Caribbean Migration to Britain

What was the Windrush generation?

Windrush - or the 'Windrush generation' - refers to migration from the Caribbean to Britain after the Second World War. In recent years it has become a controversial political topic.

When did the Windrush migrants arrive in Britain?

The first migrants from the Caribbean arrived in Britain on the ship the 'SS Empire Windrush' in 1948.

Where did the Windrush generation migrate from and to?

The Windrush migrants came from the Caribbean islands to Britain.

Why did the Windrush generation migrate to Britain?

There were economic and political reasons why the Windrush generation migrated to Britain.

• ❖ Britain desperately needed workers to help re-build the economy after the Second World War. The country did not have enough British workers, so needed people to come from elsewhere.
• ❖ The migrants were struggling economically themselves. Migrating to Britain would give them the chance for jobs and a better life.
• ❖ To make it easier to migrate to Britain, the government passed the 1948 Nationality Act, which granted colonial subjects full rights to enter and settle in Britain.

How many people migrated in the Windrush generation?

Although they are called the 'Windrush generation', not all the migrants came to Britain on the SS Empire Windrush. They also came over a period of time.

• ❖ Around 500 migrants arrived in June 1948, on the SS Empire Windrush.
• ❖ By 1951, there were 15,000 people in Britain who had been born in the Caribbean.
• ❖ By 1961, there were 172,000 people in Britain who had been born in the Caribbean.

What was the significance of the Windrush migrants?

The arrival of the Windrush migrants was significant in a number of ways.

• ❖ The migrants boosted the workforce in essential areas, to help Britain's economy recover after the Second World War.
• ❖ They began a period of migration which has led to Britain being the multicultural society it is today.
• ❖ They brought their own culture with them, which has been adopted and assimilated into British culture.
• ❖ The wrongful treatment and deportation of members of the Windrush generation in 2018 caused a scandal that damaged the British government's reputation. It highlighted the government's policy of creating a 'hostile environment' for migrants.