'Windrush event helps teach about merged history'

An event celebrating the Windrush generation and their stories is helping people learn about the merged histories of British and Caribbean culture.

The Black Country Living Museum held its annual Windrush Stories Day on Saturday, bringing together the stories and experiences of the Caribbean migrants who arrived at Tilbury Docks on the HMT Empire Windrush in 1948.

Sweet Sensations gospel choir, who perform at the event every year, said they often meet visitors who are shocked to hear about how black and asian people contributed to the war efforts.

Singer Katherine Thompson told the BBC: "The more people hear about the merged histories, the less prejudice and hatred will be out there."

She said: "Growing up in Britain we've learnt a lot about English Heritage. I had to go to a Saturday school to learn about my Caribbean heritage.

"So there's nice to have history where they can both merge. I didn't know there were Jamaican and Caribbean soldiers in the war until a few years ago. Days like this help us learn together."

In 1948, the British Nationality Act gave people from colonies the right to live and work in Britain to help fill post-war labour shortages and rebuild the economy.

Many of those who came became manual workers, drivers, cleaners, and nurses in the newly established NHS.

But In 2018, it emerged that the government had not properly recorded the details of people granted permission to stay in the UK, and many were wrongly mistreated.

Marcia Steele, also from the gospel choir, added: "A lot of people have tickets for the year.

"So when the event is on, they have no idea about Windrush, [then] they come and learn and get really shocked about what the Windrush generation went through."

RAF veteran, Prince Albert Jacob, 102, echoed their thoughts.

Speaking at the event, he said he felt proud seeing the community come together to honour the people behind the Windrush legacy.

He said: "The people were asked to come to this country to help. They came and did a wonderful job.

"It was hurtful to people like me to how we were treated. But I'm very pleased to see so many people of colour in the area.

"The young generation realise what we, the older generation, had to go through to put them where they are."

Carol King, Deputy CEO at the museum, said the annual event is formed from the experiences and opinions of the local community.

She said: "Its incredibly important to us to celebrate the whole of the Black Country.

"The Windrush generation had a real impact on the Black Country and the UK as a whole.

"So we want to give people a flavour of what that experience was like, but also an idea of what Caribbean culture was all about."

People took part in Jamaican dominoes, steel pan workshops and met characters portraying the stories of people who moved to the UK at the time.

The museum has also recreated the living room of a family moving into the Black Country and are urging people to come forward with their stories.

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