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

• Tasks
• Teachers' notes

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. 

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Tasks

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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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