As part of its annual Windrush Stories Day, the Museum unveiled a 1960s Windrush Front Room, offering visitors an insight into the everyday lives, memories and cultural identity of the Windrush Generation. The space will be opened for selected events throughout the year to support ongoing community consultation and collecting, with the ambition of developing the display for Windrush Day 2027 and, ultimately, creating a permanent installation.
Set in the moment just after a family’s arrival, the front room will depict a home still in the process of being made. As boxes are unpacked, personal belongings begin to emerge; a glass fish ornament, a display cabinet, a radiogram, drinks trolley complete with a pineapple ice bucket, and crocheted doilies adorning the furniture. While these details hint at the warmth of a home, the space remains unfinished and the Museum is inviting the public to help complete it.
To ensure the display feels authentic, personal, and rooted in real experience, the Museum is seeking donations of period furnishings and objects to develop and enhance future displays. Items such as a 1960s SodaStream, wall art, music, and furniture will help bring the space to life and reflect the distinctive character of Caribbean homes of the era.
Crucially, the Museum is inviting members of the Windrush Generation and their families to shape future displays and help to choose the objects that will make the room feel authentic, personal and lived-in. Visitors are asked: What objects would you expect to find in a Caribbean home in the 1960s? What made a front room feel special, welcoming and proud?
The Museum is particularly keen to hear from those who can share personal stories, memories and items from the period, whether that’s a souvenir from your first experiences in England, letters exchanged with loved ones in the Caribbean, or treasured family photographs.
Matthew Cowpe, Head of Interpretation and Collections at Black Country Living Museum said “This project is about more than recreating a room, it’s about honouring the experiences, resilience and contributions of the Windrush Generation. By working directly with people and their families during this and future Windrush events, we want to develop a space that feels truly authentic and reflects real lives and real stories.”
“Front rooms held a special place in many homes. They were spaces of pride, hospitality and identity. With the public’s help, we hope to capture that spirit and share it with future generations.”
If you’d like to share an object and its story, the Museum endeavour to listen with care and work with you to decide how that story is shared.
The Museum’s Collections Team are interested in front room items from the 1960s specifically: 1940s–1960s Caribbean souvenirs, family photographs or photo albums, photographs of 1950s–1960s front rooms in Windrush family homes (especially in the Black Country), a 1960s sofa and armchair, 1960s wall art, prints or pictures, a “Gaybox” shelf unit, a 1960s “SodaStream”, music by black artists from 1969 or earlier.
If you think that you could help with any of the above items, please get in touch with the team at collections@bclm.com or call 0121 557 9643. Donations can be considered by appointment only. The Museum’s team will work with contributors sensitively and collaboratively to ensure objects and stories are cared for and shared appropriately.