It is 58 years since June Foster crossed over the Caribbean sea to start her new life in England.
After working at one of Manchester’s mills, she moved to Bradford with her husband and eventually became a care worker for adults with learning difficulties.
Now, years later, June is one of six people showcased on Northern Monk’s new Windrush75: Legacy of Legends beer can.
June’s story weaves into the 75-year-long history of the Windrush generation and their descendants.
1948 marked the arrival of the first large groups of West Indian migrants on the Empire Windrush ship.
Northern Monk teamed up with Bradford based Windrush Generations to celebrate their often unseen work to rebuild Britain - against all odds.
The beer combines West African and Caribbean flavours in a seven per cent stout.
It is spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and caramel and rests on coconut and rum barrel oak chips.
The label features six legends of the Windrush generation, whose stories you can discover by scanning a QR code on the can.
Other legends include Veronica Benjamin; Eric Clarke; Leroy Thomas; Jules Jarvis; and Viola McKenzie.
June, who stepped off the ship on September 29, 1965, said: “I came on a year contract to work for a year in a mill, and after the year you could go back to Jamaica. I chose to stay, I thought since I was here already, I might as well.”
Viola will never forget May 24, 1962.
“It was Empire Day, as they used to call it back home,” she said.
She first worked for a company printing magazines like Woman’s Own, before making parts of aeroplanes at English Electric.
“It was too messy. I used to break fingernails all the time,” Viola said.
It spurred her in the direction of a 40-year long nursing career.
She has lived here for 61 years, but makes time to visit sunny Jamaica every year.
Jules arrived from Dominica in 1961, having just turned 18.
He said: “When I arrived, I looked at all the chimneys and thought that this country will never be out of work! I thought they were factories. I was told quickly that those were all homes to live in, burning coal to keep people warm.”
His jobs ranged from a wool mill to making turbines at English Electric.
“As a young man in Dominica, I operated cinema projectors,” he said.
“I went for a job and the bloke said I knew more than him. I was 18 but he thought I was two years too old. It meant I had to be paid half-a-full wage, with a full wage coming in at 21. So, I had to be on my way.”
Jules ended up working 22 years for a furniture company.
All proceeds from sales of this beer will be donated to the Windrush Generations foundation.
The beer was made in collaboration with Rock Leopard Brewing, who are based in London.
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