Growing up in 1960s Luton, Colin Grant avoided asking his Jamaican parents why they had emigrated to Britain in the 1950s. But now, seventy years after the many ships (and some planes) brought a generation of young and hopeful British citizens to the shores of the UK from the West Indies, it is time to hear their stories in their own words.

After the Second World War, Britain encouraged immigration from Commonwealth countries. To a large extent this was to help rebuild the country, as there was a shortage of labour at the time. The migrants were coming to a country promising prosperity and employment. Their stories are of hope and regret, of triumphs and challenges, brimming with humour, anger and wisdom. Together, they reveal a rich tapestry of Caribbean British lives.

Episode 2 explores the reasons for leaving and the shock of arrival.

Introduction read by Colin Grant
Readers: Dona Croll, Burt Caesar, Michelle Greenidge, Don Warrington, Colin Salmon,
Abridged by Colin Grant, Jill Waters and Isobel Creed
Produced by Jill Waters

The Waters Company for BBC Radio 4 Show less