Windrush statue unveiled
Anew statue honouring the Windrush generation has been put up in London’s Waterloo station. The
National Windrush Monument was unveiled to the public on
Windrush Day, 22 June.
Who were the Windrush generation?
The Windrush generation is the name used to describe the hundreds of thousands of people from the Caribbean who moved to Britain between 1948 and 1973.
The group is named after the Empire Windrush, a ship that brought around 800 people from the Caribbean to the UK in 1948. At that time a new law was passed, called the British Nationality Act. This stated that people who lived in British colonies (countries then run by Britain) were British citizens and could live and work in Britain. At the time, Britain needed to rebuild following the Second World War (1939–1945). Organisations such as the National Health Service (NHS) and London Transport recruited workers from the Caribbean and other former colonies.
What does the monument show?
The National Windrush Monument was created by artist Basil Watson. The statue depicts a mother, father and child arriving in London after coming to Britain by ship. Talking about the statue, Watson said, “I’ve seen people moved to tears because their tremendous contribution to the development and culture of Britain is being recognised in this way.”
How did people react?
The unveiling of the statue was attended by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as well as Basil Watson and Baroness Floella Benjamin. Professor Gus John turned down his invitation because he said the UK Government was responsible for racism that “has violated the human rights” of many people in the
UK. Others have criticised the statue because they say that instead of spending money on a monument, the Government should be making sure that people affected by the Windrush scandal (see panel) are compensated. However, Government minister Michael Gove said the statue was a “profoundly moving moment” for the Windrush generation.