Peterborough Windrush - Peterborough Museum & Art Gallery

The Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Docks on the 21st June 1948 with 1027 passengers who were allowed to disembark on the next day, 22nd June; which we now celebrate as Windrush Day, following its journey from the West Indies.

The war in Europe had been over for 3 years but although Britain had won the war it had suffered greatly in the loss of manpower and so workers were needed to replace them. Britain knew it could count on its citizens in the colonies to supply the much-needed labour and so the call had been sent—come and help in the rebuilding of the “Mother Country.” Some of those on board were ex-servicemen who had fought with Britain in the war and who were now returning in the hope that they would be able to rejoin their old regiments.

At first people were directed to the big cities and towns-London-Manchester-Birmingham and the likes but also to other places where there was a shortage in the labour force. One employer in London, British Rail recruited men to work in Peterborough and provided accommodation here for them to be housed. But other companies –Brotherhood—Baker Perkins—London Brick –The NHS also had vacancies and people came to the city to find work.

And so, the West Indian community in the city was established and has since become part of the city’s multi-ethnic community.

The ‘Windrush’ generation are those who arrived in the UK from Caribbean countries between 1948 and 1973.

Windrush refers to the ship MV Empire Windrush, which arrived in Tilbury on 22 June 1948, bringing the first large group of workers from Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and other Islands, aboard were 1027 passengers including children. Between 1948- 1973, some 600,000 people from Commonwealth countries arrived.

After World War 2, Britain needed labour to rebuild and work in vital industries. The government was committed to creating the NHS and building a new transport system. They had invited them to come from the Caribbean to the UK to help fill these post war labour shortages. These countries were at the time a part of the British Commonwealth so those arriving were automatically British subjects and able to live and work in the UK. They took up jobs in many of the areas where there were shortages, Railways, NHS, Post Office and manufacturing. At the same time as they were arriving around 650,000 people left the UK for countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

England lay before us, not as a place or a people, but as a promise and an expectation.**

(George Lemming who came from Trinidad in 1950)

**Windrush Review by Wendy Williams

Of the Windrush Generation

Cliff Walker MBE

Before moving to Peterborough some 40 years ago, had served for 25 years in the Royal Air Force; in the Far East, Middle East, Near East and in Europe. On leaving the RAF continued to work for the Ministry of Defence until taking early retirement in 1997.

In Peterborough got involved with local community activities and, on the council’s behalf, chaired its’-anti-poverty strategy and ethnic minority groups. Was a non-executive director, on both the Peterborough Hospitals NHS Trust and the Primary Care Trust Boards, a local Magistrate (and Chairman of the Bench), a member of the Independent Monitors (IMB) at both HMP Stocken in Rutland and HMP Peterborough (and the first Chairman of the Peterborough Board). He was Chairman of Accent Nene Housing Association, Chairman of Peterborough Liberals, Chairman of Peterborough Racial Equality Council (PREC) and Chairman of The Caribbean Community Association.

Nationally has been involved with the Criminal Justice organisation and served on its Liaison committees. Sat as a member of Tribunals dealing with Racial Equality matters and as a member of Mental Health Tribunals both nationally and locally.

Whilst serving in the RAF was awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) and later as a civilian was made a Member of the British Empire (MBE). Received Peterborough Voluntary Sector Lifetime Achievement Award and was appointed a Deputy to the Lord Lieutenant (DL) of Cambridgeshire.

Now almost fully retired, but is still very much involved with the Caribbean community in the city and with the West Indian ex-servicemen associations in the region. And, of course, with family and friends made over many years.

Mrs Sybil Agatha Greaves (Nee Drakes) MBE JP

Sybil left her place of birth in Guyana in 1954 and travelled to the UK. She underwent her initial nurse training (SRN) in Yorkshire Where she held her first staff nurse position in 1957. She then moved to Edinburgh for the first part of her midwifery training before completing the second part in Middlesborough. She moved to Peterborough in the early 1960’s where she has remained ever since. But why Peterborough???

Sybil was attracted to Peterborough after reading in the nursing times an advert for midwives, but more importantly with accompanying notes of accommodation availability.... it was the time when there were signs which read “No Irish..No Blacks..No Dogs” displayed where there were notices of rooms for let. Sybil got the job and was the first black midwife in the city, later becoming a nurse tutor, community midwife and health visitor. Sybil served as a school governor at the John Mansfield School for a number of years and was the first member of the black community to be appointed as a justice of the peace (Magistrate) on the Peterborough bench where she served for many years until reaching the retirement age.

She was a founder member of Peterborough race equality council (PREC) which formed at a time of heightened tension between the host community and ethnic minority groups in the city, with some of the other ladies from the Caribbean she formed “The West Indian Ladies Association” which worked hard to bring some of the Caribbean culture to the fore. She was at one time chair of the black community association which played its part in the way forward in getting the Caribbean community a home of its own – what is now The Millennium Centre.

Sybil has been involved with general community activities throughout her time in the city, with the ladies group Soroptomists international and has been its president on more than one occasion and as a representative at conferences both at home and overseas. Here in Peterborough since retiring she has continued to be involved in community activities which are of benefit to the city and surrounding areas. The Caribbean community and the people of Peterborough. In general, have much to be proud of in having Sybil as one of them, a citizen of the city.

Mr George Flake

George left his native island Jamaica when he was a very young man in the early part of the 1950’s and travelled to the UK. Unlike many others at the time he had a job working on railways, here in Peterborough, secured by his wife’s father where he worked for a number of years before moving to work at Perkins Engines.

George and his wife Miriam worked hard to establish themselves in the Gladstone area of the city where they raised their family. They were one of the first black families to have a baby in the city and with other members of the Caribbean community formed what would later become the Marcus Garvey Association which was housed in Cromwell Road. Before that the men had to find some place to meet and play their dominoes. George and the other men, some of whom were ex-servicemen were allowed by Peterborough police to use the bike shed at the Bridge Street Station, as a meeting place to play their “Doms”.

The association needed a more permanent home and soon moved to accommodation at the St. Mary’s church hall in the Eastfield area of the city, before moving to Cromwell Road and then to Dickens Street where the community now has its home, The Millennium Centre. George with others has been at the forefront of establishing the black community here in the city which is home for him and his extended family.

Mr Winston Moore - Winston came to the UK at the age of 12. After he finished school, he worked as an engineer at Hotpoint and Perkins, before working at a chemical company until he retired. Winston has three sons and grandchildren. He has been involved with the community for many years first at The Marcus Garvey Club on St John’s Street before moving over to the Millennium Centre where Winston is the chairperson.

Minister Owen Green - Born in 1923 so will celebrate his hundredth birthday next May. Arrived in the UK at 17 years old as a carpenter, for the railways and as a minister. His early memories are seeing snow up to his knees and feeling scared. Seeing signs up saying no blacks, no Irish and no dogs. He carried a flask with cornmeal porridge to keep the cold off. Written by his family ''His love for his family, people, sets the standard. Religion has always been the foundation of his life He often states, Love sees no barriers only man does that. Dad is the meaning of my purpose in LIFE when you know you know, even more so beautiful he’s my (Papa) , Father, Grandad and Great Grandad he’s our everything''

Mr Winston Dorman - Winston left Jamaica during his teenage years and travelled to the UK where he joined other members of his family in London. He had to grow up fast as those were difficult times. He later joined the royal air force and as well as on a number of bases in the UK, he also saw service abroad in the Middle East. Back in the UK he got married and started a family. Winston returned for a brief period to Jamaica before settling in Peterborough. He later remarried and with his wife and son plays an active part in the life of the community. Winston during his time in the UK has worked in a number of jobs, his last being that as a bus driver in Peterborough. Winston was one of those members of the community who had to fight for his right to remain, with his family, during the start of the Windrush scandal. They are now firmly settled, once again, here in Peterborough where they see as home.

Philip Gellizedi – Arrived in the UK in 1962 at the age of 23. Did several jobs including working at the Railway and Perkins. Spent 27 years at the Hospital.

Mrs Esmilda Jones - Came to the UK in 1961. Her fiancé brought her to the UK and she remembers seeing the snow for the first time.

Mrs B Darlington - Arrived in the UK in 1959

Winston Pierre – Arrived in the UK in 1960 at the age of 17, worked at various places including the Brickyard and Perkins Engine. Lynnette Pierre – Arrived in the UK in 1963 at age 16, worked at various places including Combex Toys, Potter and Moore Toys, Hot Point and Perkins.

Mr Taylor - Came to the UK at age 19 and worked at British Sugar for number of years.

Ken Moore – Came to the UK at 17 and worked at a company making baskets, then worked at a company making sewing machines. Following this, in the army for 4 years.

Velona Mair – Arrived in the UK in 1964. Remembers someone at London Bridge telling her ‘get back to where you belong’. General Nursing Council Midwife

Howard Mair

G Burke – Arrived in the UK at 17 and took any work he could get. His early memories were of the factories smoke.

Evena Huskisson – Came to the UK at age 18, went to college then worked as an Auxiliary nurse, also worked at British Telecom and the Passport Office, both for 15 years.

Eldon George – Arrived in the UK in 1961. Worked on the railways as a Station manager, Underground Guard, Train driver and Supervisor.

Don Kelly – Arrived in the UK at 13, went to school and had lots of problems because of the language barrier. Also having to cook outside.

Dennis Rory - Arrived in the UK in 1962 an the age of 18 and worked at Vauxhall.

Roland Joachim

Bully

Althea Dewdney

Shelia Wilson-Glean – Born in the UK. Remembers early comments like 'blackie' and running home to mum saying can you paint me.

The Windrush Scandal

The Windrush scandal became public knowledge in 2017, after many of the Windrush generation had already been deported, detained and lost their rights as British citizens. This was after Guardian journalist Amanda Gentleman had begun to report it.

It transpired that the home office had kept no records of those granted leave to remain and had given out no paperwork. In 2010 they destroyed landing cards belonging to Windrush migrants. Because they had arrived from the British colonies, many had British passports, they believed they were British citizens.

Half of the arrivals on the Windrush had been among the 10,000 Caribbean servicemen who had joined the British forces in World War Two. They were told they would have to provide evidence to continue to have rights in this country to work, receive NHS treatment and even to remain in this country. As many arrived as children they could not provide the paperwork needed as they had arrived on their parents passport or been born after their parents arrived. Thousand lost their jobs, homes, and an unknown number were deported to countries they barely remembered.

The government asked Wendy Williams, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of The Constabulary in 2020, to carry out an independent review, her report was damming.

Members of the Windrush generation and their children have been poorly served by this country. They had every right to be here and should never have been caught in this immigration net. The story of injustice and hardship are heartbreaking, with jobs lost, lives uprooted and untold damage done to so many individuals and families.

The causes of the Windrush scandal can be traced back through successive rounds of policy and legislation about immigration and nationality from the 1960’s onwards, the aim of which was to restrict the eligibility of certain groups to live in the UK.

The 1971 Immigration Act confirmed that the Windrush generation had, and have, the right of abode in the UK. But they were not given any documents to demonstrate this status.

The report makes 30 recommendations which can be boiled down to three elements; the Home Office must acknowledge the wrong which has been done.; it must open itself up to greater external scrutiny and it must change its culture to recognise that migration and wider Home Office policy is about people and, whatever its objective, should be rooted in humanity.

Windrush Lessons Learned Review by Wendy Williams, March 2020

Wendy Williams Windrush Lessons Learned Review Revisited March 2022

Two years after the publication of Wendy William’s original Windrush Lessons Learned Review report into the events leading up to what became known as the Windrush scandal. She had been asked to review the workings of the Home Office and to identify the factors that led to members of the Windrush generation being caught up in immigration enforcement measures designed for those who were in the country unlawfully, and the impact these events had on their lives.

In the report she made 30 recommendations which boiled down to three factors: the department should acknowledge the wrong which was done, it should open itself up to greater external scrutiny, and it should recognise that migration and wider Home Office policy is about people and, whatever its objective, should be rooted in humanity.

In March 2022, Wendy Williams was invited back to look at the progress made by the department in implementing her recommendations.

She discovered that by March 2022 the Home Office had:

made an unreserved apology to the Windrush generation (on the day of publication by the Secretary of State, and since individually to every person who receives compensation through the Windrush Compensation Scheme)
provided over 13,300 documents to over 11,500 individuals, confirming their status or citizenship
provided support to at least 1,568 vulnerable individuals, with 129 cases ongoing

made payments totalling over £1.3 million through the Windrush Compensation Scheme on 168 of the 1,531 claims received so far, of over £2.5 million offered
launched a new £750,000 national communications campaign targeting affected people that the Home Office has been unable to reach so far

The department sets an unequivocal and bold ambition to ensure it has “properly listened to and made amends for the wrongs suffered as a result of the Windrush scandal”. It commits to “using what we have learned to inform our future work … [so] that we can be proud of the way in which we serve the public”.

The CIP proposes that the department works with academics to develop a training programme for staff and organise events to learn from the past, reset relations with the community and “celebrate the contribution of the Windrush generation in order to build for the future”.

The CIP also outlines how the department intends to go further by setting up roundtable discussions and working with the Windrush Cross-Government Working Group (WCGWG) to “address the wider challenges that disproportionately affect people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds”.

Photography by Tony Nero

Tony is first and foremost an artist but is also known around Peterborough as a photographer.

His work is very diverse in subject matter and works in a variety of mediums such as pencils, charcoal, pastels, oils and watercolour. He undertook some formal fine arts training at the London Guildhall University but considerers himself largely self-taught.

Originally trained as a graphic designer, Tony worked in the music industry producing record sleeves and printed materials for a period that exceeded 20 years. Almost half of this time spent managing his own graphic studio.

Ever since his first solo exhibition in 2008 Tony has exhibited regularly and is very active in promoting and documenting local art in Peterborough. A long-standing, committee member of Peterborough Artists Open Studios and a part time tutor at City College.

Photography has always been a passionate hobby for Tony, spending the last 15 or so years documenting the arty and creative scene in the city. A few years ago, Tony was named Peterborough’s first Photographer Laureate, by the poets of Peterborough. During lockdown when there were no events to attend and document, Tony documented his daily walks of landscapes and nature.

Tony says ‘I’m very honoured to have taken these portraits and to be having my first photographic exhibition. Very humble to have had the opportunity to have even a brief conversation with these amazing people. I myself a child of the Windrush Generation.’

Image of Tony Nero by David Lowndes

Peterborough Windrush 2022