York: Windrush exhibition Objeks and Tings opens at Castle Museum

‘Objeks and Tings’ at the Castle Museum displays everyday objects, including household goods, food packaging, beauty supplies, funeral items, music, games, books and newspapers.

It opened today (Wednesday, July 19) ahead of Windrush Day on Saturday, marking 75 years since the HMT Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Docks in Essex from the Caribbean carrying those who helped rebuild Britain after the Second World War.

Flashback to June 22, 1948: People from the Caribbean who answered Britain's call to help fill post-war labour shortages being welcomed by RAF officials from the Colonial Office after the ex-troopship HMT Empire Windrush landed them at Tilbury (Image: PA)

The York exhibition has been brought to the city by Museumand – the National Caribbean Heritage Museum – which is founded by mother and daughter team Catherine Ross and Lynda Burrell, who helped create the travelling exhibition.

Objeks and Tings is accompanied by a hardback book by Catherine and Lynda – available in the York Castle Museum shop – and a podcast.  

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Catherine Ross, founder director at Museumand, said she was “elated” to bring the exhibition to York.

“As aspects of Caribbean culture are so entwined with British culture and Yorkshire's cultural traditions especially, this leg of our tour across the UK is particularly exciting for us,” she said. “We hope to eke out more stories from people of the Caribbean diaspora and others that know about the islands and their peoples."

Catherine Ross of Museumand, Philip Newton of York Museums Trust and Lynda Burrell of Museumand (Image: Gareth Buddo)

Philip Newton, community participation manager at York Museums Trust, said the museum was “delighted” to bring the “gem of an exhibition” to the city, adding: “These items continued to play a part in the new lives that this generation embarked upon, passing them down to their children and incorporating into British identity too.”

• Objeks and Tings runs from today at the York Castle Museum until November 1.
• For more information about the exhibition, visit York Castle Museum’s website.