Windrush Generation is used to refer to the immigrants who were invited to the UK between 1948 and 1971 from Caribbean countries and from other parts of the British Empire or Commonwealth, as it became.
The name derives from the ship HMT Empire Windrush, which on June 22, 1948, docked in Tilbury,
The new arrivals had the right to settle in the UK conferred on them by 1948 Nationality Act as they were British Empire citizens. As many as 500,000 immigrants arrived before that right was rescinded by the 1971 Immigration Act.
Those that had arrived already were given leave to remain. But no record was kept by the Home Office and no paperwork provided. Even the landing cards were destroyed in 2010.
In 2012, Teresa May, the Home Secretary told Parliament - "The aim is to create, here in Britain, a really hostile environment for illegal immigrants".
The trouble was that immigrants needed to provide very detailed evidence of their right to be in the UK and many of the Windrush Generation did not have the paperwork. Services like NHS were denied and deportations were threatened and in some cases carried out.
The Windrush Scandal was with us and despite apologies and plans for compensation awards the effects still impacts the community.
We are collecting stories from the Windrush Generation to celebrate their contribution to the Tiger Bay and Cardiff Docklands as well as Cardiff as a whole.
