The Waterloo Statue - in honour of the Windrush Pioneers

[Maggiethecat]

Looking at the statue that was unveiled today did make me a bit emotional. The sculptor captured so much of what it must have felt like for many who came here on a wing and prayer.

Yes, all those people who left everything behind, to set out on this adventure of a lifetime. With hopes and dreams of making a new life for themselves/ family, and making some money.

It is a lovely looking statue. The artist did very well as often people don't like them when unveiled (e.g recent Diana statue and the Mary Wollencroft one)

I think I might make a trip over to Waterloo station to take a proper look soon

The location of the statue itself is and the unveiling ceremony was controversial.

It's located at Waterloo as it is one of the busiest stations, and often the busiest train station on the rail network, but it has no historical links to Tilbury Docks. If you travel from Tilbury Docks you don't end up at Waterloo.

Lots of black media people, particularly black journalists, were not invited to the unveiling as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were there. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/windrush-monument-waterloo-london-compensation-b2106129.html

@sashagabadon - will go to Waterloo station when next in London just to see it in the flesh.

@RedWingBoots - where do you think would have been better? I was wondering about windrush square but really prefer it to be in somewhere with large footfall/exposure.

Watching Lenny Henry’s Caribbean Britain now with a lot of pride.

where do you think would have been better?

Brixton

Simply because they can't put it at the London terminus of the train line from Tilbury.

(And I'm saying that as someone who can easily get to Waterloo.)

Oh, I thought Waterloo was historically significant. Wonder about the consultation process for determining the location.....

What is the problem with Fenchurch street, the terminus for Tilbury?

It is a very touching and moving statue, and I'm looking forward to seeing it.

Waterloo was a place many Caribbean immigrants passed through upon arrival - the old documentary Terminus shows a number arriving.

What is the problem with Fenchurch street, the terminus for Tilbury?

It is a tiny station. It is the smallest mainline station in London, and is more like a branch line station than one that is a terminal.

Regardless they didn't really consultant people on where to place it.

It looks amazing

Waterloo seems a bit of a shame - it's always frantic and people pass through the station so quickly that they may not take the time to stop and look. Somewhere like Windrush Sq in Brixton, or Ladbrooke Grove, or Clapham Common where some of the first migrants stayed might have been more appropriate, in a nice square/garden.

The statue is lovely though - I like the family looking in different directions which sums up looking to the new and old homes IMO.

I agree with the pp that Windrush Square would have been a good place to put this statue.

Does anyone else not think this to be just another meaningless tokenistic expression of good will? Many people are still waiting for compensation vis a vis the Windrush generation, a lot of them were wrongly deported and a lot of files are still missing leaving a lot of them still in limbo. You can't cut me with a knife then offer me a plaster as a way of recognising that I'm bleeding. It's a joke.

I agree with the above poster. The victims of the Windrush scandal have still not been dealt with fairly. This needs to be addressed by the powers that be urgently. I will not hold my breath though, I have seen enough to know how black and brown people are treated in this Country.

Does anyone else not think this to be just another meaningless tokenistic expression of good will?

Of course it is.