agency, to restore trust and confidence.
Meanwhile, research from the think tank British Future finds that conversations about Windrush 75 don’t tend to get caught up in divisive ‘culture war’ debates.
“The anniversary can be a moment to bring communities together”
Most people, of all backgrounds, think that this is an important moment in British history – and something that all of our children should learn about at school.
So, the anniversary in June can be a moment to bring different communities together to celebrate our shared history.
The Windrush story carries particular meaning for the UK’s Black Caribbean community, of course: for many of us, myself included, it is part of our family history and one we want to pass on to the next generation.
But the Windrush is part of Britain’s wider story, too, helping to explain who we, the British people, are today. So everyone is invited to the party.
It is also a moment for all of our institutions, local authorities included, to consider how far our society has come in the past 75 years and what progress we need to see in the quarter-century to come.
Councils will rightly want to celebrate the work they have done to serve and represent our diverse communities.
They should also look at where more work is still needed to promote equality and inclusion: both internally, such as representation among councillors and senior management; and externally, in the areas they serve, such as addressing inequalities in housing, health, education, economic development, and arts and culture outcomes.
Windrush 75 is an opportunity to deepen the public conversation about the past, present and future of Britain.
It is a chance for every sphere of British society – from sport and culture, health and transport, to government, both national and local – to reflect on how we have changed and where we want to go.
The home of the Windrush Generation
Councillor Jacqui Dyer (Lab) is Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economy and Equalities at Lambeth Council
In Lambeth, the home of the Windrush Generation, the council has worked with community groups to create an extra special celebration throughout June to mark the 75th anniversary of the HMT Empire Windrush arriving in Britain.
The Empire Windrush landed on 22 June 1948, with many of the arrivals spending their first month in rented lodgings in the deep shelter underneath Clapham South Tube station in our borough, before settling in Brixton, the site of the nearest labour exchange.
This began the area’s long and celebrated association with Caribbean culture.
Today, Windrush Square sits at the centre of Lambeth in recognition of our links to the Windrush Generation. The national Windrush Monument is in the north of our borough, at Waterloo station, also because of its significance in the Windrush story.
To honour this, there will be a special parade on Windrush Day itself, from Brockwell Park to Windrush Square in Brixton.
Because Lambeth is the first home of the Windrush Generation in the UK, and because the contribution of the Windrush Generation and their descendants has been so significant over the past 75 years, we, as a borough, are focusing on highlighting and celebrating their legacy.
The Windrush 75 anniversary in Lambeth will be an educational, inclusive and engaging celebration that highlights their huge contribution and builds a legacy of learning, sharing and respect into the future.
Lambeth is proud to be the home of the Windrush Generation and has run annual Windrush Day events to share the history, stories, and experiences of the Windrush Generation and their descendants, to ensure their legacy is both recognised and celebrated.
This year, the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush is particularly significant and we have worked with our community to channel their creativity, to share their stories and involve our young people in learning about this important chapter in our national history.
There is a brilliant network of organisations across our borough with which we are working to ensure Windrush Day 75 events have their own uniquely Lambeth flavour.
- If you are organising an event to mark the 75th anniversary of Windrush, please email [email protected] to get it listed on on the Windrush 75 network’s events page.