Lambeth: Exploring the Windrush Generation

1 June 2023

Written by: Lambeth Council

News and announcements

Lambeth Council is hosting ‘Windrush: A Voyage through the Generations’ – a new, free photography exhibition by award-winning photographer Jim Grover that opens at Clapham Library on June 1.

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Lambeth: Exploring the Windrush Generation

The photo-story explores how the generations which followed the Windrush Generation are living their lives in the UK today and aims to invite conversations around the different ways of passing down their traditions, the continuity of heritage and intergenerational exchange.

Many of the people featured in the exhibition are local to Clapham reflecting the area’s a unique link to the Windrush Generation. When the Empire Windrush landed on 22 June 1948 many of the arrivals spent their first month in rented lodgings in the nearby deep shelter underneath Clapham South Tube station.

The set of 70 colour photographs, which include nine themed photo stories, are narrated with a combination of text and six images, shine a light on individuals, groups and organisations in south London, who together are doing so much to preserve their distinctive Caribbean heritage and traditions for current and future generations.

Cllr Jacqui Dyer, Lambeth’s Cabinet lead for Inclusive Economy and Equalities, said: “Lambeth, as the first home of the Windrush Generation, is proud to host this important and engaging exhibition as part of our month long programme to mark Windrush 75.

“We want to take this opportunity to explore the stories, the legacy and the contribution of the Windrush Generation and their descendants this month and this new exhibition helps bring those themes to life for our communities. I’m please to see our community reflected in this way and I’d encourage local people to visit this exhibition, and join our other Windrush 75 activities.”

A Lambeth website featuring listings, local people’s stories is online at lambethwindrush.com/windrush-voices.

Jim Grover’s exhibition opens with a new photo-story of 97-year-old Alford Gardner, one of just two known remaining adult passengers from that landmark 1948 voyage, who is enjoying a new level of recognition and fame since 2018.

It also features Brixton’s remembrance ceremonies at the African Caribbean War Memorial which span the generations, The Diamonds, an all-female dominoes team in action in south London and the Brixton Immortals Domino Club, introducing the game to young children in a collaboration with Lambeth Council.

‘Windrush: A Voyage through the Generations’ will be on display from 1 June until 2 September.

For those unable to visit in person the website www.windrushvoyagethroughthegenerations.com will include a selection of content from the exhibition. A book that accompanies the exhibition will be available from 1 June in printed edition or as a downloadable PDF.

Windrush: A Voyage through the Generations has been curated by Katy Barron, Chair of the Board of Photofusion. This is the third exhibition that Katy has curated for Jim Grover, including Windrush: Portrait of a Generation in 2018.