Bradford: The Windrush flag goes to the Caribbean

A commemorative flag created in Bradford has been flown to the Caribbean to mark the 76th anniversary of the Windrush’s arrival.

Windrush Day began in 2018 to celebrate the contribution Caribbean migrants and their families have made to the UK.

On 22 June 1948, the ship Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Docks in Essex with hundreds of British Caribbean nationals on board.

The passengers were the first wave of young migrants to find work in post-war Britain. Those who traveled on similar journeys until 1971 became known as the “Windrush generation”.

Bradford and Leeds were among the cities where the Caribbean community settled and took jobs in the NHS, schools and railways.

Charles Dacres, Bradford-based Windrush Generations UK project director, took the flag on its historic trip back to the Caribbean earlier this year with Nigel Guy, who designed it.

Mr Dacres said: “We were looking at the Windrush celebrations and commemorating the journey our parents had made, coming to rebuild the country after the Second World War.

“And what I was looking for was some kind of symbolism, some kind of acknowledgment of that.

“Nigel went off and scribbled and came back with this design.

“And as soon as I walked in the door all the hairs on the back of my neck stood up because I suddenly knew we had something special.”

Mr Dacres said the design included a triangular shape to represent the transatlantic slave trade.

The flag was flown at 200 locations across the UK during last year’s 75th anniversary celebrations.

But both men felt it was important to carry the flag to the West Indies during a tour in April and May.

He added: “I actually wrote to the various prime ministers of the countries that were part of the British Commonwealth. And they welcomed us.

“We flew to 11 different Caribbean islands and met with prime ministers and foreign ministers to discuss raising the Windrush flag.

“It was very important to try and get the islands to recognize that what they need to do is celebrate May 24, when the SS Empire Windrush first set sail from the Caribbean to the UK.”

Mr Dacres’ mother Miriam and father David both came to the UK from Jamaica as part of the Windrush generation.

He said: “I am so proud that the flag I designed here in Bradford flies on the Parliament Buildings and the Home Office building, but has also been accepted into the National Library of Jamaica.

“I’m very proud that we were able to do this.”

In 1948, the British Nationality Act gave people from what were then colonies the right to live and work in Britain.

Workers were needed due to the post-war labor shortage, and the Caribbean countries were also struggling economically. Many young migrants were attracted by better wages and opportunities.

The Immigration Act 1971 gave Commonwealth citizens living in the UK indefinite leave to remain – the permanent right to live and work in the UK.

This included the Windrush generation, but also people from other former British colonies in South Asia and Africa.

However, in April 2018 it emerged that the UK Home Office had kept no record of those who had been granted permission to stay and had not issued the documents they needed to confirm their status.

It also destroyed landing cards belonging to Windrush migrants in 2010.

Those affected could not prove they were in the country legally and were prevented from accessing healthcare, work and housing.

Many were also threatened with deportation.

A review of historical cases also found that at least 83 people who arrived before 1973 were wrongfully deported.

The government formally apologized and the Windrush Compensation Scheme was set up in April 2019, with around 15,000 people believed to be eligible.

But the scheme has been consistently criticized for processing delays, low offers and unfair rejections overturned on appeal.

It has so far paid out more than £80m in compensation to people affected, starting in February 2024, according to Home Office figures.

And 2,233 claims were processed, an average of £35,000 per claim.