Voices of the Windrush Generation: The real story told by the people themselves

by David Matthews

Voices of the Windrush Generation is a powerful collection of stories from the men, women and children of the Windrush generation - West Indians who emigrated to Britain between 1948 and 1971 in response to labour shortages, and in search of a better life. Edited by journalist and bestselling author David Matthews, this book paints a vivid portrait of what it meant for those who left the Caribbean for Britain during the early days of mass migration. Through his own, and many other stories, Matthews why and how so many people came to Britain after World War II, their hopes and dreams, the communities they formed and the difficulties they faced being separated from family and friends while integrating into an often hostile society. We hear how lives were transformed, and what became of the generations that followed, taking the reader right up to the present day, and the impact of the current Windrush deportation scandal upon everyday people. At once a nostalgic treasure trove of human interest, which unearths the real stories behind the headlines, and a celebration of black British culture, Voices of the Windrush Generation is an absorbing and important book that gives a platform to voices that need to be heard.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Politics, Anti Racist, Race

242 pages, Hardcover

Published January 18, 2019

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book documenting with conversations from the Windrush generation

[James Goldie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Majority of stories are really interesting and you see the connection but the last one.. Also, it was less like a book and more like a transcript that made reading a little hard to follow. 2.5 stars (3.5 stars for the actual stories though)

[Harriet St Pier · Rating 4 out of 5]

where miss diss started! ask me anything about race, immigration & citizenship in postwar britain literally i dare you

[m d · Rating 2 out of 5]

4* for the stories told, 1* for the (lack of? ) editorial work. 2.5*. It s a shame, this could've been an amazing collection of stories...

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good, very clear read and illuminates a lot in a way I don't think public discourse around Windrush does. Would recommend

[Aparna · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insightful collection of stories from people of the Windrush generation.

[Enya · Rating 4 out of 5]

The content of the book was fantastic - insightful experiences and at many times, very moving. What a powerful collection of voices and stories!

However, the book is let down by the editing. It's written as though it has been transcribed which often means it's hard to follow and it jumps from subject to subject with few visual clues (e.g. paragraph breaks) as to what's going on. While this does give the immediacy of the accounts, it also makes it hard work to keep the thread of what's being said. For reference, I read the eBook version of this bought through Amazon Kindle.

This book would be much improved with a substantial edit or an audio version as it would really allow the content to shine.

[Drea Parks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A serious read! After immersing myself into ‘The voices of Windrush’ book by David Matthews, It reinforced my belief that it is important for us to share this detailed history with our peers, friends, family and especially our children. I think this is particularly needed amongst the youth, because many of them take so much for granted, and do not fully understand, or value how they came to be at liberty (economic, social, and political freedom) in this country. To know the history of the land, and what role our foreparents played in it becoming one of the most powerful nations in the world. This book highlights the highs and lows with no holds barred. It clearly documents the struggles, and sacrifices made, hostility, and disrespect endured, and also triumphs gained during this courageous transition. With all of the different experiences in this book, there are many common denominators which connect the Windrush life stories. One revealing example is that their lives were not down and out back home in Caribbean or the jungle as many whites believed. Many people of the Caribbean left their countries with a 5 year plan, to work, save money and then return home, contrary to common 'unfounded' belief. Another common thread running through each story is the effects of being subjected to extremely abhorrent persistent racial discrimination. The level of resilience and tolerance which was needed, in order to deal with the harsh antipathy towards black people, especially during the height of E.Powell’s polemic racial hatred/smear campaigns, and mass influence over the British people. This was harsh because racism affected every area of the black experience, which they were constantly up against.

Matthews is nurturing, empathic and respectful of the contributors’ experiences, and tells their stories with explicable detail and sensitivity. His own story being one so deeply personal, where he discusses the experience of his parents, and his painful losses. He gives a lot of himself, discovers and reveals intimate details about his own personal journey. All in all, he has demonstrated how crucial it is that the truth be shared, narrowing the gaping hole between generations in this country. It definitely connects the dots, and through understanding the experiences of the Windrush generation, encourages dialogue, empowers, and provides a better insight into why we are, where we are today. And also, why the home office Windrush debacle is so painful, and a shame on Britain. An essential read for all.

[Vishal Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The very first time I had heard about this book was in Capco’s book club mentioned by a colleague when the presenter was asking for recommendations of books to read next or what people were reading now or what was on their list. Stories from eight people who discuss their move from the Caribbean Islands to England are referred to as Heaven, Paradise in the book.

You get to experience their thoughts of their journey traveling via boat and later by plane from a hot country like the Caribbean Islands Jamaica, Guyana, Dominica, to the cold United Kingdom. How they had managed the payment for one person at a time, as money was limited and it was expensive, finding escorts for children as they could not travel alone. To the racial abuse, they got from the Brits and police but still trying to improve the lives of their children with better education leading to better jobs.

After reading the stories from these eight individuals they resemble the stories of family and friends who came to the UK around the 50s/60s/70s, and 80s from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda while they worked hard with whatever jobs and rental accommodation they could manage and I remember my dad telling me one week's shopping came to five pounds, your essentials were cheaper – break, milk, butter, and eggs to even bus and train fairs being really cheap.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone. I thank my colleague from Capco’s Book Club for recommending this to me.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating account of the Windrush generation in their own words. Eight different individuals & couples share their varied experiences of moving to Britain and their subsequent lives here. These people are representatives of a group that had a huge cultural impact on this country, but who also experienced a lot of injustice - it will be eye-opening for anyone who likes to believe that Britain is not really racist...

I notice that a number of reviews are complaining about the lack of editing or structure to the narratives, but that is how oral history works. As the cover says, this is the "real story told by the people themselves", and we don't get to decide how they do that. Yes, it does mean that some stories can be repetitive or rambling. Yes, it can take some effort to adjust to the different communication style in each chapter. But allowing the time and space for these individual voices to be heard is an essential part of reading oral history. Any attempts to edit, rearrange or 'improve' the stories would result in an inauthentic book.

I did find that this was not a book to read in large chunks - I needed to leave a gap between each chapter, to give room to each person's story and to transition to the next narrative style. But it is worth making the effort. My only real regret was that the illustrations are mostly generic ones. It would have added to the book if we could have had photographic portraits of each person who has shared their story.

[Ria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really interesting collection of stories, but the lack of editing really let's the book down. Was quite hard to follow at times as it was just a direct transcript of the interviewees stream of consciousness. I get how that may be a cultural aspect, but when we're missing the questions asked by the interviewer it can result in jumping between topics and timelines without warning.
Other than that was a great window into the history and stories of the Windrush generation and how they've shaped the Britain we know today, just wish it was more coherent at times.

[Tia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book. This is a book about the story of people who were actually in the wind rush generation. I loved reading about different peoples stories and how different their experiences were. But what really threw me off was how long some of the chapters were. Something I hate in book are when the chapters are too long. But it makes me lose focus on what I’m actually reading because I’m just in a rush to finish the book. That’s why I gave it a three stars.

[Jade T · Rating 4 out of 5]

A valuable read for the appreciation of and a tribute to the Caribbean community that modern day Britain would not exist without. Windrush folks staffed pretty much the entirety of the NHS and transport staff post WW2. Whilst it's an ongoing personal conflict to think about how our daily comforts as Brits are built on suffering, there is value and optimism in hearing how these individuals also experienced joy and wonder wherever they could.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting collection of first person stories from this generation. They tell about their different experiences and the discrimination faced then and now.

Thank you to Netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Bex Jeffrey]

A series of interviews from West Indians living in England.

Theres no better way to learn about a community than to listen to them talk about their lives, family & motives. Would recommend if you want to increase your exposure to West Indian black culture

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really interesting read with some great stories. I think I would've preferred to listen to this and maybe include some photos from those talking (one was a photographer so would've been great to see that within their story).

[YN · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the first 2/3 more.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful, inspiring, often heartbreaking true accounts of life, before and after moving to Britain.

[Gamu Hogwe · Rating 2 out of 5]

The stories are important and definitely need to be shared. I however am not a fan of the conversational writing style and found it hard to follow. I think this would have made a great podcast.

[Louisa Li · Rating 2 out of 5]

Feels more like a draft than a finished book. Pure transcripts without any backstory or connection between the stories. A star for the people themselves and a star for the potential …