King hails ‘profound and permanent’ contribution of Windrush generation

Events are being held across Britain today to mark 75 years since the HMT Empire Windrush docked in Tilbury.

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

How is it being marked?

Events are taking place across the country including in Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Bradford, Bristol, Ipswich, Edinburgh and Cardiff.

The Windrush flag is being raised in more than 200 locations including at the Houses of Parliament and the Home Office; all Network Rail stations; more than 20 hospitals and NHS sites; around 50 local authorities; and at dozens of churches, schools, universities, theatres and community organisations.

The King is attending a service in Windsor for young people, while a separate thanksgiving service will be held at Southwark Cathedral.

A day-long programme of events is taking place at the Port of Tilbury in Essex, where Windrush first arrived – including a dawn chorus performed by schoolchildren and a steel pan band welcoming 100 NHS workers and 100 people with Windrush connections who are due to arrive by Thames Clipper in the afternoon.

The King has said it is “crucially important” to recognise the “immeasurable” difference the Windrush generation has made to Britain.

His comments come in the foreword of a book which accompanies a display of portraits that celebrate the Windrush generation.

A series of 10 new portraits will go on public display for the first time on Thursday at the Palace of Holyroodhouse after being commissioned by Charles in 2022.

In the foreword, Charles said: “History is, thankfully and finally, beginning to accord a rightful place to those men and women of the Windrush generation.

“The 10 portraits in this series, together with the tributes to other members of that indomitable generation, are a small way to honour their remarkable legacy.

“It is, I believe, crucially important that we should truly see and hear these pioneers who stepped off the Empire Windrush at Tilbury in June 1948 – only a few months before I was born – and those who followed over the decades, to recognise and celebrate the immeasurable difference that they, their children and their grandchildren have made to this country.”

He added: “Those pioneers, who arrived in a land they had learned about from afar, left behind all that was familiar to them.

“Many served with distinction in the British Armed Forces during the Second World War, just as their fathers and grandfathers had in the First World War.

“Once in Britain, they worked hard, offering their skills to rebuild a country during peacetime and seeking opportunities to forge a better future for themselves and their families.

“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.”

Charles said it is his “sincere hope” that the portrait project acts as a reminder that “our society is woven from diverse threads, each comprising stories of remarkable courage and sacrifice, determination and strength”.

He added: “Though drawn from different parts of the world, they collectively enrich the fabric of our national life and the remarkable tapestry of the Commonwealth.

“This year, as we honour the legacy and achievements of the Windrush generation, I dearly hope that we can continue to embrace differences, listen to each other’s stories, and learn from one another’s experiences.

“It is these stories that help light the path of progress and remind us of a fundamental truth: that though we might all be different, every individual, no matter their background, has something unique to contribute to our society in a way that strengthens us all.”

The portraits, which were done by black artists personally selected by the King, will be displayed for two weeks on 500 billboards and 600 shopping centre screens across the UK.

"Bittersweet moment"

Patrick Vernon, convenor of the Windrush 75 network, said the events are a chance to “celebrate the diversity of modern Britain” and to “acknowledge the legacy of those first Windrush pioneers, the challenges they overcame and the contribution they made to Britain”.

But he said it is a “bittersweet moment, tainted by the injustice of the Windrush scandal”.

What is the Windrush scandal?

The scandal, which erupted in 2018, saw many British citizens, mostly from the Caribbean, denied access to healthcare and benefits and threatened with deportation despite having the right to live in the UK.

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 Home Office apologised, Amber Rudd lost her job as home secretary and Sajid Javid was drafted in, becoming the first person from an ethnic minority background to head the Home Office.

When she was prime minister, Theresa May announced a compensation scheme to pay those affected.

The scheme is available to people of all ages and nationalities, including those from African, Asian and Caribbean backgrounds who had suffered due to being unable to prove their legal right to live in the UK.

The latest Government figures show that as of May £75.0 million had been offered, with £62.7 million of that paid out.

But the scheme has faced criticism for being complex, too slow and inefficient.

Hear the latest news on Clyde 1 on FM, DAB, smart speaker or the Rayo app.