Jamaican High Commission United Kingdom

Jamaican high commission

Diaspora Affairs

UNDOCUMENTED CARIBBEAN AND COMMONWEALTH CITIZENS RESIDENT IN THE UK

Windrush Fact Sheet

Windrush Communication Pack

The 1944 Hurricane and flood caused significant damage including the loss of 40% of coconut crop in Jamaica. The majority of coffee and pimento crops in St Thomas were also destroyed. The lack of synergy between Jamaicans aspirations and employment opportunities, meant that the chance to travel to England (advertised in the Jamaican press) was met with enthusiasm.

On the 28th May 1948 some 500 (officially 492) paying passengers, boarded the Empire Windrush (Windrush) on its way from Australia to England via Jamaica. The fare per passenger was £28.10s (£600 today). Passengers included former World War 2 (WW2) servicemen some of whom who hoped to re-join the RAF. The Windrush passengers disembarked at the port of Tilbury, London (England) on 23rd June 1948. With no place to stay, they were given underground shelter in Clapham South, a couple of miles from Coldharbour Lane in Brixton. It was a journey of discovery that changed passengers lives forever.

During the seventy years in Britain, the Windrush Generation endured riots in Birmingham, Nottingham, Notting Hill and other manifestations of unfriendly and racist behaviours. In spite of the ignorance, the Windrush Generation (of diverse backgrounds, faiths, educational attainments, experience and skills) exceeded all expectations. Women and men from the West Indian Islands and African countries became the backbone of the manufacturing industry and the National Health Service (NHS), transportation, undertaking menial, dirty, heavy lifting and dangerous, but, essential work. Many who had attained higher education and training qualifications were denied access to suitable employment. Notwithstanding the hardship, the Windrush Generation settled and developed communities in and around factories and hospitals in accessible and affordable but poor accommodations. Soon they were able send for loved ones, children, families and friends. Some found friendship and marriage with local women and men. They persevered, raised families, built strong friendships and relationships, found independent places to worship and develop socially, culturally and politically. With the aid of Partner saving and lending scheme and later High Street Banks, many were able to purchase houses to secure their families and friends until they too could buy a house.

The contrast to the social and cultural challenges experienced is that the Windrush Generation came from strong, vibrant and loving communities (cities, towns, districts), with clear sense of identity, respect and the unspoken culture: “it takes a community to raise a child” - education and faith being the core of communities. In short, English/British culture failed to understand and fully support the development of Windrush Generation thereby missing the fundamentals of building thriving and sustainable communities.

Currently, there are only a few areas the Windrush Generation has not penetrated and excelled in. Their presence can be found in all areas and levels of British life, including arts, sports and culture, commerce and business, faith and politics, military and police, education and academia, health, medicine and social-care - whilst continuing to support the growth of Jamaica through the above alongside tourism, remittance and land and property development.

The Windrush Generation has indeed left an indelible mark across the canvas of the UK enabling continued development in Britain and Jamaica. For more than seventy years the Windrush Generation has made significant and personal sacrifices advancing and developing Britain as a sustainable place to live, work and raise families.

For information about what undocumented long-term residents of the UK need to do to obtain documents showing their status in the UK, please visit the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/…/undocumented-commonwealth-citizens-res…