Tributes paid to ‘Windrush pioneer’ Alford Gardner after death aged 98

Tributes person been paid to “Windrush pioneer” and cricket trailblazer Alford Gardner, who has died astatine the property of 98.

Mr Gardner was 1 of the past surviving passengers of the Empire Windrush and worked to interruption down radical barriers by mounting up Britain’s archetypal Caribbean cricket club.

He acceptable up the nine successful Leeds successful 1948 – 3 months aft arriving successful the UK from Jamaica connected the HMT Empire Windrush.

Mr Gardner had besides served successful the RAF arsenic an technologist and centrifugal mechanic during the Second World War.

On Wednesday, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said Mr Gardner “did truthful overmuch for the achromatic cricketing assemblage successful this country”.

Actress and campaigner Baroness Floella Benjamin said Mr Gardner “encapsulated joy, dignity and courage”.

Leeds City Council said it presented him with the Leeds Award successful February “for his immense achievements and publication to the city”.

Mr Gardner was 22 years aged erstwhile helium boarded the vessel successful Kingston, Jamaica, with his member Gladstone earlier they and hundreds of Caribbean migrants called connected to rebuild post-war Britain disembarked the vessel astatine Tilbury Docks successful Essex.

Last year, the King hailed caller portraits of the Windrush generation, including Mr Gardner, arsenic pictorial records of a “very special” radical of people.

Charles told Jamaican-born Mr Gardner astatine a Buckingham Palace reception that his representation by creator Chloe Cox was “marvellous”.

If I had to bash it again, I would bash each damn happening conscionable the same

Alford Gardner

In 2018, 70 years aft stepping disconnected the Empire Windrush to commencement a caller beingness successful the UK, Mr Gardner said: “If I had to bash it again, I would bash each damn happening conscionable the same.”

He besides said that helium was archetypal warned astir the anticipation that Windrush migrants could beryllium thrown retired of the UK astir 3 decades earlier.

Mr Gardner said helium was told by a person successful 1987 that “people similar maine could beryllium thrown retired of the country”, adding helium responded by applying for British citizenship astatine a outgo of £80.

He said the Windrush scandal, which erupted successful 2018 aft it emerged that the UK Home Office had kept nary records of those granted support to enactment – and had not issued the paperwork they needed to corroborate their status, was a “disgrace”.

“It shouldn’t beryllium happening,” Mr Gardner said successful 2018, adding: “It’s disgraceful what’s going on. People don’t realise however hard we worked to get this state backmost connected its feet.”

Last year, the Prince of Wales visited Mr Gardner astatine his location successful Leeds for ITV’s Pride Of Britain: A Windrush Special documentary, earlier taking him to Headingley cricket crushed for a astonishment solemnisation with cricketing stars.

Paying tribute to Mr Gardner successful a societal media post, the ECB wrote: “A pioneer and a trail-blazer.

“A laminitis of Leeds Caribbean CC, and idiosyncratic who did truthful overmuch for the achromatic cricketing assemblage successful this country.

“Rest successful peace, Alford Gardner.”

In a societal media post, Baroness Benjamin said: “I person full respect and admiration for Windrush pioneer Alford Gardner who died aged 98.

“He encapsulated joy, dignity and courage.”

Leeds North East MP Fabian Hamilton said helium was “deeply saddened by the passing of Alford”.

Mr Hamilton added successful a station connected societal media: “Alford was a pioneering portion of the procreation that helped to rebuild Leeds and Britain aft WW2.

“His bequest is 1 of equality and societal justice. He volition beryllium missed by everyone helium met successful his galore years since arriving connected HMS Windrush.”