[The title of a poem written by Professor Laura Serrant OBE to reflect the contribution of Caribbean people who sailed to this country aboard the Empire Windrush to help rebuild Britain after the Second World War]
Exhibitions, talks, and church services are taking place in Bath later this month to celebrate the Windrush Generation.
The city’s series of events starts with a Thanksgiving communion service at Christ Church on Julian Road on Sunday, 21 June at 10 am, led by Reverend Heather Smith and Bishop Bernard Morris, in partnership with the Black and Ethnic Minority Senior Citizens Association (BEMSCA).
On national Windrush Day, Monday, June 22, two exciting exhibitions will be on display at Bath Abbey, along with talks from some key members of Bath’s Caribbean community.
Visitors will be able to see a stunning new Tapestry by artist Paula Ogun Hector called British Carnivals, part of her acclaimed ‘Tapestry of Black Britons’ projects, exploring the African Caribbean contribution to Britain from the Romans onward and addressing gaps in Black British history awareness.
This new piece has been supported in its design by artist Henry Obasi. It celebrates the African roots of Carnival and explores its development in Britain as a joyous aspect of our cultural landscape.
Alongside Paula’s work on the Abbey floor will be a canvas artwork inspired by her carnival theme, created through a workshop with art students at Hayesfield Girls’ School, residents and visitors to Bath Abbey.
Tapestry of Black Britons founder and artist Paula Ogun Hector said: “The British Carnivals tapestry honours the enduring cultural contribution of the Windrush generation.
Our partnership with Bath Abbey brings forward the often-hidden histories of Bath’s African Caribbean community, placing their stories at the heart of one of the city’s most iconic spaces.
Supported by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government’s Windrush Day Fund, this new tapestry — together with our two-day celebration — stands as a testament to the vibrant legacy of the Windrush generation. Its display feels especially timely in the year the Bayeux Tapestry returns to Britain. At ‘Tapestry of Black Britons’, we believe in the power of art to connect communities — many threads, one fabric.”
In addition, in the Learning room in the Abbey’s vaults, curator Samantha Walker’s INVITATION: Continuing Conversations, a beautiful exhibition of photographs and objects celebrating the culture, lives, legacy and impact of Bath’s first-generation Caribbean Community, developed in collaboration with BEMSCA (the Bath and Ethnic Minority Senior Citizens Association), will be on display.
The work of acclaimed Bath photographer Dennis Whylie will be included with images of Bath’s Windrush generation from the 1980s onwards.
Free talks will also take place throughout the day as part of Continuing Conversations, with visitors able to hear from members of Bath’s Windrush generation and their descendants, as well as highlighting fellow West Indians who joined the armed forces as part of England’s World War II effort.
The talks are:
11:30 am – Historian Professor Shawn Hailemariam Sobers will talk about his parents’ experiences when they arrived in Bath from Barbados, and explain how that helped shape his extensive research into how the Windrush-era generation settled and impacted the significance of the meaning of home.
12:30 pm – Rod Dixon will talk about his mother, Beryl, who came to England from Jamaica and worked as a nurse in Bath. Struck by the racism she experienced and witnessed, Beryl campaigned for racial equality and was awarded an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 2003 in recognition of her service to the community.
1:30 pm – Barbadian Estlyn McFarquhar, who worked alongside Beryl Dixon and many others in the city to campaign for racial equality, will talk about her life as a midwife in Bath and the ongoing need to tackle racism.
2:30 pm – Valerie Branding will talk about life in England in 1952 when she arrived from Jamaica to join her husband Noel, who was drafted in 1942 from Jamaica to the Royal Air Force. Valerie became a nurse before going on to own and run two well-respected nursing homes in Bath.
Curator Samantha Walker says, “I’m thrilled to be working with Bath Abbey as part of their exciting Windrush Day celebrations, which will see stunning photos of some of Bath’s Windrush generation on display, while members of the Caribbean community will talk about their experiences when they came to the city.
It builds on the recent exhibition INVITATION at Bath Central Library, and will allow people to hear about the good and bad of leaving their homes in the West Indies, and also see some precious vintage objects they brought with them.”
On Tuesday, 23 June, the exhibitions will remain on display with a special Evensong, open as usual to the public at 5.30 pm.
The exhibitions and talks are free to BaNES Discovery Card holders and entry ticket holders.
Revd Betsy Blatchley, Abbey Missioner, said: “All of us at Bath Abbey are thrilled to be able to host this Windrush Day celebration, and to launch our new collaborations with Paula and Samantha. We are also excited and honoured to deepen our relationships with the Caribbean and African Diaspora communities in Bath and the surrounding areas.
Paula’s ‘Tapestry of Black Britons’, as well as being stunning art, is a hugely important project in illuminating the often-overlooked history of Black Britons, premiering her latest piece, celebrating British Carnivals, is a joy and privilege.
Samantha’s research with local members of the Windrush generation has created a powerful and thought-provoking exhibition, reminding us all in Bath how much has been contributed to the life and success of the city.
We are delighted to share these works with our Bath residents and visitors from near and far.”
BEMSCA is also hosting Windrush Day at Fairfield House in Bath on Saturday, June 27, with all welcome.
