Talk:Windrush Day

UK gov didn't encourage Caribbean passengers to move to the UK

This article misleads readers into thinking that the British government encouraged people from the Caribbean to board the HMT Empire Windrush because it was keen recruit them. However, the UK gov was unaware that tickets had been sold to Caribbeans and were displeased at their arrival. Jim 2 Michael (talk) 13:56, 22 June 2023 (UTC)

That is excellent info, @Jim 2 Michael! Can you provide a source for that so I can add it to the article, please and thank you? Whilst everyone seems to have an opinion on the number of emigrants, I find bupkis about the motivations at the other end of the voyage. I’ve got two rather vague mentions of adverts from the Windrush's operators used to fill the ship, but nothing about whether the there was some sort of ministerial push to find workers. It makes more sense, to me at least, that the post-war situation in Britain left an economic vacuum that drew un/underemployed folks from the former colonies without inducements, but it would really help the article to know for certain. Cheers, Last1in (talk) 15:33, 3 July 2023 (UTC)

It is probably worthwhile noting that under the 1948 British Nationality Act Caribbean people had freedom of movment within the commonwealth. Also Several major employers not only hired Caribbean migrants, but actively recruited them directly from the West Indies. By 1956, London Transport was recruiting in Barbados, even loaning migrants the costs of their passage to Britain. British Rail placed ads in the Barbados Labour Office and the NHS appealed to West Indian women to come to Britain and train to become nurses. - sources: London Transport Museum (https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/visit/museum-guide/legacies-london-transports-caribbean-workforce) also this Guardian Article is a good guide to some of the contradictions and misunderstandings about this subject: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/jun/16/windrush-scandal-the-long-betrayal-archived-documents-david-olusoga - I also have strong (but anecdotal) evidence, because my parents and other family members came here, invited by organisations, and already had residency and the right to stay because many Caribbean islands were under British rule. As the Guardian Article notes, the British Government was initially concerned about what they called “coloured migration” but initially found little hostility from the public towards the idea (hence the direct recruitment by organisations). Hostility came later, however, whipped up by some politicians. FactDataHand (talk) 10:43, 3 July 2025 (UTC)

Rewrite of Lede (Lead)

As written today, the lede does not adequately capture the nature of the article's subject. I propose a rewrite as follows. I am not a contributor to this page, so I'm posting it here for objections and improvements. I will not update the article until after 01 July 2023 to give time for comment and rewriting. Here is my lede proposal:

Windrush Day is a commemoration in the United Kingdom held on 22 June to honour the contributions of migrants to the post-war economy. Specifically, it celebrates Afro-Caribbeans who began arriving on the HMT Empire Windrush in 1948.[1] Later known as the "Windrush generation", these economic migrants were an important part of the UK's recovery from the privations of World War II. Windrush Day is not a bank holiday but has grown in popularity since a campaign by Patrick Vernon led to its introduction in 2018.[2]

[1]: <ref name="A fitting way">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/jan/25/bank-holiday-celebrate-windrush-generation|title= Windrush Day: a fitting way to celebrate our immigrant population|first=Patrick|last=Vernon|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=25 January 2010|access-date=25 June 2023}}</ref>

[2]: <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/may/09/windrush-shaped-britain-70-years-immigration-national-holiday|title=The Windrush shaped Britain. Why not recognise that?|first=Patrick|last=Vernon|newspaper=The Guardian|date=9 May 2018|access-date=25 June 2023}}</ref>

There is also a lot of variation in the sources about the actual number of migrants on the Empire Windrush that day. I think that should be expressed in the first paragraph of the body. Also, the "Windrush generation" is composed of far more than the 492/802/1027 people who arrived in Essex that June day, and the economic situation they helped solve could be better explained. I am making several changes there in WP:BOLD mode, but am hesitant to alter the lede without consensus.

Provide constructive criticism below, please and thank you. Cheers, Last1in (talk) 21:04, 25 June 2023 (UTC)

Unsourced Lead image

Removing lead unsourced image from the page Foodhistory101 (talk) 13:49, 17 July 2025 (UTC)( Blocked sockpuppet of Hssstrt, see investigation)

The date is given on the image's page: click on the image here for details.

Using the dates given in the image's description is standard practice in Wikipedia articles. If you think you have some particular reason for challenging this particular photo's reliability, you should discuss it on the talk page to achieve consensus first for making an exception to normal practice. UrielAcosta (talk) 15:30, 17 July 2025 (UTC)

I see I am not the first editor to restore this, it was twice removed anonymously on the same claim. UrielAcosta (talk) 15:33, 17 July 2025 (UTC)

Surely it needs to be sourced Foodhistory101 (talk) 15:34, 17 July 2025 (UTC)( Blocked sockpuppet of Hssstrt, see investigation)

How can we know for certain it was that date if it was not sourced? Foodhistory101 (talk) 15:35, 17 July 2025 (UTC)( Blocked sockpuppet of Hssstrt, see investigation)

Not for an image whose page gives the details. Again, this is standard practice in using wikicommons images in articles, as long as there is no reason to believe the image is a hoax. UrielAcosta (talk) 15:37, 17 July 2025 (UTC)

Note Wikipedia:Sockpuppet_investigations/Hssstrt on Foodhistory101.

This is a photo taken in Windrush Square on 22 June which includes a massive banner photo of the Empire Windrush. It's a photo of that year's Windrush Day event. --Belbury (talk) 16:51, 17 July 2025 (UTC)

How do you know it's not any other black cultural events when it's not sourced? Its best to add a sourced image Foodhistory101 (talk) 16:58, 17 July 2025 (UTC)( Blocked sockpuppet of Hssstrt, see investigation)

Why do you think it should keep the unsourced image? Foodhistory101 (talk) 17:09, 17 July 2025 (UTC)( Blocked sockpuppet of Hssstrt, see investigation)

I see that even while under investigation as a suspected sockpuppet Foodhistory has removed the Windrush photo yet again. I haven't restored it because I've already reverted 3 times today. UrielAcosta (talk) 17:52, 17 July 2025 (UTC)

Sure, no sense filling up the edit history. I've reported the account to WP:AN3. Belbury (talk) 18:05, 17 July 2025 (UTC)