Windrush in Hackney Museum’s Collections
A guide to some of our collections, about the Windrush Generation, for teachers and their pupils
Notes for teachers: Teaching Windrush
There are various free learning resources relating to the Windrush Generation on our website (hackney-museum.hackney.gov.uk/resources-for-teachers/), including:
Windrush & Beyond
Hackney Museum’s ‘Windrush & Beyond’ lesson plans have been designed to teach students about some key aspects of Windrush, with a Hackney focus. They include handouts and activities, and can be easily adapted to suit the needs of your classroom. Within this resource:
Other Hackney Museum learning resources
Windrush in Hackney Museum’s collections
In this resource pupils will...
You can learn more about Windrush and Windrush Day, or recap on your existing knowledge, by looking at our learning resource ‘Windrush and the Windrush Generation’.
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Have you been to a museum? Can you remember an object that you saw?
Do you collect anything? What do you collect?
Museums also collect things! Museums collect things that are important to teach us about the past or the world today. Museums collect physical objects, and they also collect memories from people who remember events that happened in the past. They do this by interviewing people.
Why do you think the museum collected that object?
Objects
The next few slides contain images of some of the objects that Hackney Museum has collected about the Windrush Generation.
Today you are going to be history detectives! Detectives gather together lots of different pieces of information to solve mysteries. They must ask lots of questions about the things they see and think about each piece of information as important.
Your job is to use your enquiry skills to try to answer two questions about each object.
We are going to do an example together...
Example: What am I?
What can you see in the picture?
What information does this give us about the object?
Is there any writing on it?
What information does this give us about the object?
Does it remind you of anything?
What information does this give us about the object?
Example: What am I?
What can you see in the picture?
The Queen, but she is younger than she is today.
What information does this give us about the object?
Maybe this is old money.
Is there any writing on it?
It says Eastern Caribbean Central Bank. It also says Twenty Dollars.
What information does this give us about the object?
It isn’t British money as we use pounds not dollars. Also it says the word Caribbean in it. Maybe it is money from the Caribbean.
Does it remind you of anything?
It looks like a £20 note
What information does this give us about the object?
Maybe it is money.
When you are ready, click to the next slide for the answer!
Example: What can we learn from this object?
This is a $20 dollar note brought from St Lucia by Philomena Wells who moved to Britain and worked in the NHS for 16 years.
What can this object tell us about the Windrush Generation?
Discuss as a class then click for an example answer.
At the time of Windrush, some Caribbean countries were part of the British Empire. This meant that the British monarch (the Queen) was also their Queen. That is why the Queen is on a bank note from St Lucia.
This object can tell us that people just like Philomena made the journey from the Caribbean to Britain.
Now it’s your turn...
Remember to use your detective skills to answer the following questions:
What am I?
Photo courtesy of Hackney Museum
When you are ready, click to the next slide for the answer!
I am a paraffin heater, used by Stanley and Adela Dormer in the 1960s.
The Dormers emigrated from Jamaica to London, first living in a room which they shared with two other people.
The cold English winter was a stark change from the climate of the Caribbean, so the paraffin heater was essential for keeping warm. The landlady turned off the electricity and gas during the day so the Dormers' heater was used a lot.
The heater was also used to cook food, as the communal house cooker was shared between 10 people.
What can we learn from this object?
My Story
Photo courtesy of Hackney Museum
What am I?
Photo courtesy of Hackney Museum
When you are ready, click to the next slide for the answer!
The Blue Spot radiogram was considered the best by the Caribbean community who moved to Britain in the 1950s and 1960s.
The radio and record player provided a means of entertainment in the home, away from the racism often encountered in public bars and clubs.
It was capable of receiving radio signals from as far away as the Caribbean.
What can we learn from this object?
My Story
Photo courtesy of Hackney Museum
Interviews
Hackney Museum has lots of interviews in its collections. Interviews can teach us about what it was like to life at a certain time in history. Maybe one day you will be interviewed about what it is like to live now!
You will:
Interview with Betty Joyce
Betty Joyce
“ I had to take two buses to get there. I get a bus from Dalston to Shoreditch, that was alright. I had to get the bus from Shoreditch to Bethnal Green that was the one. I get the right bus but I didn’t know where to get off. When I reach there, you see, I lost my way… The bus bring me back to Mare Street and I come out of the bus and ask the gentlemen, where is Bethnal Green Hospital? And he tell me ‘Oh my dear it is far away from here! You have to go on the other side and get another bus and go straight down’.
I go over the road and I get another bus… and I am looking for the hospital, I couldn’t get out of my seat fast enough. I get out at the next stop and walk back and I was in Bethnal Green Hospital.”
Summarise what Betty is talking about in one sentence
Object ref/2017.86
Picture courtesy of Hackney Museum
Interview with Betty Joyce
Betty Joyce
“ I had to take two buses to get there. I get a bus from Dalston to Shoreditch, that was alright. I had to get the bus from Shoreditch to Bethnal Green that was the one. I get the right bus but I didn’t know where to get off. When I reach there, you see, I lost my way… The bus bring me back to Mare Street and I come out of the bus and ask the gentlemen, where is Bethnal Green Hospital? And he tell me ‘Oh my dear it is far away from here! You have to go on the other side and get another bus and go straight down’.
I go over the road and I get another bus… and I am looking for the hospital, I couldn’t get out of my seat fast enough. I get out at the next stop and walk back and I was in Bethnal Green Hospital.”
What can we learn from Betty about the experiences of the Windrush Generation?
Object ref/2017.86
Picture courtesy of Hackney Museum
Interview with May Wallen and Vatina
May Wallen
“I came here September, 1956. The first winter I could remember going out one morning to work and I saw the grass outside and I didn’t want to ask what is wrong with the grass and it seemed as if someone had thrown flour. I asked someone and they say it is frost.”
Vatina
“The living condition of the place were very good so far, not that I accepted it at the beginning because it is a different life then what I am used to. Different everything. All closed in. At home, we are all in the open, you are free… Since then I find life different, because I have to adjust myself to the rules of the country and the rules and regulations of different things. And with that I tried to just do life the best I can.”
Summarise what May and Vatina are talking about in one sentence
Interview with May Wallen and Vatina
May Wallen
“I came here September, 1956. The first winter I could remember going out one morning to work and I saw the grass outside and I didn’t want to ask what is wrong with the grass and it seemed as if someone had thrown flour. I asked someone and they say it is frost.”
Vatina
“The living condition of the place were very good so far, not that I accepted it at the beginning because it is a different life then what I am used to. Different everything. All closed in. At home, we are all in the open, you are free… Since then I find life different, because I have to adjust myself to the rules of the country and the rules and regulations of different things. And with that I tried to just do life the best I can.”
What can we learn from May and Vatina about the experiences of the Windrush Generation?
Interview with Victor Jones
Victor Jones
“I can remember on Sunday I put the washing on the line and when I came back it was crisp and dry. I went upstairs and put them on my bed and went downstairs to cook my food. When I come back, I look on the bed and the bed was wet and I couldn’t understand it. So what really happened was that the clothes freeze on the line.
But on a whole I wouldn’t speak badly about this country, it’s a great country. If you have a vision and are willing to learn you can learn as young as you are or as old as you are, the opportunity is there. And I am comparing it with Jamaica. I lived there for 34 years and it would not make sense for me to go back home to Jamaica because most of my friends are here...I would go home on holiday but England is my home right now.”
Summarise what Victor is talking about in one sentence
Object ref/2017.85
Picture courtesy of Hackney Museum
Interview with Victor Jones
Victor Jones
“I can remember on Sunday I put the washing on the line and when I came back it was crisp and dry. I went upstairs and put them on my bed and went downstairs to cook my food. When I come back, I look on the bed and the bed was wet and I couldn’t understand it. So what really happened was that the clothes freeze on the line.
But on a whole I wouldn’t speak badly about this country, it’s a great country. If you have a vision and are willing to learn you can learn as young as you are or as old as you are, the opportunity is there. And I am comparing it with Jamaica. I lived there for 34 years and it would not make sense for me to go back home to Jamaica because most of my friends are here...I would go home on holiday but England is my home right now.”
What can we learn from Victor about the experiences of the Windrush Generation?
Object ref/2017.85
Picture courtesy of Hackney Museum
Interview with James Fletcher
“I met a great deal of discrimination in the early days, but I would just smile. My mother always said ‘You must always take the rough and the smooth together’ and I did. I never treasured the things my mother said to me until I came to Britain. That is what really pulled me along. I had a rough life on many levels, many foremen didn’t like my colour, but one took it. I was determined to try to make something out of what there was at the end of the day”
“When we came here it was very difficult for us to fit in, but as our children grew and went to school, it all became easier.... I remember years ago when you looked for flats or rooms and you went to the paper shop to look at rooms to let. You couldn’t help but notice the number of cards, which had ‘No Blacks’ on them, as well as ‘No Irish and No Dogs’. Sometimes, it didn’t have those wording and you would phone up and be told ‘Yes, come around’. When you went along and they saw your face, the landlord or landlady would say ‘I’m sorry’.”
Summarise what James is talking about in one sentence
Interview with James Fletcher
“I met a great deal of discrimination in the early days, but I would just smile. My mother always said ‘You must always take the rough and the smooth together’ and I did. I never treasured the things my mother said to me until I came to Britain. That is what really pulled me along. I had a rough life on many levels, many foremen didn’t like my colour, but one took it. I was determined to try to make something out of what there was at the end of the day”
“When we came here it was very difficult for us to fit in, but as our children grew and went to school, it all became easier.... I remember years ago when you looked for flats or rooms and you went to the paper shop to look at rooms to let. You couldn’t help but notice the number of cards, which had ‘No Blacks’ on them, as well as ‘No Irish and No Dogs’. Sometimes, it didn’t have those wording and you would phone up and be told ‘Yes, come around’. When you went along and they saw your face, the landlord or landlady would say ‘I’m sorry’.”
What can we learn from James about the experiences of the Windrush Generation?
Interview with Milton Dillon
“And then I tried the English food. When you go to school, that’s your first introduction to English food so I can remember mash potatoes, sausage, Yorkshire pudding and some yellow stuff they call custard. You don’t give that to Jamaican kids, man!”
Summarise what Milton is talking about in one sentence
Interview with Milton Dillon
“And then I tried the English food. When you go to school, that’s your first introduction to English food so I can remember mash potatoes, sausage, Yorkshire pudding and some yellow stuff they call custard. You don’t give that to Jamaican kids, man!”
What can we learn from Milton about the experiences of the Windrush Generation?
Living Under One Roof
This film was shown at Hackney Museum as part of the ‘Living Under One Roof’ exhibition.
In this film, people describe their experiences and feelings about leaving the Caribbean and living in the UK.
What can these memories tell us about the experiences of the Windrush Generation?
Do you think it is important that Hackney Museum collected these objects and interviews from the Windrush Generation? Why?
Do you think it is important that we celebrate Windrush Day? Why?
Further research resources
https://www.runnymedetrust.org/blog/british-citizenship-and-the-windrush-generation