Windrush Generation: New stamps to celebrate 75 years since arrival of HMT Windrush

These are all eight of the new stamps you can get in the new collection

Royal Mail has released a new set of stamps to mark the 75th anniversary of the ship HMT Empire Windrush arriving in the UK.

Eight stamps with special illustrations on them were revealed at an event at the Black Cultural Archives in Brixton on Thursday 14 June.

The illustrations all celebrate the people who came to the UK on the ship, from countries in the Caribbean, and the cultural impact they have had on the country.

What was the HMT Empire Windrush?

The Empire Windrush arriving at Tilbury Docks

Windrush was a ship that ship arrived at the Port of Tilbury on 21 June in 1948. Its passengers left the ship to start their lives in the UK a day later.

On board were 1,027 West Indian migrants, many of whom had served as soldiers in the Second World War.

The arrival of the Windrush ship became a symbol of Caribbean migration to the UK, and the people who arrived on it became known as the 'Windrush Generation'.

What will the stamps have on them?

The illustrations were created by five Black British artists, all with Caribbean heritage: Kareen Cox, Bokiba, Tomekah George, Alvin Kofi and Emma Prempeh. Cox, Bokiba and Prempeh designed two stamps each.

The all show various things the artists wanted to celebrate about the Windrush Generation and their cultural backgrounds.

This stamp is called "Here We Come"

There are pictures of carnivals, political activists and peaceful protests, and food, among other things.

Royal Mail also worked with Colin Grant, a British writer of Jamaican origin, and Sonia Grant, an independent historian, writer, researcher and photographic exhibition curator.

This stamp is called "Carnival Come Thru!"

Revealing the stamps at the Black Cultural Archives, Winnie Annan-Forson, head of diversity, equity & inclusion at Royal Mail, said: "As Britain marks the 75th anniversary of the 1948 arrival of the MV Empire Windrush, we are honoured to mark this key event with a set of special stamps, featuring vibrant illustrations from talented artists that celebrate the culture and contribution of the Windrush generation and those who followed.

"We are delighted to have brought their stories to life in this special way, passing their legacy on to future generations."