Marking Windrush Day

The ‘Windrush generation’ refers to people who arrived in Britain before and after 22nd June 1948 when more than 500 Caribbean migrants disembarked at Tilbury Docks having travelled on the ship Empire Windrush.

The Windrush generation were invited from the Caribbean by the UK government to help rebuild the country after the Second World War. It is estimated that around 550,000 people from the Caribbean migrated to the UK between 1948 and 1973. 

Each year, Lewisham holds a major event in the Broadway Theatre to celebrate the contribution Windrush families have made in the borough. This year, we are unable to meet in person, but instead we spoke to Rose Fowler and her family who remember stories about ‘Uncle George’. George Brown was a trailblazer, heavily involved in the local community and one of the first black homeowners in the UK. George built a life in Lewisham and took the time to share his stories which form the book ‘Windrush to Lewisham, memoirs about Uncle George’, for future generations to learn from. 

You can find the book in many of our libraries. We thank Uncle George for sharing his experiences for future generations to learn from.

Damien Egan, Mayor of Lewisham said “I am very proud of our borough’s rich and diverse cultural history. It’s what makes Lewisham so special. The Windrush generation have made an enormous contribution to Lewisham, influencing almost every aspect of our culture and modern life. Uncle George’s story is one of many, and we owe them an enormous debt of gratitude.”