Leaving a Legacy

We asked Josh Burrell, Senior Press Officer at Transport for London (TfL), a few questions about his involvement in our latest exhibition, Legacies: London Transport’s Caribbean Workforce, celebrating the contributions of first, second and third generation Caribbean people to London’s transport, society and culture. The exhibition highlights the triumphs and struggles of people who travelled from the Caribbean to start a new life in Britain and help re-build the country after the Second World War.

Hi Josh! Can you tell us how you became a member of the Advisory Board of our Legacies exhibition?

In 2021, my poem, Colourful – a commentary on stereotypes, while being optimistic about the future – was featured at the Museum in Covent Garden as part of a commemoration of the Windrush Generation. This led to an invitation to join the Advisory Board for the proposed new exhibition, to help shape its content and narrative.

With two sets of Caribbean grandparents, I’m acutely aware of how difficult their journeys to start new lives here were. Their stories of facing adversity and working hard to provide for their families continue to inspire me.

How was the experience of working with the Museum’s curators and other members of the Advisory Board?

Being a part of the Advisory Board behind the Legacies exhibition was great, and learning about the lives of the original, directly-recruited Caribbean workers was incredibly interesting. Their new beginnings here weren’t all positive, with some struggling with racism, the cold weather, and being isolated from their families. However, the community really grew with more family members arriving along, with sports and social clubs or events being set up.

As a group we made suggestions to help the curators with the name of the exhibition, the content, interactive elements and even activities for children, schools and adults, including Friday Lates.

The exhibition was almost entirely planned virtually over video calls due to the pandemic, and I didn’t actually meet most of the other Advisory Board members until just before the exhibition launched. However, it was a great signal for the recovery from COVID to be able to see people in the Museum enjoying Legacies.

What does the exhibition mean to you?

Although my grandparents didn’t directly work in transport, it played an integral part in their lives and mine, and I’m so excited for all my family to be able to experience the exhibition for themselves!

Legacies: London Transport’s Caribbean Workforce is open at the Museum until summer 2024. Free with museum admission.