To commemorate and celebrate 75 years of the Windrush Generation, an incredible display highlighting the importance of Caribbean History and how it has significantly shaped the UK as we know it was recently installed at the JAGS library.  It has proven to be of such interest that the display has now been moved to the JAGS Main Reception where it takes pride of place and visiting guests can view it as well. 

A huge thank you to our wonderful library assistant Mrs Sherene Barnett for the time and effort that went into producing the powerful display.

It features biographies on Windrush Pioneers, recommended literature, along with an insight into the journey Sherene's family made to Britain as part of the Windrush Generation.

Sherene Barnett explains more below: 

“I wanted to produce this Windrush display, to celebrate and showcase this very significant milestone in British History. The Windrush Generation (1948-1971) played an integral role in the Britain that we know today.

“If we cast our minds back to 2018, when the Windrush scandal first surfaced as a result of the Home Office destroying thousands of “landing cards” in 2010. For many of the Windrush Generation, this was the only proof they had of their immigration status, especially those who came as children on their parent’s passport. Many elderly people were detained and wrongfully deemed as illegal immigrants and deported from the only place they knew as home. My poem We Neva Jus Come (see below) encapsulates this scandal and the many misconceptions of the Windrush Generation. They did not just come to Britain without a cause, without sacrifice, without purpose or without an invitation. It is indeed a dichotomy to the “Mother Country” that they were expecting to welcome them with her open arms and the stark reality of the “Mother Country” that rejected them on arrival.

“My display includes Windrush Pioneers, and a snippet of the journey that both my maternal and paternal family made to Britain as part of the Windrush Generation. It was also an opportunity to highlight the importance of Caribbean History and how it has significantly shaped the UK we now know.

“Collating the Windrush display was very serendipitous for me, having found out about the role Black Caribbean women played in World War II. I do recommend reading, War to Windrush: Black Women in Britain 1939-1948 by Stephen Bourne which is now available to pupils in our library here at JAGS.”

Wi Neva Jus Come

Wi neva just come

We were, implored to come

We were, invited to help rebuild Britain

We were, promised great job opportunities

We were, well qualified professionals

We were, coming to help our “Mother Country”

We were, here before the docking of The Empire Windrush

We were, treated with such mistrust

We served, alongside you, in World War II

We sacrificed, we paid the price

The stares, the prejudice, the questions, the misconceptions

Imposter syndrome, as if we don’t belong

Where are you from

No, I mean, where are you really from

We answered your call

We came, we contributed, we built, this is our home

Wi neva jus come