Windrush Remembrance

One of the unquestionable highlights of my Shrieval year has been laying a wreath at the African and Caribbean War Memorial in Windrush Square in Brixton on remembrance Sunday. One of three I laid in Lambeth on that day (at the Stockwell Memorial, the Memorial in the Town Hall and at Windrush Square).

The Windrush African and Caribbean War memorial was one of the features designed to highlight the historic contributions of black and minority ethnic people in Britain. It commemorates in particular the contribution that men and women from Africa and the Caribbean made to Britains war efforts in both the 1st and 2nd World wars. It has been permanently installed at Windrush Square in Brixton, South London since 2017.

My uncle, John Burke, was one of those who came to England from Jamaica during World War 2 to join the Royal Air Force. He served in the Royal Air Force as a radio operator. After the war ended he remained in England, qualified as a barrister then went to NIgeria where he practised until he retired back to Jamaica.

After the war, during the 1950’s my parent came to England in response to UK’s call. They settled in Brixton. I was born nearby, christened in St Matthews church, on the edge of the square and and spent my early years and school days there, within walking distance of the memorial. It was symbolically significant to me and the community there, for me to lay a wreath at the memorial as the first black High Sheriff of Greater London.