The Prince of Wales honored Windrush pioneer and cricket trailblazer Alford Gardner, stating that he “changed the lives of so many with his courage and positivity.”
William visited Mr. Gardner, who passed away at the age of 98, at his home in Leeds last year for an ITV Windrush documentary, later taking him to Headingley cricket ground for a surprise celebration with cricketing stars.
In a personal social media post accompanied by photos from their meeting, the Prince expressed, “I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Alford Gardner, one of the last surviving passengers of the Empire Windrush. I was delighted to spend some time with him last summer and hear his story.
“As a prominent figure in the Caribbean community in West Yorkshire, he changed the lives of many with his courage and positivity. He leaves behind a legacy for us all to be proud of and will be remembered for his warmth, bravery, and, of course, his unwavering love of cricket! W.”
Mr. Gardner was among the last surviving passengers of the Empire Windrush and worked to break down racial barriers by establishing Britain’s first Caribbean cricket club. Arriving in the UK at 22 on the HMT Empire Windrush from Kingston, Jamaica, he was part of the hundreds of Caribbean migrants who were called upon to help rebuild post-war Britain.
Just three months later, in 1948, Mr. Gardner, who also served in the RAF during World War II, founded the cricket club in Leeds. He criticized the Windrush scandal that emerged in 2018, revealing that the UK Home Office had no records of those granted permission to stay and had failed to issue the necessary paperwork to confirm their status, calling it a “disgrace.”
“It shouldn’t be happening,” Mr. Gardner remarked, adding, “It’s disgraceful what’s going on. People don’t realize how hard we worked to get this country back on its feet.”
Last year, King Charles attended a service at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush. He emphasized the “crucially important” need to recognize the “immeasurable” contributions the Windrush generation has made to Britain.
