Windrush75 Pioneers had tunnel vision to succeed

THE FIRST problem those pioneers faced after arriving on the Windrush was a lack of accommodation.

After travelling to Brixton’s Labour Exchange – a job centre of the time – they did not have a roof over their head.

The immediate answer was to sleep in an underground shelter underneath Clapham South tube station.

For six shillings and a sixpence a week, the 236 pioneers got to sleep on a bunk bed and were given food.

The shelter also had washing facilities which were used by citizens during the Second World War.

The shelter was deep below the surface, the equivalent of 11 storeys down, and it was far from luxurious. It was also noisy, being below the Northern line which served as a wake-up alarm in the mornings.

way to Clapham Common. The Ministry of Labour and National Service even set up a labour exchange inside the shelter to offer job opportunities.

Within two weeks, the last resident had departed having secured jobs in London or travelled to another city.

The shelter has been preserved by the London Transport Museum, who run regular tours. Original 1940s signage remains on the walls, including directions to the toilets, canteen and sleeping areas.

Those seeking shelter were assigned to a specific section of Clapham South, each of which was named after a famous British admiral, including Collingwood, Drake and Jellicoe.

were paved with gold.” Olivia, who works as a workshop facilitator, says that when she learnt about Black history in school it didn’t go beyond the slave trade or through the lens of African-American history.

She says today it’s even more important for the younger generation to understand the contribution of the Windrush generation.

“It’s our heritage isn’t it, it’s how we got here, most of us anyway. It’s important to understand our grandparents or great grandparents, what their vision was to make Britain what it is today, and how they helped the country get back on its feet,” she says.

Olivia admits that she’s never celebrated Windrush Day, but has become more conscious of it because of the 2018 scandal and how they are suffering from gentrification in places like Brixton. She says that although young people like her might be as involved with the dates around this special time of year, their sense of Caribbean identity is just as strong.

She adds: “I feel like we have a strong sense of being. There’s pride in our identity.”

The subterranean underworld of the shelter was cramped, and was described as “like a sparsely furnished rabbit’s warren”, with one corridor that extended all the

To commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Windrush, there will be a 20 per cent discount off the booking price for summer tours when using the code WINDRUSH20.

Visit www.ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/ hidden-london/clapham-south