Caribbean Elders: Legacies of Windrush in Cambridge
14 October – 2 November 2025, 11am – 5pm
This display, held during Black History Month, is a celebration of the contribution made by the Caribbean Windrush community in Cambridge and beyond.
New photographs by Ethan Macfarlane feature five Caribbean elders who live in and around Cambridge today: John Lyons, Lileth Warford, Bishop Lynwal Williams, Lieutenant Colonel George Nelson, and Eugene Toyloy. Each has made a vital contribution to local or national society and reflect the many pioneers who have, since their arrival in Britain, strongly influenced British culture. The photographs are an expression of intergenerational connection and a celebration of intertwining the past and the present.
The photographs are accompanied by poetry written by Lee Codrington (X-Lee Poetry).
A concurrent exhibition Legacies of Windrush in Cambridge runs at the Museum of Cambridge until January 2026, featuring a new series of oral histories gathered from elders in Cambridge.
This display was created in partnership with Dr Carol Brown-Leonardi and the African Caribbean Research Group (ACRG), and the photographs were commissioned by Dr Carol Brown-Leonardi and the ACRG.
Ethan Macfarlane is a multi-disciplinary artist and a current student at the University of Cambridge in the Department of Human, Social, and Political Science.
Please join us for an in-conversation with artist John Lyons and Dr Carol Brown-Leonardi on Thursday 16 October, 1.30-2.30pm. Book your free ticket here.
Biographies
John Lyons, was born in 1933 in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Living and working as an artist in Cambridgeshire today, he originally came to the UK to study art at the age of 25 at Goldsmiths College, University of London. He gained a National Diploma of Design in 1964 and went on to gain an Art Teacher’s Diploma at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Inspired by Trinidadian myths, folklore, and Carnival, Lyons’ paintings have been exhibited widely, with works held permanently at Kettle’s Yard, the Arts Council Collection, V&A and more. Lyons is a celebrated artist and award-winning poet who has published numerous collections of poetry and the cookbook ‘Cook-Up in a Trini Kitchen’.
Lileth Warford was born in Guyana and moved to England in 1956, where she trained as a mental health nurse in Epsom. In 1964, after marrying her husband, she relocated to Cambridge, where she completed her Part II midwifery training and worked as a District Nurse Midwife. During her career, Lileth Warford contributed to the development of maternal and child healthcare, expanding her role beyond the hospital to support families and communities. Between 1966 and 1968, Lileth Warford lived in Iran and Sierra Leone, where she took on a pivotal role in establishing a community antenatal clinic and a nutrition support program for local women and children. The clinic, which was funded through grassroots community efforts, had a lasting impact on the health of mothers and children in the region.
Bishop Lynwal Williams was born in 1958 in Jamaica and moved to the UK at 17 to join his parents. Bishop Williams was the Minister for the Bibleway Church in Cambridge. He also established the ‘Cambridge Advanced Technology Training’ institute, which offered courses in computer technology, languages, and UK university qualifications. He formed the gospel choir, which was performed on Parker’s Piece at the 1997 commemoration of Princess Diana’s death.
Lieutenant Colonel George Nelson was born in 1952 in Jamaica and moved to the UK in 1962. He joined the military in 1967 when he enlisted in the British Army’s boy service. He served in various roles, such as driver, radio operator, and clerk in the Royal Engineers, he was posted to West Germany, Northern Ireland, Gibraltar, Malta, and Cyprus. Lieutenant Nelson was one of the few black soldiers in many of these units. After 39 years of service, he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2006
Eugene Toyloy was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1932 to a family of mixed heritage, with Chinese and Japanese ancestry. Eugene left Jamaica at the age of 26, paying £56 for passage to England aboard the ship Begonia. Eugene joined the Royal Air Force in 1959, and he served in Borneo, Germany and Cyprus during his service for 20 years.
