New display at The Box highlights the Windrush generation’s legacy in the South West

A new display now on show at The Box is exploring Plymouth’s little-known links to the migration of people from the Caribbean throughout the mid-1900s.

Windrush in the Far South West is the outcome of an 18-month research project developed in conjunction with members of Culture Club, a group of six people who've been working with The Box to discover and unpack new narratives in its collections. The project has been supported by a National Lottery Community Fund grant.

Their research has revealed that scores of ships came through Plymouth, with at least 28,000 people from the Caribbean disembarking at Millbay Docks between 1948 and 1960.

Some of these continued on to places such as London, Bristol, Manchester and Birmingham where they became nurses, engineers, bus conductors and more. Others remained here in the South West – setting up home in towns and cities like Plymouth, Torquay, Exeter and Truro. A number of their descendants still live here and work as DJs, foster carers, youth workers, chefs and in the armed forces.

Daryl Codrington, Culture Club member said: “So many people came to this country from the Caribbean in the mid-1900s to support its post-war rebuilding, but conversations about the Windrush generation tend to focus on places in the South East or North. We knew that Millbay was a really busy port at one point, so there just had to be a story about the South West too. It’s been such an interesting process recording people’s stories and researching archival records over the last year and a half. We hope the combination of historic and contemporary stories and images that we’ve pulled together will provide a fascinating insight into this little-known history.”

Visitors to The Box can see the display on show in the Bridge Gallery on its first floor. The display features objects related to those who originally migrated to Britain, such as a travel bag, a waybill, a ship’s brochure and photographs from their time in the Caribbean. The display also celebrates their descendants who are now living in the far south west through objects, photography and film.

Windrush in the Far South West runs until 5 May 2025. Opening hours are 10am-5pm Tuesday-Sunday and selected bank holidays (not including Easter Sunday). Entry is free and there’s no need to book.