The Windrush Story

In the summer of June 1948, a large, steel-bound ship arrived at one of London’s major ports, Tilbury Docks, in Essex.

This huge, behemoth of a ship was named the Empire Windrush

On this ship stood hundreds of people, eager to step off and onto this unfamiliar land. These people left from a part of the world very different to the one they had arrived to. Most of the passengers who stepped off the Windrush’s decks heralded from an area of the world known as The Caribbean. Stepping off this boat were men, women, children, mothers, fathers and young families. 

Many came for different reasons; some came looking for work, some came to discover adventure within an unfamiliar land; however, most came to England in order to support their families who were still back in Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and many other islands within the Caribbean. 

These were the first of a generation that came to this country to help Britain recover from the debilitated state it had been left in after the Second World War. These were the factory workers, mechanics, cleaners, bus drivers and pastors along with a multitude of different other professions and became the foundation of hard-working Caribbean immigrants during the post-war 20th century.

This generation lived, worked and raised families in relative peace until recent times, when the country that had so desperately needed them 70 years prior, decided amongst themselves, that they didn’t. 

The Scandal 

In 2012, parliament began introducing an aggressive, immigration measure called the ‘Hostile Environment Policy’, in an effort to remove citizens who were deemed not to have the necessary requirements to stay in the UK. 

A champion of the bill, the then home secretary Teresa May, stated that she wanted to “create, here in Britain, a really hostile environment for illegal immigrants.” 

A hostile environment

In 2013, the community heard of problems that had arisen in relation to the immigration status of local people. Reports were received that a growing number of Caribbean peoples had been targeted as ‘illegal immigrants’, many of these people had come from the Windrush generations who had first arrived on Britain’s shores in 1948.

One of the main problems causing this unfair treatment came from the fact many of them who arrived as children from the commonwealth were usually named on their parents’ passports and they did not receive legal documentation for their own.  

Now, 70 years later, these victims were given letters informing them that they now had no right to be in the UK, many were told they were to leave the country at once. This resulted in the loss of jobs, homes and some even losing their healthcare and benefits.

After years of injustice behind the scenes, the story finally broke into the press in late 2017 to a national outcry. 

This was the turning point.

Once the nation saw the injustice of how these commonwealth migrants had been unfairly treated, the people rallied to their cause. 

Along with other foundations, The Pilgrim Church have devoted their time, effort and members of their congregation to finding help, support and justice to the victims of the Windrush scandal. 

Our duty is to not just give these people a voice, but to make sure their voices are heard. 

main image: Getty Images