The Great British Scandal Of the ‘Windrush’ Generation

by Neil Bamforth

In 1948  the Empire Windrush – which is a ship incidentally in case you didn’t know – brought over the first immigrants from Jamaica and the West Indies to help rebuild Britain after the devastation of WWII. Caribbean immigrants continued to arrive throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s right up until the early 70’s when fewer started to come over. The hard work of these Caribbean people considerably hastened Britain’s recovery from the deprivation of the war years.

They came over to Britain for a better life.

Yes, it could be argued that leaving countries such as Jamaica with its tropical climate and golden sands and laid back way of life for a country that was generally cold and raining a lot wasn’t necessarily a sensible option but, the quality of life they could have in Britain clearly outweighed Britain’s lousy weather.

They didn’t always get a particularly warm welcome. Boarding houses often had signs outside reading ‘No Irish and No Dogs’. Many amended said notices to include ‘No Blacks’. Welcome to Britain eh?

Fortunately Britain slowly made headway in changing the attitude of the boarding house owners albeit they failed to change the attitude of Enoch Powell and much of the police force. Still, getting the signs removed was a start and at least it allowed people to take their dogs or their uncle Patrick on holiday with them.

Throughout the 50’s and 60’s the Caribbean immigrants worked hard, paid their taxes and settled down in Britain, generally becoming British citizens.

In fact, without the Caribbean immigrants, England wouldn’t have a decent football team or win many medals at athletics. In fact, we’d probably be 1,000th in the international football world and lucky to get a Bronze for tiddlywinks.

But it isn’t just sporting prowess that the Caribbeans brought to our shores. Whilst many were happy as bus drivers and factory workers – essential for our economy – many went on to further education and doctors and lawyers were the result.

Throughout the time the Caribbean immigrants have been here there has always been racism and color prejudice. It’s certainly not as bad now as it was in the 60’s and 70’s. The 80’s were probably something of a nadir too. Racism and color prejudice hasn’t gone away but, they are, at least, significantly reduced to earlier decades.

We now, in Britain, are amidst what can only be described as an absolute scandal – If I could think of a more serious description that wouldn’t include offensive language I’d use it. An abomination?

People who came over on the Empire Windrush and have lived happily in Britain for 60 years or more are being threatened with deportation. I kid you not.

How has this happened?

Well, apparently, some parents didn’t fill in some bits of paper in 1952 or 1965 or whenever. As a result they and, sometimes their children, are now being told they are to be returned to The Caribbean.

No matter that the parents have worked in Britain for 50 years. No matter they have paid their taxes and into their pensions. No matter that they are as British as you or I – well, not you if you’re American obviously – no matter that their children have served in Britain’s armed services. No matter that they are clearly British.

They either forgot or didn’t know, they should have filled in a bit of paper in 1957 or whenever.

The British government, via Prime Minister Theresa May, have finally started apologizing to these people. Some were literally removed from their homes and placed in detention centers – we don’t yet know whether any have actually been deported. I hope not but it is a very great worry.

The Prime Minister apologized for Britain’s Home Office causing ‘anxiety’ to these British Caribbean people.

Anxiety? ANXIETY?????

You receive a letter out of the blue after living and working here for 60 years or more telling you that, unless you can prove you are British you are about to be taken from your home to a detention center and then deported to a country you left with your parents at the age of two.

I suggest that might cause a wee bit more emotional turmoil than a touch of ‘anxiety’.

On the plus side. Now this has been made public – apparently, it’s been going on for several years and nobody noticed – the public backlash has forced the Home Office and the government to hastily sort it out. Supposedly it will be done and dusted in a couple of weeks.

How did nobody notice? I think I would have noticed if my excellent British Caribbean neighbors a few doors up had been dragged from their homes in the middle of the night to be taken to a detention center. How can this have happened in a clandestine way? It must have been clandestine to be hidden for so long.

A lady in her 70’s said she was so frightened she didn’t know what to do. Her daughter had to sort it out. Apparently, nobody was interested in her plight. Really? Nobody in the media?

Well, slightly bizarrely, The Daily Mail seems to have stuck its ore in on the side of these people. Normally you would have expected The Daily Mail to help them onto a ship back to the Caribbean but credit where it’s due I suppose.

Extraordinary that we genuinely had no idea.

What a shameful way for Britain to behave.

I’m clearly not lost for words or I couldn’t have written this but, metaphorically speaking, I am lost for words.

Where in the hell is this country heading? Well, if this hadn’t come out, I suppose some would be heading for the Caribbean like it or not.

Un-bloody-believable.

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