Windrush Festival
Celebration, Rememberance & Gratitude
On the 21 June 1948, HMT Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury Docks on the river Thames bringing migrants from across the world including 539 Jamaicans, who came to the UK as British citizens. Following World War II there was a severe labour shortage, so people from across the British Empire came "home" to the "Motherland" to fulfill roles which had been advertised in their local newspapers.
The skills listed ranged from domestic house keeping to engineers and scholars.
The vast majority of the migrants settled in London with other destination such as Liverpool, Birmingham and Manchester seeing smaller numbers arrive.
These migrants filled a vital role in the labour market and were also the first large scale African diaspora migration to the UK, making them courageous trailblazers of note.
In 2013, Windrush Initiatives was the first organisation in the UK to hold an official festival in recognition of these adventurous elders, and the contribution they have made to the beautiful tapestry of communities we now have in the United Kingom.
The skills listed ranged from domestic house keeping to engineers and scholars.
The vast majority of the migrants settled in London with other destination such as Liverpool, Birmingham and Manchester seeing smaller numbers arrive.
These migrants filled a vital role in the labour market and were also the first large scale African diaspora migration to the UK, making them courageous trailblazers of note.
In 2013, Windrush Initiatives was the first organisation in the UK to hold an official festival in recognition of these adventurous elders, and the contribution they have made to the beautiful tapestry of communities we now have in the United Kingom.
Windrush Festival Gallery
