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1960s: Floella’s journey from Trinidad to London, as part of the Windrush generation
1960s: Floella’s journey from Trinidad to London, as part of the Windrush generation
Floella Benjamin was just a young girl when she, her sister and two brothers arrived in England in 1960 to join their parents, whom they had not seen for fifteen months. They had left the island paradise of Trinidad to make a new home in London – part of a whole generation of West Indians who were encouraged to move to Britain and help rebuild the country after the Second World War.
Reunited with her mother, Floella was too overwhelmed at first to care about the cold weather and the noise and dirt from the traffic. But, as her new life began, she was shocked and distressed by the rejection she experienced. She soon realized that the only way to survive was to work twice as hard and be twice as good as anyone else.
70 years ago, on 21 June 1948, the former German cruise liner HMT Empire Windrush arrived in the UK at Tilbury Docks, Essex carrying passengers from the West Indies. The Windrush generation changed the political and cultural makeup of London today.
Floella’s tory is timely and very personal. Find out more about the Windrush generation at museumoflondon.org.uk
Destination/location: Trinidad, England Author/guide: Floella Benjamin Departure Time: 1960s
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