Twenty-Eight Pounds Ten Shillings

During Windrush75 Anniversary: Radio and television interviews, festivals and Jamaican Book tour

In 1948, HMT Empire Windrush sails along the Caribbean picking up excited young men and women before heading for the Mother Country. But what happens during the voyage?After World War Two England was on her knees, so the call went out to the British Empire for volunteers to help rebuild the 'Mother Country'. Young men and women from different Caribbean islands were quick to respond, paying the considerable sum of GBP28.10s to board HMT Empire Windrush - the 'ship of dreams' that would take them to their new lives. The motives and back-stories of these West Indian people is a key part of the Windrush story, one that has never been fully told. This powerful narrative reveals what happened on board that ship, which was packed with young, excited people who had never before left their parents, their parishes - let alone their islands. In the course of the memorable two-week voyage there were parties, friendships made and broken, fights, gambling, racism, sex - and discussions of God and love