Wales’ national history museum is to launch a new exhibition on the country’s Windrush generation.

St Fagans, located in Cardiff, is one of Europe’s largest open air museums and is known for depicting the nation’s agricultural and industrial past.

From October, the stories of Windrush families and their descendants, and how they contributed to Welsh communities and culture, will also be displayed.

It will feature the accounts of more than 40 people, who have described their journeys to Wales, and the challenges they faced in building a new life in a foreign country, including how they found work and the attitudes of people towards them.

The Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Docks in Essex in 1948 carrying more than 1,000 passengers from the Caribbean Islands who had responded to Britain’s call for post-war workers.

Over the next 40 years, thousands followed in their footsteps, with many making Wales their new home.

Wales' Windrush generation and their descendants to be remembered in museum display.
Wales’ Windrush generation and their descendants to be remembered in museum display

Sioned Hughes, National Museum Wales’ head of public history and archaeology, said she was “proud” to be highlighting the “invaluable and lasting contribution” they made to Wales.

The oral histories were collected as part of a project by Race Council Cymru and funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund. They will be archived at St Fagans after the exhibition’s tour of other museums across Wales.

Roma Taylor, founder and chair of the Windrush Cymru Elders, said: “It’s a precious moment for each and every one of us. It’s our stories and if we don’t get them out then no-one will know.

“The Windrush is a very painful and emotional subject but all of our stories have to go out. It’s important to us, our children and our grandchildren and for schools. Everyone has to know we have been through a lot.”

Windrush Cymru – Our Voices, Our Stories, Our History will be on display at St Fagans from October 2-31 2021 before touring further national museums across Wales until March 2022.