Essential information
| Type |
Events and festivals
|
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Date and times | Saturday 20 June 2026 | 11am-4pm |
| Prices | Free |
Come to the National Maritime Museum this June to celebrate Windrush Day: Beyond the Ship (1945–1970s).
HMT Empire Windrush arrived in Britain on 22 June 1948. On board were more than 800 passengers from the Caribbean. While the Empire Windrush is rightly and widely remembered, it was only one of many ships and journeys that brought people to Britain during this period. Many travellers from across the then Empire believed Britain was the 'motherland' and a place of opportunity, and they made long journeys across the sea to begin new lives.
On this day, you will see how every person who made that journey from the Caribbean and beyond is a pioneer. They crossed oceans, faced uncertainty, and helped shape not only modern Britain, but also the futures of their families and the course of race relations around ethnicity in this country.
Each year the National Maritime Museum partners with local communities to celebrate Caribbean culture and the legacy of the Windrush generation in the UK today.
Keep an eye on this page as more details about the celebrations are added.
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Windrush stories and resources
What is Windrush Day?
On 22 June 1948, Caribbean migrants arrived in the UK on the Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks in Essex, their first stop before travelling towards London.
Many people from British Commonwealth countries travelled to the UK between 1948 and 1971, encouraged by the 1948 British Nationality Act that granted citizenship and right of abode to all members of the British Empire.
On arrival in the UK however, people were often met with racism, lack of acknowledgement of their professional skills and very different living conditions.
Windrush Day is a chance to celebrate British Caribbean communities, and acknowledge the sacrifices and contributions the Windrush generation and their descendants have made to British society.
The Windrush arrival marked a turning point, when Caribbeans came here to help re-build Britain, to work in the transport system, factories and the newly created NHS. So for those who had to overcome so much adversity, it has great significance”
Baroness Floella Benjamin
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