Circle of Five

On June 21, 1948, the MV Empire Windrush arrived in London with 1027 passengers, 802 of whom were from British Colonies in the West Indies, including 539 from Jamaica. The Circle of Five project captures the stories of five Jamaican women, spanning eighty years and beginning in rural Jamaica in the early 1930s, to honor the Windrush Generation and their experiences during this significant period in British history.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 680 pages
Publication date: 14 January 2021
Publisher: Jacaranda Books Art Music Ltd

On a foggy Monday, June 21, 1948, the MV Empire Windrush sailed up the Thames and anchored at Tilbury Dock, London. A total of 1027 passengers were on board, 802 of whom were from British colonies in the West Indies. Among these individuals, 539 were from Jamaica. The infamous images of the passengers walking down the gangplank the next morning would mark the birth of the Windrush Generation.

A Circle of Five delves into the stories of the three hundred thousand or so individuals who made the same journey between 1948 and 1971, showcasing the voices of five Jamaican women: Evelyn, Emma, Irene, Ivy, and Melissa. Each woman tells her own story, all beginning in the early 1930s in rural Jamaica and spanning eighty years. Through these women, the experiences of the Windrush Generation come alive, honoring this vital period in British history.

Weight: 458g
Dimension: 129 x 198 x 55 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781913090289