>One of the nation’s last surviving passengers of the Empire Windrush has died aged 98, The Independent has learned.
>Alford Gardner passed away on Tuesday, according to his son Howard.
>It is understood that the Leeds resident had been unwell for some time and his death sparked an outpouring of online tributes.
>“One of the last Empire Windrush passengers has gone to the ancestors,” said campaigner Patrick Vernon “Alford was always full of hope and aspiration.”
>HMT Empire Windrush arrived in England nearly eight decades ago, bringing hundreds of people from the Caribbean who answered Britain’s call to help fill post-war labour shortages.
fartbox-enjoyer on
>HMT Empire Windrush arrived in England nearly eight decades ago, bringing hundreds of people from the Caribbean who answered Britain’s call to help fill post-war labour shortages.
Bit of a Windrush retcon there. They had to enact emergency measures to grant the arrivals identity documents as the Windrush had embarked before the legislation had even gone through the Commons; they were then housed in the now disused underground shelters mainly around Clapham. The Windrush arrivals then had to spend many moons heading backwards and forth to the Labour Centre on Coldharbour Lane in Brixton in hopes of finding employment. This is why Brixton became a cultural hub for Windrush immigration.
>who answered Britain’s call to help fill post-war labour shortages.
I was under the impression that there were no labour shortages and that the Atlee government didn’t actually want them to come. The whole idea of the Windrush generation being called to Britain to rebuild after the war is retconned history.
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>One of the nation’s last surviving passengers of the Empire Windrush has died aged 98, The Independent has learned.
>Alford Gardner passed away on Tuesday, according to his son Howard.
>It is understood that the Leeds resident had been unwell for some time and his death sparked an outpouring of online tributes.
>“One of the last Empire Windrush passengers has gone to the ancestors,” said campaigner Patrick Vernon “Alford was always full of hope and aspiration.”
>HMT Empire Windrush arrived in England nearly eight decades ago, bringing hundreds of people from the Caribbean who answered Britain’s call to help fill post-war labour shortages.
>HMT Empire Windrush arrived in England nearly eight decades ago, bringing hundreds of people from the Caribbean who answered Britain’s call to help fill post-war labour shortages.
Bit of a Windrush retcon there. They had to enact emergency measures to grant the arrivals identity documents as the Windrush had embarked before the legislation had even gone through the Commons; they were then housed in the now disused underground shelters mainly around Clapham. The Windrush arrivals then had to spend many moons heading backwards and forth to the Labour Centre on Coldharbour Lane in Brixton in hopes of finding employment. This is why Brixton became a cultural hub for Windrush immigration.
[They thrived in the UK *despite* the governments efforts, not some happy cheerful origin story where everyone sang Kumbaya.](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/windrush-scandal-home-office-report-b2619263.html)
>who answered Britain’s call to help fill post-war labour shortages.
I was under the impression that there were no labour shortages and that the Atlee government didn’t actually want them to come. The whole idea of the Windrush generation being called to Britain to rebuild after the war is retconned history.