Pancy Patterson, former chair of the Jamaica Society Leeds and a retired midwife, with Alford Gardner, 97, one of the last Windrush passengers still alive. They are pictured at the For King, Country and Home exhibition, at Leeds Central Library in April. .features 75 portraits of the Windrush Generation residents of Leeds, which will be on display across the city, and is a celebration of their lives and the important contribution made by Caribbean people to the social and economic life of Leeds.
There will be interview opportunities with some of those from the Windrush Generation and Howard Gardner, son of 97-year-old Alford Gardner, the last surviving Windrush passenger in Leeds. The father and son are joint authors of a new book,Sisters Xina Broderick Gooding and Gay Gooding Kershaw have a strong connection to the installation.
“While there are now numerous celebratory events and commemorations going on around Windrush Day, once the festivities end, there is little permanence. There are no major collections or permanent Windrush exhibitions. There has been no museum dedicated to its history with the significance of other major British museums. And there is no major institution for children to view the legacies of the Windrush generation and their impact on Britain.
Pancy Patterson, former chair of the Jamaica Society Leeds and a retired midwife, said it was important the Windrush generation was not forgotten. “In light of the recent Windrush scandal, Windrush Day is a valid and worthwhile celebration and something that means a lot to my generation as it highlights our many contributions to Britain.