What happened to the Empire Windrush ship?

The British liner ‘Empire Windrush’ arrived at Tilbury docks in 1948. (Picture: Douglas Miller/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Today is the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush at Tilbury Harbour, carrying around 800 passengers from the Caribbean and West Indies, many of whom arrived to get jobs rebuilding post-war Britain.

Windrush 75 is being used to celebrate the Black British contribution to the United Kingdom, and many community events are taking place around the country.

Sadly, the term ‘Windrush’ also became a synonym for a British political scandal that saw many decedents of those who legally arrived on their parent’s passports (on ships like the Windrush) facing legal and financial trouble and even deportation from the only home they had ever known.

The government’s response has received criticism, with Human rights lawyer Jacqueline Mckenzie saying on Sky News yesterday: ‘There’s certainly between 7,000 to 8,000 people who have had their immigration status resolved – why have they not had compensation?’

On the 75th anniversary of the ship’s arrival, many are taking the opportunity to learn more about the HMT Windrush.

So, what happened to the ship after its trip from the Caribbean?

Read on to find out.

What happened to the HMT Empire Windrush?

The Empire Windrush began life as a German vessel, the ‘Monte Rosa’, built in December 1930 and named after the second tallest mountain in the Alps.

During the Second World War, the ship was converted to a troop carrier, ferrying German soldiers to Norway, and was attacked several times by both mines and the Royal Air Force, but survived.

At the end of the war, she was seized as a prize of victory by the United Kingdom and reassigned as His Majesty’s Transport’ Empire Windrush’ out of the port of London.

Cargo being loaded onto the British liner ‘Empire Windrush’ in 1954. (Picture: Douglas Miller/Keystone/Getty Images)

Six years after the Empire Windrush was used to ferry passengers from the Caribbean, the ship met a most unfortunate – and vaguely mysterious – end.

According to the British Library, the ship was transporting back 1,276 passengers from Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Suez in 1954.

It was mainly bringing home National Servicemen in order for them to be ‘demobbed’ – that is, discharged from the armed forces. However, there were also around 250 women and children aboard.

On March 28, 1954, the ship was twenty miles off the coast of Algiers in the Mediterranean Sea when disaster struck.

In the early hours, the morning watch heard a disturbing sound before noticing thick black smoke rising from one of the ship’s funnels, followed by ten-foot-high flames, signalling a fire in the engine room.

The ship’s alarm bell system failed to work, so the ship’s stewards and catering staff were sent to wake the passengers and bring the crew to emergency stations.

Initially thinking the move was a joke, the ship’s Captain remained in bed until he eventually smelt burning and leapt into action.

Super-heated paint from the ship’s funnels was peeling away and causing the wooden deck to catch alight, and as the fire spread, the ship’s power failed – taking lighting and communications with it.

The ‘smoke room’ onboard the Empire Windrush (Picture: Epics/Getty Images)

According to the National Archive, the order to abandon ship was given at 6.45am, with all 250 women and children being evacuated into lifeboats.

500 of the remaining service members aboard followed, but one of the lifeboats was damaged at launch and sank, leaving survivors in the water for up to two hours before rescue vessels arrived. 

The fire continued to spread, and at around 7.15am, Captain Anderson gave the final order – ‘every man for himself’ – and the last crew (plus the Captain) left the ship.

Four engineers lost their lives in the incident – G. W. Stockwell, J. W. Graves, A. Webster, and L. Pendleton.

The ship’s cat, Tibby, was reportedly evacuated with the first group of servicemen and survived the incident.

The British Library goes on to report that: ‘a relief operation was set up in Algiers, and emergency accommodation found. A soon-to-open holiday camp was commandeered. 

‘The survivors were taken by ship to Gibraltar and then flown home by RAF and chartered aircraft, or taken by ship if they did not wish to fly. Many had lost their clothing and possessions in the fire. 

The lounge onboard the Empire Windrush. (Picture: Epics/Getty Images)

‘Service wives were handed a £30 ex-gratia payment by the War Office on arrival in the UK, plus £15 for each child. Compensation for serviceman and for the families of the dead engineers was dealt with later.’

Mysteriously, an inquiry into the ship’s sinking could not determine the cause of the fire. However, it deemed sabotage, electrical fault, and smoking all to be ‘unlikely’.

Could the ship’s original identity have contributed to its downfall?

It is common knowledge amongst sailors that changing the name of a ship is considered bad luck.

According to HowStuffWorks, legend has it that when every ship is christened, its name goes into a ‘Ledger of the Deep’ run by Neptune (or Poseidon).

Renaming a ship or boat indicates you are trying to deceive the gods of the sea – and you may be punished for your deviousness.

The actual cause of the fire that heralded the demise of the HMT Empire Windrush remains unknown.

MORE : Snapshot: 75 years of Caribbean culture – London’s Windrush Legacy

MORE : Windrush scandal campaigners say ‘forgotten victims’ still suffering five years on

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The ship met an untimely end.