More than 2,000 people have gathered for a service at Westminster Abbey marking 70 years since the arrival of the Windrush generation in Britain.
The service is marking the moment hundreds of Caribbean migrants departed the Empire Windrush ship in Tilbury Docks on June 22, 1948.
Hymns including Amazing Grace were played on steel drums as the invited guests made their way into the church.
Baroness Floella Benjamin was applauded as she briefly danced in the nave to the music.
Guests arrive at Westminster Abbey, London, for the service of thanksgiving to mark the 70th anniversary
Prime Minister Theresa May (left) arrives for the service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey, London. Also in attendance is Baroness Floella Benjamin (right) the Liberal Democrat peer and patron of the Windrush Foundation
Members of the Windrush generation were helped into the church by relatives as Home Secretary Sajid Javid made his way inside
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan arrives for the service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey, London
Allan Wilmott, Windrush passenger and WW2 veteran at the 70th anniversary of Windrush Service of Thanksgiving today
The Liberal Democrat peer and patron of the Windrush Foundation said afterwards that she felt ‘joy’, adding: ‘I was floating, like a bird, free.’
Prime Minister Theresa May has taken her seat at the service, alongside Home Secretary Sajid Javid and London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
Other guests include Baroness Doreen Lawrence, mother of murdered black teenager Stephen, and shadow home secretary Diane Abbott.
A short drama recounting the story of how Caribbean migrants were invited to ‘The Motherland’ to help rebuild post-war Britain was played out.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Baroness Scotland (left) and Windrush generation member John Richards
Members of the Windrush generation and their families make up the 2,000 strong congregation at today’s service at Westminster Abbey
Hymns including Amazing Grace were played on steel drums as the invited guest John Richards (left) and Prime Minister May (right) made their way into the church
A short drama recounting the story of how Caribbean migrants were invited to ‘The Motherland’ to help rebuild post-war Britain was played out as guests arrived
Guests began arriving at the service at Westminster Abbey just before midday
A file photo dated March 28, 1954, of the 14,651 ton British troopship, the ‘Empire Windrush’
Jamaican immigrants welcomed by RAF officials from the Colonial Office after the ex-troopship HMT ‘Empire Windrush’ landed them at Tilbury
A map showing the Empire Windrush’s journey to Britain, after it left Trinidad on May 20 1948 with 194 passengers on board
Actors re-enacted the journey many faced leaving their native islands to board the Empire Windrush, which arrived in Tilbury Docks on June 22 1948.
Who was on board the Windrush?
A baby less than two months old and two women aged 80 were among those travelling on the Empire Windrush.
Michael Murphy was just six weeks old when the ship arrived at Tilbury in Essex on June 21 1948, according to the passenger list.
At the other end of the spectrum was Maria Gray, who was listed as being 80 years old when Windrush dropped anchor at Tilbury.
Of the 1,027 passengers on board the ship, nearly half (46%) were recorded as being aged between 18 and 29.
Approximately 37 were two or under, and 40 were aged 60 or over.
More than half of the passengers on the Empire Windrush had left homes in Jamaica.
More than half the passengers on board the Empire Windrush had left homes in Jamaica
According to the official passenger list – now held by the National Archives – 541 people gave their last country of residence as Jamaica, out of a total 1,027 on board.
Bermuda was the last country of residence of 139 passengers, while Trinidad was listed for 74 people.
Some 66 passengers came from Mexico, but their nationality was recorded as Polish.
A further 44 passengers were from British Guiana (now Guyana) on the northern coast of South America.
England was listed as the last country of residence for 119 people – 12 per cent of the total on board.
Some 15 people came from other parts of the UK: 10 from Scotland, four from Wales and one from Northern Ireland.
Most of the passengers on board were aged between 18 and 29-years-old. The youngest was a baby of just two months old, the oldest was aged 80
Today’s celebrations have been described as ‘bittersweet’ amid the ongoing political scandal which saw some wrongly deported and denied access to the NHS, work and housing.
Addressing those gathered, The Reverend Canon Joel Edwards referenced the scandal that has seen some Windrush wrongly face deportation from Britain.
He said: ‘In recent months the word ‘Windrush’ has evoked a great deal of emotion and even anger across our political landscape. In this service of thanksgiving, Windrush means more than migration.’
He described the Windrush as having ‘gifted’ Britain with many leaders in the worlds of politics, business, education, music and sport.
To the laughter of those listening he also acknowledged the influence of the Caribbean on British cuisine naming much-loved foods including ‘rice and peas, jerk chicken and Levi Roots sauce in our supermarkets’.
Rev Edwards also acknowledged hardships faced by the Windrush generation.
He said: ‘Settling down hasn’t been plain sailing. The children of Windrush have experienced over-representation in Britain’s prisons and mental health institutions. Knife crimes.
‘Underachievement in education and the job market. Settlement has meant racism, sometimes too much policing and not enough protection. And Stephen Lawrence.’
Looking to towards an often uncertain future he added: ‘Windrush resilience arises, supremely’.
The Government is funding the church service, while an event will also be held at the Essex docks where the landmark nautical journey came to end for the migrants seeking a prosperous future helping to rebuild post-war Britain.
The congregation today will hear the world premiere of a specially composed Anthem to Windrush, and celebrant Very Reverend Dr John Hall, Dean of Westminster will wear a robe featuring a photo montage of aspects of black history in Britain since the arrival of Windrush seven decades ago.
Today’s celebration comes amid plans to create an annual Government-backed Windrush Day, but questions remain over compensation for those who have suffered financial setbacks trying to prove their right to residence.
The Home Office reiterated Home Secretary Sajid Javid’s commitment to a compensation scheme and said more than 500 people and organisations have come forward as part of the call for evidence.
Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, who has written to Mr Javid, called on the Government to ‘come clean’ about the full extent of the scandal, blamed on the ‘hostile environment’ to immigrants championed by Mrs May when she was at the Home Office.
Labour MP David Lammy, whose Tottenham constituents are among those affected, said British-Caribbeans must be celebrated on the day, but warned the scandal has ‘left a very nasty taste in the mouth’.
‘I think it’s a moment to celebrate the people who gave so much and took so little but it is a little bittersweet,’ he added.