Yesterday I spent the day recording Jean, from Poplar, East London by way of Belize (formerly British Honduras). The V&A has commissioned me to interview Jean and many others in that area as part of a new oral history project exploring identity and belonging for first and second-generation Caribbean residents.
This project is partly to celebrate and commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Windrush movement. 🙌🏾
It is so incredible for me to be able to capture these personal stories. It’s a chance to mark this milestone in history and spark wider conversations about the past, present and future of the UK as a multicultural society.
I won’t share Jean’s age, but I will tell you that she has seen many decades of change since arriving in London 1950 as a young girl. Her story is filled with humour – “I hated maths at school and yet I became an Accounts Manager,” prejudice – “they called that street ‘draughts street’ because we were mixed couples and families” and a lot of love for the community she is a part of.
The V&A East will be a new museum opening up in Stratford in 2024 and these oral histories will be made available alongside a new exhibition for the wider community to enjoy. I hope you’ll listen online and go along to view it too!