Bound for Britain

PRO Ref: Telegram - CO 876/88, Photo - INF 10/51, Source 1-4 - BT26/1237; INF14/124; INF10/173; INF10/153; CO876/247; INF12/976, Source 5 - LAB 8/1516, Source 6-8 - CO 876/88, Source 9 - INF 10/149, Source 10 - LAB 8/1516

The documents included here only show a very partial glimpse of the life experienced by West Indians during this time. Pupils will have many other questions. Teachers may wish to ask their pupils to write a list of questions they would like to ask each of the people in the snapshot if they were available for interview. Pupils could then suggest other ways they could find answers to their questions and so research possible answers.

The tasks in the Snapshot involve pupils collecting material about a chosen West Indian immigrant and recording their findings in the form of a spider diagram. Using the material gathered, pupils then compose a letter.

Teachers can set specific questions for each source to make the activity more structured.

Other activities that are possible on the theme of immigration or multi-cultural Britain are:

• Pupils can use an atlas to find Jamaica, Trinidad or other West Indian islands. They can then trace the journey of the Windrush to Britain. The Empire Windrush started at Trinidad and headed north up the Caribbean via Kingston, Tampico, Havana and Bermuda.
• Pupils can find out from classmates, relations, neighbours when their parents, grandparents, or even great-grandparents arrived in Britain; where they came from and the reasons why they came to Britain. The resulting work can be presented to the class.
• Pupils can discuss the experience of moving to a new town or country; talking about how the West Indians would feel about moving and what they would like or dislike about being in a new place. Pupils could start by talking about their similar experience such as moving house, or starting a new school.
• Pupils could produce a leaflet explaining to future West Indians what to expect when they arrive in Britain.
• An exciting display could be produced on the theme of what Britain has gained from immigrants from the new Commonwealth countries - music, food, literature, fashions, new customs and pastimes.

Teachers need to bear in mind that the documents and the vocabulary used are of their time and as such some of the vocabulary and terms for black people are no longer acceptable. Care should be taken to make this point to pupils and to stress the appropriate vocabulary to use.

How has life in Britain changed since 1948? KS 2