The Story of Windrush Passenger Robert William Hue
Karen Battersby, the daughter of Windrush passenger Robert William Hue, shares her father’s story.
My father, Robert William Hue, known as 'Billy', was one of the original passengers on the Empire Windrush on 22 June 1948. He'd travelled to the UK before, with the Jamaican RAF towards the tail end of WW2, but this was his permanent relocation to Britain at the tender age of 21.
I can only reflect in this blog what he told me verbally of his experiences in coming to England and my memories from childhood; sadly my dad passed away in 2007 (and my mum passed away in 2011) so I can't revisit the details with him now.
Robert William Hue during his time at Stanton Ironworks
He told me about coming across on the ship with his cousin Bertie (who also settled in Derbyshire like my dad and whom I'd love to find out more about if anyone is aware of him), and how rough the crossing was. He spoke about the groups of passengers, mainly young men, arriving on the dockside at Tilbury and wondering what they were going to do next. My dad initially moved to Glasgow, working as a book-keeper, which is what he'd trained in at college back in Jamaica. Eventually he made his way to Nottingham, where he met my mum, Kathleen, at the Palais de Danse, and after a longish courtship they married in London in 1953, settling in Ilkeston in Derbyshire.
Robert William Hue and his wife, Kathleen Mary Hill, on their honeymoon in Trafalgar Square
Like much of the working population of Ilkeston, which is an old mining town, my dad worked for many years at the giant Stanton Ironworks, which was the town's main employer. He worked there as a welder, and did similar jobs at Raleigh Bicycles in Nottingham and at Perard Engineering in Heanor. My dad was able to turn his hand to many different jobs with ease, and in addition to welding, which he'd never had previous training in, he also worked as a hairdresser and a singer, continuing his lifelong love of being an entertainer, which began when he was a big band singer in the forces.
He'd be very proud of his grandchildren, Kiera and Jason, who have followed in his footsteps as professional performers. He was also very proud of me, being the first generation in my family to attend University and become a lawyer.
I am proud to tell my father's story as we approach the 75th anniversary this June of the Windrush crossing. My dad and others of his generation, and their descendants after them, made a huge contribution to the UK. Their pioneering spirit, as the first as the first members of the Windrush generation, played an important part in shaping the integrated, multi-racial society that we live in today.
Karen Battersby