A new exhibition marking the Windrush generation’s contribution to British life over the last 75 years will be among the first new exhibitions at Nottingham Castle when it reopens next week.
The exhibition will be available to view from the opening day on Monday (June 26) until 5 November. Along with all the other galleries, it will be included in the admission price of £1 for the opening day, or £12 for adults allowing year-round access, with accompanied kids aged 15 and below going free.
Entitled ‘70 Objeks & Tings,’ it has been brought to the Castle by ‘Museumand, the National Caribbean Heritage Museum,’ in collaboration with Nottingham City Museums exhibition team.
It will be a celebration of the 75th anniversary of the landing of SS Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks on June 22 1948, carrying passengers from the Caribbean who had been invited by Britain to help with post-war construction. The exhibition is a fun and inspiring way to learn more about the Windrush Generation through the voices and collected objects of British-Caribbean families.
The title has a nod to patois, a traditional form of language for many Caribbeans, with ‘objeks and tings’ referring to the things that Caribbeans, especially those of the Windrush Generation, hold dear and are important to them. The collected items give insight into exploring the broad themes of the exhibition, which include Caribbean Food; Caribbean Contributions to the Caribbean; Caribbean Homes in the UK; Caribbean Hair; Beauty & Dress; and Caribbean Culture.
The exhibition, in Temporary Gallery 4, is accompanied by a book of the same title (available for sale at the Castle shop), and has been designed as a companion to the exhibition to give people the chance to get up close and personal to some of the ‘objeks and tings’ themselves. There will be events and activities throughout the time the exhibition is hosted at Nottingham Castle, giving everyone in the city the chance to engage with Caribbean heritage and culture in a new way.
City Council Deputy Leader, Cllr Audra Wynter, said: “I’m proud that among the first exhibitions at Nottingham Castle on its opening day is a collection of objects that help us as a city to mark the 75th anniversary of Windrush Day.
“We are a diverse and welcoming city and families arriving here from the Caribbean have made a rich and lasting contribution to our city. It is important to keep their legacy alive for future generations and this exhibition will help us do that and celebrate this vital part of shared history and heritage.”
Catherine Ross, Founder Director of Museumand, said: “It is great to be working back in my home city of Nottingham and a privilege to be showing our celebratory exhibition at Nottingham Castle.
“Working with the community and local people will be an exhilarating experience and we hope that everyone will join us to tell their stories of Nottingham’s Caribbean communities. The plans we have for sharing Caribbean heritage from Windrush Day right through to the end of Black History Month will showcase the amazing contribution of Caribbeans to the UK over the past 75 in our signature approach – fun, learning and a passion for heritage.
“We hope our exhibition will resonate with all cultures and communities, after all we are all connected, wherever we are from.”
For visitor information and opening times, please visit www.nottinghamcastle.org.uk