Windrush war hero who smuggled The Beatles George Harrison into Hamburg
In 1948 the HMT Windrush arrived in Britain carrying people from the Caribbean.
They had been invited by the government to fill the skills and labour shortage in the aftermath of WW2, leaving behind livelihoods, families and friends to travel across the Atlantic. Of those original passengers, it is estimated that around 68 men came to live and settle in Liverpool.
Many married local women and started families in Liverpool, bringing unique influences to the city, influences that could be said to have changed the world. One of those men was Harold Phillips, also known as Lord Woodbine, an RAF veteran from Trinidad.
He joined the war effort aged 14 after lying about his age and using his brother's passport.
In 1948, he arrived in the UK on board the Windrush, where he went on to create a lasting legacy which shaped the music and culture of not just Liverpool but also the rest of the world - helping to take The Beatles to Hamburg and even smuggling an under-age George Harrison into the German city.
Source: Lisa Rand/liverpoolecho.co.uk
