WE ARE HERE
The ‘We are Here’ project celebrated and marked the 72nd year since the arrival of the Empire Windrush boat in June 1948. The exhibition was created by Jo Sealy @tomarket from @image17photography a Waltham Forest photographers Collective. ‘We are Here’ uncovers some of the stories of the residents lives and experience of arriving and living in Britain.
Florence Mcleod
Florence came by plane from Jamaica in 1962 to be with her brother and sister in law. Florences first job was working in a factory making beauty products then to a garage in Leyton and lastly for social services in the Walthamstow area.
Joyce Stephenson
Joyce left Jamaica by boat arriving in Plymouth on the 13th of February 1956. Joyce began working for Hays laundry and then Express Dairy, after having children she worked at a dress making company who made clothes for the Queen. Joyces final position before retiring was as an auxiliary at the Royal London Hospital.
Irene Lockhart
Irene left Dominica in 1958 to be with her boyfriend who lived in England. She worked as a domestic in Whipp’s cross hospital, then as a cook in several schools throughout the borough. When I asked about work, Irene said she worked too much, too hard and for too long.
Velmoary Glasgow
Velmoary came to England as a young adult, following in the footsteps of her father who came to London and moved to the north of England. She spoke of how little time she had to visit him, working a six day week as a nurse at Whipp’s Cross Hospital.
Charles Osburn Dowe
Charles came to England in 1963 at the age of sixteen from Annotto bay in Jamaica, he traveled by boat with his seven siblings to join their parents
Daniel Llewellyn Lindsuy
Daniel came to England in 1958 at the age of eighteen from the Caribbean Island Montserrat. One of Daniel’s first jobs was working for Levens furniture factory in Hackney as they would employ people of colour.