Empire Windrush: Life for Migrants in the 1940s and 50s

Lesson at a glance

Suitable for: Key stage 2

Time period: Postwar 1945-present, Second World War 1939-1945

Suggested inquiry questions: What do these documents reveal about life for Caribbean migrants to Britain in the 1940s and 1950s?

Potential activities: Explore the documents. Research the migration history of your local area. Create a booklet/poster/map about your school area today.

Download: Lesson pack

What do these documents reveal about life for Caribbean migrants to Britain in the 1940s and 1950s?

When the Second World War ended, countries needed to recover and rebuild.  

By 1948, the Nationality Act was passed which gave people from the Commonwealth the right to live and work in Britain if they wanted. They were citizens of the ‘United Kingdom and Colonies’. Many Caribbean men and women had served in the forces during the war, some wanted to re-enlist into the armed forces or find other employment. After the war, Britain needed people to fill jobs in the health service, transport system and postal system. 

Britain also used the European Voluntary Workers (E.V.W.) scheme to cope with its shortage of workers. The plan aimed to provide jobs in factories and farming to people from Europe who had been made homeless after the war.  At the same time, many people also left their homes in the Caribbean to live and work in Britain. Those on the E.V.W. plan who were classed as ‘aliens’, however those from the Caribbean were ‘Citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies’. 

Housing for the new migrants, near to their places of work was often provided by National Service Hostels Corporation.  At the Causeway Green Hostel in the West Midlands in August 1949, for example, there were 235 Poles, 18 E.V.Ws, 235 Southern Irish, 50 Northern Irish, 65 Jamaicans, and 100 English, Scottish and Welsh.  

Finding accommodation became difficult for many commonwealth immigrants because of growing prejudice and discrimination in the 1940s and 1950s. In 1958  there were riots in the Nottingham and Notting Hill, London. These involved serious fights between ‘teddy boys’ and new arrivals. The homes of immigrants were also attacked. At this time too, Black people were frequently excluded from skilled employment, pubs, and clubs. Landlords refused to rent to Black families. Other landlords exploited these immigrants by renting them over-priced, overcrowded accommodation. Added to this racial discrimination, the shortage of affordable decent housing and the poor living conditions made matters worse. 

The following year, Kelso Cochrane, a carpenter from Antigua was brutally stabbed to death in West London. It was a racist murder and not, as the police later claimed, an attempted robbery. These events would lead to increased calls for immigration control, resulting in the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act, many argued that the migrants were being blamed for the prejudice directed towards them.  

Following these events there was a strong effort to improve relations in the area from Black activist Claudia Jones and members of the Caribbean community which eventually gave rise to the Notting Hill Carnival and the start of legislation designed to prevent racial discrimination. 


Tasks

Part 1

Starter source

Extract from an information booklet written by H.D. Carberry and Dudley Thompson called ‘A West Indian in England’,  Catalogue ref:  CO 875/59/1

The booklet aimed to give immigrants information about life in Britain. It was distributed by the Colonial Office to colonies in the Caribbean, 1949-1951. This part describes the approach to London for those arriving in the country for the first time. 

  • How do the writers describe first impressions of London for a visitor? 
  • Why does London seem disappointing? 
  • What is the difference between England and the Caribbean according to the writers? 
  • What effects of the ‘blitz’ were seen in London? 
  • Why do you think this booklet was made? 

Source 2

Extract from an information booklet written by H.D. Carberry and Dudley Thompson called ‘A West Indian in England.’ Catalogue ref:  CO 875/59/1

The booklet aimed to give immigrants information about life in Britain. It was distributed by the Colonial Office to colonies in the Caribbean, 1949-1951. This part describes the difficulties in finding accommodation. 

Please note: This document contains original language used at the time which is not appropriate today. 

  • How had the ‘blitz’ made it difficult to find somewhere to live? 
  • What does the term ‘colour prejudice’ mean? 
  • Why have some migrants found it difficult to find somewhere to live? 
  • What does this source suggest about how white British people treated Caribbean migrants? 
  • Do you think that the booklet gives a true picture of Britain? Explain your reasons. 
  • Why do you think this booklet was made? 
  • Find out about the lives of  H.D. Carberry and Dudley Thompson 

Part 2

How can we use these 4 documents to find out more about the lives of those who came to Britain in the 1940s and 1950s? 

Source 1

This is an extract taken from a story printed in the Birmingham Gazette’ by Horace Halliburton, 10th August 1949. Catalogue ref: LAB 26/198

Housing for the new migrants, near to their places of work was often provided by National Service Hostels Corporation (NSHC).  

There had been reports about some disturbances between the Poles and the Jamaicans living at Causeway Green hostel. On 8th August, a riot with serious fighting occurred. The Causeway Green Riot and events leading up to that night, mainly consisted of Polish men fighting a smaller group of Jamaicans. Those in charge of the hostel decided to evict the Jamaicans, not the Poles or others involved. The Jamaicans refused to leave and therefore the NSHC made a rule to limit the number of ‘West Indian’ residents ‘up to 10% of the total’ with ‘a ceiling of 30%’. 

  • What does it tell us about the author’s feelings about living and working in Britain? 
  • What might it have been like to live in a hostel after arriving in Britain? 
  • What does the writer mean by a ‘colour bar’? 
  • What does the writer say are the real causes of the disturbances at Causeway Green Hostel? 
  • Does it make a difference that the person who lived at the hostel also wrote this story? 

Discuss (if possible) the plan to limit the number of Jamaicans in NHSC hostels after events at the Causeway Green.  

  • What does this tell us about the treatment of Jamaicans in Britain? 

Source 2

Newspaper story from the ‘Southern Daily Echo’ [Southampton] entitled ‘700 work- wanting Jamaicans arrive at Southampton’, 3 May 1954, Catalogue ref: AST 7/1125 

  • What was the name of the ship that bought over 700 Jamaicans? 
  • What type of work do most of the women hope to find? 
  • How many of the passengers needed to stay in a hostel? 
  • How many have ’travelled from the ‘West Indies’ since the Second World War? 

The newspaper says that ‘only a few have become chargeable to public assistance’. This means few immigrants got money (benefits) from the government. 

  • Does this comment explain how the writer in the newspaper felt about immigrants coming to Britain? Give your reasons. 

Source 3

Newspaper story called ‘Little help here for the bewildered West Indian’ by John Baker from the ‘Express and Star’ [Wolverhampton] 9 August 1956 Catalogue ref: AST 7/1125 

Please note: This document contains original language used at the time which is not appropriate today. 

Look at the photograph and caption (words below the photograph). 

  • What does the caption suggest about attitudes to new immigrants in Britain? 
  • What does it reveal about the difficulties of finding decent housing and jobs for some Jamaicans? 
  • What does the article reveal about attitudes in British society towards immigration at that time? 

Source 4

Extract from a letter sent to town halls in Islington, Paddington and Euston asking about their local housing problems, 28 September 1958, Catalogue ref: HLG 117/122 

Please note: This document contains original language used at the time which is not appropriate today. 

For several nights at the end of August 1958, young white men known as ‘teddy boys’ attacked West Indian residents and their homes in Notting Hill, London. These disturbances became known as the Notting Hill riots. 

  • What type of document is this? 
  • Why do you think the government wanted a report about housing for immigrants in different areas? 
  • Apart from overcrowded housing, what other difficulties could immigrants in Notting Hill have faced? [Use what you know from the other documents.] 
  • Teachers discuss the causes of Notting Hill riots in 1958.  

Plenary

Look again at all of the sources [for parts 1 & 2]  

  • Select two sources which you have found the most interesting, shocking, or surprising and compare with a partner/discuss in class. 
  • What do the sources suggest about life for Caribbean migrants who came to Britain in the 1940s and 1950s? What do we learn about their treatment and attitudes towards them? What other sources could we use to find out more? 

Teachers' notes

Focus 

To encourage pupils to explore original sources to find out how Caribbean migrants were treated after their arrival. Why was it difficult to find decent accommodation and jobs? How were they treated? What were race relations like in the cities in the 1950s?  

The sources allow pupils to discuss race relations and inequality in post-war Britain. It is important that teachers ensure that pupils understand these terms: blitz, immigrant, commonwealth, colony, colour prejudice, inequality, discrimination, colour bar, hostel. 

These documents cover sensitive subjects and may include language and concepts that are entirely unacceptable and inappropriate today. We suggest that teachers look at the material carefully before introducing to pupils. It would be helpful to discuss the language and ideas contained in a source beforehand and the vocabulary. 

All sources could be shown on a whiteboard/or as printed copy. It is suggested that teachers read the text-based sources together with the pupils. They may wish to break the documents into smaller extracts if they appear too long or create additional simplified transcripts. All documents include transcripts with information in square brackets to help. Teachers may also wish to divide their class into small groups/pairs. Print the questions below on separate cards. Ask the pupils to discuss their answers and report back to the class using the whiteboard to display the source. 

Finally, teachers can use any of the original sources to create their own resources and activities or adapt the activities provided here for use in their schemes of work. 

Part 1: Starter activity

Pupils engage with a source, an extract from a booklet written to describe life in England for Commonwealth migrants coming to settle in Britain. A second extract is provided to extend discussion and encourage pupils to think of some of the difficulties in finding somewhere to live. 

Part 2: Source exploration

Pupils study a further 4 sources, a series of newspaper extracts and a letter extract, which explore the experience for immigrants in Britain. What were the difficulties and tensions finding somewhere to live and work and acceptance in the community. 

Plenary:

Look again at all of the sources [for parts 1 & 2.]  

Select two sources which you have found the most interesting, shocking, or surprising and compare with a partner/discuss in class. 

What do the sources suggest about life for Caribbean immigrants who came to Britain in the 1940s and 1950s? What difficulties did they face? How were they treated? 

Part 3: suggested creative activities 

  1. Using your local archive/library if possible, or the Black Cultural Archives/London Metropolitan Archive/Migration Museum try and research the migration history of your area through historical sources relating to the 1940s and 1950s or more recent times. Create a class exhibition. 
  2. In pairs, pupils create a booklet/poster/map about your school area today. Paint/draw/photograph or describe the people, buildings, shops/businesses, markets, green spaces, entertainment, transport. 

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Lesson at a glance

Suitable for: Key stage 2

Time period: Postwar 1945-present, Second World War 1939-1945

Suggested inquiry questions: What do these documents reveal about life for Caribbean migrants to Britain in the 1940s and 1950s?

Potential activities: Explore the documents. Research the migration history of your local area. Create a booklet/poster/map about your school area today.

Download: Lesson pack

Related resources

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Empire Windrush: The Notting Hill Carnival

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Commonwealth migration since 1945

What was the context and impact of migration in modern Britain?