1950s

At the end of WW2 there was a significant labour shortage in the UK. So whilst the economic demand for immigrants was high, the societal attitude towards them was not always welcoming.

In 1948 HMT Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Docks, bringing migrants from Caribbean countries. Some media outlets published images and articles encouraging acceptance and showing their arrival in a positive light, showing smiling waving images of the inhabitants of the ship.

However, they were also portrayed as outsiders; threatening and dangerous. Articles in the media made it seem like a bad thing. They exaggerated the different cultures applying stereotypes to different races.