The windrush era

The AfroCaribbean presence is largely credited to the Windrush era of immigration of the 1950's and 60's that took place in the Kensington area.

Of course the Windrush story is now the stuff of legend. The North Kensington area was historically poor and run down, a slum few wanted to live in. But when the Afro-Caribbeans arrived from the various Caribbean islands, they found this was one of the only places they could get lodgings. The concentration of so many Afro-Caribbeans in one area has had a long lasting impact on the area, politically, culturally and socially.

Of course, the Carnival is the most visual legacy that has been left, and many important stories have already been told – but there is still a wealth of untouched information and individual stories which have either faded away or have yet to be revealed.

Migration from the Caribbean to Britain was rare before World War II. As Orange Prize winner Andrea Levy describes in her novel "Small Island", many Afro-Caribbean men served in Europe during the WWII. This picture is of Royal Air Force personnel, taken in the 1940's. Many servicemen stayed on or after going home – returned to Britain shortly after.

See also: A poem inspored by this era called, White gloves