Windrush Wales

60 Windrush elders from Wales travel to London to showcase the documentary film they have created, sharing their powerful stories and promoting it to a broader audience.

We Welcome Windrush Wales to the National Windrush Museum –

We are thrilled to announce that on November 7, the Windrush Wales Community Group will join us at the National Windrush Museum for a historic event.

This special occasion will see over 60 Windrush elders from Wales travel to London to showcase the documentary film they have created, sharing their powerful stories and promoting it to a broader audience.

The Windrush Legacy in Wales: Migration, Community, and the National Windrush Museum

The Windrush generation, often associated with the Caribbean migrants who arrived in the UK between 1948 and 1971, has long been recognised for its role in shaping the social, cultural, and economic fabric of Britain. While much of the focus has been on the experiences of Windrush migrants in cities such as London, Birmingham, and Manchester, there is an untold history of their impact on Wales. 

This article seeks to explore the underexamined narrative of Windrush migration to Wales and highlights the crucial role of the National Windrush Museum (NWM) in preserving and promoting this legacy through its partnership with the Windrush Wales Group. The collaboration is not only documenting the contributions of the Windrush generation to Wales but is also offering new opportunities for academic research, public engagement, and cultural preservation.

The History of Windrush Migration to Wales

The Windrush era began on June 22, 1948, when the SS Empire Windrush docked in Tilbury, Essex, carrying hundreds of passengers from the Caribbean to Britain. This symbolic moment marks the beginning of large-scale migration from the Caribbean, which was spurred by Britain’s post-war need for labour. The migrants were invited to fill shortages in industries such as manufacturing, construction, and, notably, the newly established National Health Service (NHS). While many settled in major English cities, a significant number of Caribbean migrants also made their way to Wales, drawn by the promise of work in Wales' coal mines, steelworks, and healthcare services.

Wales, a nation with a strong industrial heritage, was in need of labour, especially as its traditional industries were rebuilding after the war. Cities such as Cardiff, Newport, and Swansea became hubs for these Caribbean migrants, and some found employment in the dockyards, hospitals, and factories. Cardiff, in particular, with its multicultural history due to its status as a port city, welcomed a diverse population, including people from the Caribbean. By the late 1950s and early 1960s, Welsh towns and cities had established Black Caribbean communities that integrated into the broader fabric of Welsh society, contributing to local culture and economy while preserving their rich Caribbean heritage.

The Social and Cultural Impact of Windrush on Wales

The Windrush migrants who came to Wales brought with them a wealth of cultural traditions, which have profoundly influenced Welsh society. The cultural contributions of the Windrush generation are particularly evident in the realms of music, religion, business, and community organisation.

Music and Culture: 

The Caribbean migrants introduced vibrant genres of music, such as calypso, reggae, and later ska and dub, into Welsh cultural life. Events like Cardiff's Carnival became significant expressions of multicultural identity, where music, food, and dance from the Caribbean were celebrated. This cross-cultural exchange enriched Welsh society, fostering an environment of diversity and creativity. The Windrush generation also played a key role in supporting local Welsh cultural initiatives, merging their Caribbean heritage with traditional Welsh customs.

Religion and Community: 

Many of the Windrush migrants brought with them their deep-rooted Christian faith, which played a central role in their community life. Churches became not only places of worship but also community hubs where migrants could support one another. These institutions helped Caribbean migrants maintain cultural cohesion while adapting to the social, economic, and racial challenges they faced in their new home. In many cases, the church also became a platform for activism, where migrants and their descendants organised around civil rights issues and campaigned against racism and inequality in Wales.

Challenges and Resilience: While the contributions of the Windrush generation were significant, they were not always met with acceptance. Like elsewhere in Britain, Caribbean migrants in Wales faced racism, segregation, and institutional barriers that made integration difficult. Housing discrimination, limited employment opportunities, and unequal access to public services created hardships for many. However, the resilience of the Windrush generation, who established strong community networks, ensured that they could navigate and resist these challenges while making lasting contributions to Welsh society.

The Importance of Documenting the Windrush Legacy in Wales

Despite the Windrush generation's significant impact on Welsh society, their stories have often been marginalised in broader discussions of Welsh history. This oversight not only does a disservice to the Windrush generation but also deprives future generations of understanding the full scope of Wales' multicultural identity.

Efforts to document and preserve these stories are crucial, not just for historical accuracy but also for fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion. Oral histories, photographs, personal documents, and community artefacts all serve as powerful tools to bring the experiences of Windrush migrants and settlers to life. These materials offer scholars and the general public deeper insights into the lived experiences of Caribbean migrants in Wales—how they shaped and were shaped by their new environment. This documentation is particularly urgent in light of the fact that many of the original Windrush migrants are now elderly, and their personal recollections may soon be lost if not recorded.

The National Windrush Museum's Partnership with Windrush Wales

The National Windrush Museum’s partnership with Windrush Wales marks an essential step toward to addressing these historical gaps and ensuring that the contributions of the Windrush generation in Wales are properly recognised. This collaboration comes at a time when there is increasing awareness of the importance of documenting Britain’s Black history, especially in light of the Windrush scandal and its subsequent political and social ramifications.

Through this partnership, the NWM is playing a vital role in preserving, promoting, and supporting exhibiting the stories of the Windrush generation in Wales. The museum’s involvement in promoting the Windrush Wales documentary project is a significant effort to capture the voices of 80 Windrush elders, whose personal stories illuminate the challenges and triumphs of Caribbean migrants in Welsh society. These stories, collected through oral history interviews, photography, and memorabilia, offer invaluable insights that challenge monolithic narratives of British migration and help paint a more nuanced picture of how different regions in the UK, have been shaped by the Windrush generation.

Research and Public Engagement

The NWM’s commitment to documenting supporting exhibiting the Windrush experience in Wales also opens up new opportunities for academic research and public engagement. By archiving the oral histories, photographs, and videos from the Windrush Wales project, the National Windrush Museum and the Windrush Wales Group can create resources that will be invaluable for future historians, sociologists, and cultural studies scholars. These collections and archives will serve as a foundation for ongoing research into migration, settlement, identity, race, and integration in Wales, providing rich primary sources that have often been overlooked in mainstream academic discourse.

Furthermore, this partnership allows for the Windrush story to be told not just as a national narrative but as a series of regional narratives, each with its own specificities and dynamics. Wales, with its unique industrial history, offers a different context for understanding the Windrush experience compared to other parts of the UK. The NWM”s involvement in this project underscores the importance of understanding these regional variations and ensuring that the diversity of Windrush experiences is recognised and celebrated.

Exhibition and Cultural Preservation

In addition to its role in research, the National Windrush Museum partnership with Windrush Wales will allow for a wider audience to engage with the Windrush legacy through exhibitions and public programming. Exhibiting the oral histories, photographs, and memorabilia collected during this project will help bring these stories to life for the general public, ensuring that the Windrush generation's contributions are visible and appreciated. This could take the form of travelling exhibitions, digital archives, and educational initiatives that engage schools and local communities across the UK, including in Wales, Scotland, and the Midlands.

Moreover, the inclusion of Windrush Wales in NWM’s permanent collections ensures that the Caribbean migrants’ contributions to Welsh society will be preserved for future generations. This is not only a recognition of the Windrush generation’s past but also an investment in the future, as it encourages a more inclusive understanding of Welsh and British identity.

Conclusion

The Windrush generation’s impact on Wales is a vital, though underexplored, part of both Welsh and British history. Their contributions have shaped Welsh society in profound ways, from culture, enterprise to industry to civil rights. The National Windrush Museum’s partnership with Windrush Wales is a critical step in ensuring that these stories are documented, researched, and celebrated, not just in the present but for generations to come. By collecting oral histories, photographs, and memorabilia, the NWM is creating a lasting archive that will allow future generations to understand the legacy of the Windrush generation in Wales and appreciate the diversity and richness of Welsh culture.

This partnership highlights the importance of regional history within the broader Windrush narrative, ensuring that the experiences of Caribbean migrants in Wales are not forgotten but rather enshrined in the national memory. In doing so, it provides a powerful example of how museums, communities, and scholars can work together to preserve and promote a more inclusive and comprehensive understanding of history.