Our project is called Children of the Windrush Generation. Funded by the Windrush Day fund and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Fresh Arts C.I.C produced and recorded the testimonials of British Caribbean’s who arrived in the UK as children as part of the Windrush Generation. The project gives insight into the affects of migration and the experiences of people who arrived as children during a definitive period of British history.
We explored the themes in the videos with children and young people in school and produced a school resource pack.
While some were able to travel with their families, many who boarded the Empire Windrush had to leave behind their children while they searched for work and saved enough money to bring them over to the UK. It could take up to 10 years to do this. These children were often left in the care of relatives, such as aunts, uncles, grandparents and even older siblings who may have only been teenagers themselves. Some never saw their parents again.
Many parents kept in contact with their families by sending letters or through phone calls. To support their children, they would often send back barrels filled with food, clothing, school supplies and other necessities which they may not have been able to provide if they had stayed in the Caribbean. Sometimes, entire households or communities were supported by people who had migrated to the UK. The barrels themselves were often repurposed and could be used for storage, to collect rainwater or halved and used to plant herb gardens.
Some children that were eventually reunited with their parents found it difficult to build a relationship with them, having had little physical contact with them for many years. Younger children often struggled to understand how they could be left behind and would often refer to the people who raised them as their mum and dad.
Fitzroy Anderson was born 1951 and lived in rural Jamaica with his aunt after both of his parents left to find work in England in the late ‘50’s. By age 10, he was working the land and looking after the livestock when he was not at school.
While living with his aunt, he experienced colourism and was told not to play with his lighter skinned siblings as he was considered ugly due to his darker skin tone.
Fitzroy came to England in October 1964 knowing nothing of England apart from what his mother had told him – it was cold and dark.
Why do you think it exists particularly amongst Caribbean people?
Beverley Goddard-Brown was born in 1959 in Font Hill, Saint Thomas, Jamaica. Her parentswent to England when she was 9 months old, leaving her in the care of other family members. She lived predominantly with women on a large plot of land that had several houses they all shared.
Beverley hadn’t thought much about her parents until she came to the UK in 1965. She lookedto her Godmother as a mother figure while living in Jamaica and then to her grandmotherwhen living in England. She didn’t develop a maternal bond with her mother until later in life.
Marcia Burke was born in 1959 in Saint Thomas, Jamaica and grew up in Port Antonio where cruise ships docked, and water sports were available. She lived in a house on stilts with a veranda and outdoor kitchen with her grandparents and had no memory of her parents growing up.
Marcia came to England, like many children of the Windrush generation, on a young passenger travelling alone ticket. She found it difficult to adjust to life in a new country with parents she didn’t really know.
Marie Anderson was born in 1951 in Kingston, the capital of Jamaica. She grew up in alarge tenement yard with multiple families. There were lots of children to play with andlots of leisure facilities available.
Marie’s mother left for England when Marie was 11 or 12 years old. She planned to work in theUK for 5 years, save money and return to Jamaica to build a better life for Marie and her brother. Marie missed her mother very much but received letters and gifts from her regularly.
Pauline was born in 1960 in Kingston, Jamaica.
Her parents travelled to England when she was 4/5 years old, leaving her in the care of her grandparents until she came to England aged 8.
Pauline’s parents initially had a 5-year employment plan that enabled them to move back to Jamaica but there was not much opportunity for them to progress due to systemic racism. Pauline remembers pondering with her mother on what life might have been like if they stayed in Jamaica.
Born in 1959 in Kingston, Jamaica, Winsome Johnson moved to the countryside to live with her aunt when her parents left for England. There was no electricity or running water in the houseand they relied on rainwater for drinking, cooking, cleaning and bathing. However, they lived off the land and had access to fresh produce and livestock. Her aunt grew her own coffee whichshe sold to other locals and tradesmen.
Winsome Johnson came to England alone as a child and had not met her parents beforehand.
Godfrey was born in 1958 and lived in a small rural village in Saint Thomas where most of hisextended family also lived. He grew up with his siblings under the care of his aunt and uncle.
Though he has no recollection of his parents before he came to England around the age of 7, he describes his life in Jamaica as ‘idyllic’. His uncle gifted him with calves, foals and fillies and he enjoyed spending time outside playing with them.
He describes his childhood and teenage years as a time when he was bored and had no guidance. He and his friends were racially profiled, frequently harassed by police and criminalised.
Despite this, Godfrey became a successful businessman and has worked with people from all over the world.
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Fresh Arts Education is one of the UK’s premier LAMDA providers for schools. We provide LAMDA lessons during lunchtimes and after school on an individual, small group or large group basis. We can enter all of the children for the exams taking away administration from the school. All of our LAMDA specialists have at minimum a 3 year BA honours in drama or performing arts, they are then trained by the Fresh Arts head office to deliver the LAMDA syllabus.
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