Research: Windrush

The Windrush (research)

In 1948 the S.S. Empire Windrush docked at the Tilbury Dock in London.
It was formally a German cruise ship and it officially carried, 492 settlers (many were ex-service and had served England in the War).
There was a post-war drive to recruit labour from the common wealth to cover the employment shortages in state-run services like the NHS and London Transport. *1 Very few of the people who came to England on the Windrush actually intended to stay for more then a few years.

Jamaica was still recovering from the Atlantic Hurricane season in 1944 when they were invited to fill the gaps in Britain's job services after the devastation of WW2. *3

Map of the British Empire in the 20's *2

One of the people on the Windrush was Sam King (a future mayor of Southwark), he'd served in England with the RAF. His ticket cost upwards of £600 in today's money. King recalls the apprehension on board as the ship drew towards England on whether authorities would turn them away. He had 2 ex-RAF wireless operators on board with him and while they played dominos they'd eavesdrop on incoming signals. They had heard on the BBC station that "Arthur Creech Jones, Colonial Secretary in the Labour government of the time, had pointed out that: ‘These people have British passports and they must be allowed to land.’ He added that they would not last one winter in England anyway, so there was nothing to worry about."*3

The English papers had a big interest in the voyage they called "the sons of empire". However the Colonial Office, the Home Office and the Ministry of Labour were trying to avoid responsibility for the people arriving. 

News paper clipping from 1948 *6

For the passengers of the Empire Windrush and the thousands of people who followed after it the "British Nationality Act 1948" was really important for them. This act meant the passengers from the Windrush and others living in Commonwealth countries, had British Citizenship and full rights of entry and settlement in England. *3

Contents of the British Nationality Act 1948 *5

I did this research as it provided overall context for my commission, it allowed me to come to interviews with a more educated and extensive background knowledge on the topic. 

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*1- "Arrival of S.S. Windrush" www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/arrival-ss-empire-windrush
*2- "Map of the British Empire in the 1920's" general-history.com/the-british-empire-in-1920/
*3- "Arrival of SS Empire Windrush" www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/arrival-ss-empire-windrush
*4- "Windrush Generation: 'They thought we should be planting bananas'" www.telegraph.co.uk/goodlife/11683233/Windrush-Generation-They-thought-we-should-be-planting-bananas.html
*5- "British Nationality Act 1948" www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1948/56/pdfs/ukpga_19480056_en.pdf
*6- Newspaper www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000378/19480622/085/0005?browse=False

Oral History Research

Oral History research

What is oral history?

Oral history is a method of gathering, preserving and interpreting the memories of people/communities through their own voices by recording them. *1

How to do an oral history interview *2:

Before the interview: 

• Chat with the interviewees before the interview, brief them on the subjects you want to cover and give them contact information.
• Work out a good time/day for the interview to happen on
• Get a general knowledge on the topics the interviewee will be talking about. (be careful not to miss questions because you already know the answer)
• Explain the project to the interviewee.

The interview:

• Make sure you turn up early or on time.
• Make sure you have all your kit including any extras needed such as batteries and something to import onto incase of a lack of space on the SD card.
• Chat before the interview to put the interviewee at ease, try to avoid getting told anecdotes that are better for the recording.

Starting the interview:

• Check the environment for any sounds that could interfere with the recording.
• Make sure the recording device is out of the way of the interviewee.
• Always test audio levels.
• Record details of who you are talking to and when.

Asking Questions:

• Have a list of questions with your interviewer.
• Try not to stick to a list of questions rigidly.
• Avoid closed questions.
• Use plain words and avoid suggesting the answers.
• Maintain eye contact, this encourages the interviewee to keep talking.
• Don't be afraid to ask but do not butt in or interrupt an answer.
• Respect different opinions.

After the interview

• Chat after the interview, take this time to confirm any future appointments if needed.
• Label folders on computers that have audio on. Make copies.

Overall I found this research really useful for my commission. 

It allowed me to have a step by step to do list on how I can go about conducting my interviews professionally. It also gave me a bit more confidence while doing the interviews as I was confident in what I was doing while recording.

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*1- "Oral history defined" www.oralhistory.org/about/do-oral-history/

*2- How to do an oral history interview www.le.ac.uk/emoha/training/no2.pdf

20th century Britain

Research: 20th Century Britain

1950's

Just 5 years after the 2nd World War the UK was still showing the effects of the fighting. In cities like London there were still bomb-sites, un-repaired houses and gardens that had been made into allotments.

At the time the countryside had been dotted with military bases now abandoned.

The army had a much bigger role in British life then they do nowadays.

The typical British family had a grandfather who had served in the 1st World War, a father who had fought in the 2nd World War and a son who were being called up for 2 years of national service. 

"There were four times as many servicemen in the early 1950's then there are today" *2

After a full decade of war and it's issues politically and financially, Britain had been left with high taxation. The standing income rate for tax was 9 shillings (more then twice today's rate). Basic things like butter, meat, tea and coal were still rationed and although bread was now freely available, the de-rationing of sweets in '49 needed to be abandoned because the demand was too much. Rationing encouraged people to grow/produce their own food in gardens and allotments. 

There was a follow on of the war mind set of 'make-do-and-mend' due to severe shortages of a lot of consumer products.

The population in 1950 totalled 50 million, a '51 census showing that only 3% of the population had been born overseas.

"The first post-war immigrants from Jamaica had arrived in Britain, on board the Empire Windrush in 1948, but there were still fewer than 140,000 blacks and Asians in Britain in 1951."*2

Nearly half of the population lived in privately rented accommodation and less than a third of all houses were owner occupied. There were virtually no high rise buildings and the concrete was only used really in military buildings.

Britain was the most "urbanised" and industrial country in the world (meaning it was the most polluted at the same time. The London smog started in 1952 and lasted 5 days, it killed more then 4,000 people from heart and lung diseases.

In 1950 the UK accounted for a 1/4 of the world's trade in manufactures.

1960's

By the 60's the first teenage generation free from conscription (being automatically drafted into the army) and with the ability to have their own voice and freedom to do what they wanted, emerged in Britain. Their parents were from a generation where they had spent their teenage years fighting in the Second World War, and had wanted their children to be able to have freedom.

A big aspect that defined the 60's was music, it was in the 60's that the emergence of 'British Invasion' bands like The Beatles came to England. These bands had albums that heavily encouraged young people to stand up for their beliefs and their own individuality.

Another thing that the 60's was known for was recreational drug use, however it was more common in the later half of the decade.  Festivals like Woodstock were common place were people would regularly be seen high on things like LSD, the people involved in the music industry were more often then not involved in drugs and therefore, directly influenced young people listening to their music.

In terms of Fashion the mini skirt became massively popular, with it's availability in many different colours and geometric shapes gave women a feel of femininity as well as liberation. By the later 60's psychedelic prints and vibrant colours became more popular on clothes as the "hippie movement" gathered pace.

The idea of Feminism became more influential as more jobs became available for young women in the sixties, allowing them to move away from archetypes of female duties and become more independent. The contraceptive pill became legal in '67. The Woman's liberty movement started around '68, when the Dagenham strike of 850 women happened in protest over in-equal pay (this led to the equal pay act being passed in '70). In '68 Barbara Castle was the first and only woman to be appointed first Secretary of State. *1

Picture from the Telegraph

I did this research as it allowed me to know what state the UK was in when the people we were interviewing came over/when their parents came over in some cases. 

It will allow me to come up with questions related to the environment they were arriving in, in our initial interviews we've already had people say that there were a lot of chimneys and they were surrounded with smoke.

Examples like the London Smog could've affected their families and this could be an interesting talking point.

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*1 "The 1960s The Decade that Shook Britain" www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/The-1960s-The-Decade-that-Shook-Britain/

*2 "Britain in the 1950's" www.historytoday.com/roland-quinault/britain-1950

Professional practice: institutional research

Institutional research

MACA (Medway African and Caribbean Association)

MACA (Medway African and Caribbean Association) is a non-profit who's purpose is to "promote an awareness of African and Caribbean Culture, through arts, educational and social programmes, primarily for the benefit of it's members but also accessible by the wider community"(1) It's also there to support its members on issues which include racial harassment, prison visits etc. 

Email from Carol Stewart (Chair person at MACA) **My brief**:

"The Oral History Project seeks to capture the stories of African and Caribbean people from the 19th and 20th centuries and bring them to life as part of the Black History Live Project. The stories will take people on a journey as we hear from people and descendants of people in the 19th century about what life was like during that era. The contributions they have made, challenges they overcame, and how things have changed.

The stories will be featured as part of a 2 month long exhibition taking place at the Chatham Historic Dockyard in October 2018"

Chatham Dockyards

My work will be shown at the Chatham Dockyards in 2018.

(2) The Dockyards is a charity with the aims to;

• Maintain the preservation and the use of the historic Dockyards, its buildings, ships and collections
• To engage diverse audiences in learning about the importance and the role of the former Royal Dockyard, as well as it's people in supporting the Royal Navy from sail to steam and eventually nuclear power over a period of 400 years
• To provide unmatched, inspirational and enjoyable experiences for everyone who comes to the Dockyards.

"As a fully accredited Museum we collect, preserve, study and exhibit objects and materials connected with the history of:

• The role of the Dockyard and its people
• The development of Royal Navy warship construction and design
• The use of the River Medway and its support services and their role in the development of the Medway"

This institutional research allows to be be able to create something that suits the style of the Historic Dockyards and what they would normally exhibit, as well as making something that suits MACA and meets all of what they've asked from me.

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(1) MACA web page www.macacharity.org.uk/ 
(2) Our charity thedockyard.co.uk/our-charity/