Europe in the Classroom this is volume 2 of the Europe in the classroom | Page 16

Background information to share with
your pupils in a lesson or assembly
Image 1
Note: All the images are reproduced in handout form in
the Appendix
The ship Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury in Essex on
22nd June 1948 carrying more than 500 Caribbean
migrants. The ship had been used by the Nazis in the
Second World War to carry troops before being taken by
Allied forces in May 1945 and refitted by the British for
civilian use. During the Second World War thousands of
men and women from British colonies in the Caribbean
fought for the allies and the ship was in the Caribbean
because it was picking up servicemen and women who
had been there on leave. The passengers aboard the
Windrush also included men, women and children from the
Caribbean with a diverse heritage including those from
Chinese, Maltese and Polish descent and some stowaways.
The Empire Windrush arrives in the London Dock at Tilbury ©Getty Images
Migration education pack
3