Forum Topic

Windrush Day

As it's the 72nd anniversary of the arrival of the Windrush at Tilbury Docks I thought I'd post these pictures taken at an exhibition in Grays Library (near Tilbury),  October 2018, to note the 70th anniversary. (I originally posted then to Facebook and they've been transferred from there so they aren't documented.)https://flic.kr/s/aHsmNZT4vw

Michael Ixer ● 2115d7 Comments

Thanks,  Maxine. 

Michael Ixer ● 2112d

Sorry Michael I've just seen this. I always thought that it was only people from Jamaica as part of her majesty's commonwealth were windrush passengers. Martinique is French caribbean I thought along with Guadeloupe. It feels like it's muddying the waters a little :-)

Maxine Campbell ● 2112d

The British Library has a webpage devoted to the Windrush stories: https://www.bl.uk/windrushWhen their Windrush exhibition opened I was at the launch event and met an elderly gent with a story of his own. He was in his 90s and had emigrated from Jamaica a few years before the Windrush sailed  He joined the army and served for 20 years then settled in London. He hadn’t had immigration difficulties thanks to his army record but he had been very upset and hurt by the scandal which had erupted just before. But what a dignified and generous-spirited man he was. A credit to this country and an honour to meet him.

Jonathan Callaway ● 2114d

Hi Maxine. Glad you liked the post. Could I ask your view on something, please? When I first posted this on Facebook in Oct 18 a friend and I were discussing the fact that one flag (the one with white snakes and accross on blue below) was associated with Martinique, a former French colony and now an overseas department of France. Hence, it didn't seem directly related to the Windrush story. We wondered if the exhibition organiser was looking at a pan Caribbean theme disassociated from the colonial divisions, or trying to associate experiences of colonialism and immigration between Britain and France? Or in our ignorance are we completely off the mark? (Or over analysing it as I've sometimes been accused of!) https://flic.kr/p/2jeiJ5c

Michael Ixer ● 2114d

I understand that the Home Secretary Priti Awful is making a statement in the Commons this afternoon.Nick

Nicholas Evans ● 2114d

Yes, thank you, Michael.

Richard Carter ● 2115d

Thank you for those Michael

Maxine Campbell ● 2115d