Windrush generation: UK marks 75th anniversary of Caribbean arrivals

By Mehmet Solmaz

BIRMINGHAM, England (AA) - The Windrush generation is a term used for those original pioneers who came from across the Caribbean to help to rebuild the UK following the Second World War.

Thursday marked the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush cruise ship bringing one of the first large groups of post-war West Indian immigrants to the UK.

The ship first docked in England on June 22, 1948 at the Tilbury Docks in Essex, bringing people from the Caribbean who answered Britain’s call to help fill post-war labor shortages.

Events, including musicals and photography exhibitions, have been taking place across the country including in London, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Bradford, Bristol, Ipswich, Edinburgh and Cardiff, to mark the anniversary.

A flag resembling the Windrush has been raised in hundreds of locations including at the Houses of Parliament and the Home Office, all Network Rail stations and in many hospitals, schools and universities.

In his message, King Charles said it is “crucially important” to recognize the “immeasurable” difference the Windrush generation has made to Britain. He then met 300 young people, descendants of Windrush pioneers, at a special service at Windsor Castle.

The King said those arrived from the other side of the ocean had suffered and went through many difficulties.

“When they arrived on our shores with little more than what they were able to carry with them, few could hardly have imagined then how they, and those that followed them, would make such a profound and permanent contribution to British life.”

A 'Walk of Witness' event also took place from the Windrush memorial statue at Waterloo Station in London. The crowd then continued towards the Southwark Cathedral while singing songs.

- 'Windrush scandal'

Britain was shook with the ‘Windrush scandal’ in 2018, when it was revealed that many British citizens, mostly from the Caribbean, were denied access to healthcare and benefits and threatened with deportation despite having the right to live in the UK.

At least 83 people who arrived before 1973 were wrongly deported and many more were unable to work and denied access to benefits and healthcare.

Officials were forced to defend a decision to destroy thousands of landing card slips recording the arrival of Windrush generation immigrants into the UK.

The then government apologized for the wrongdoing and subsequently announced a compensation scheme to pay those affected.

Although the scheme is available to people of all ages and nationalities who had suffered due to being unable to prove their legal right to live in the UK, it is being highly criticized for being too complexed and slow.