Experiences of Migrants in Britain during the Industrial Period

Prior Learning

• Challenge Task:
  • Gold: Compare and evaluate the experience of each migrant group to Britain.
  • Silver: Explain why some experiences of migrants were more positive than others.
  • Bronze: Describe the experiences of the migrant groups using a range of key terms.
• Title: How far was the experience of all migrants good in the Industrial period?
• Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025
• Learning Objective: To analyze the experiences of migrants in Britain c.1700 – c.1900
• Questions:
  1. What term describes the Indian sailors who worked for British trading companies such as the East India Company? Answer: Lascars
  2. What term describes the nannies who worked for British families in India? Answer: Ayahs
  3. Which two European countries had only been officially united/formed in the 1800s? Answer: Italy & Germany
  4. What term describes prejudice & discrimination against Jewish people? Answer: Anti-Semitism
  5. Which Christian faith did the vast majority of Irish migrants believe in? Answer: Catholic
  6. Although not part of the British Empire, which country in Asia did Britain begin to trade with by the 1800s? Answer: China
  7. Historically, which British city did many Jewish migrants settle in? Answer: London
  8. Which term is used to describe the movement of people into towns and cities? Answer: Urbanisation
  9. In which year during the 1800s was slavery abolished by the British? Answer: 1807
  10. Which essential food crop failed in Ireland in 1845-46? Answer: Potato

Urbanization

• Challenge Task:
  • Many migrants in this period settled in Britain’s new and industrializing towns and cities.
  • Think about, discuss, and be ready to share your ideas about why migrants are attracted to more urban locations.
  • Gold: Compare and evaluate the experience of each migrant group to Britain.
  • Silver: Explain why some experiences of migrants were more positive than others.
  • Bronze: Describe the experiences of the migrant groups using a range of key terms.
• Title: How far was the experience of all migrants good in the Industrial period?
• Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025
• Learning Objective: To analyze the experiences of migrants in Britain c.1700 – c.1900
• Reasons why migrants are attracted to more urban locations:
  • More opportunities for different types of work and therefore money.
  • More choice of housing – even if conditions are poor.
  • Existing migrants may already live there. This gives a chance to form a community with people of similar traditions, religion, and language.
  • Towns & cities are central to the main transport links such as rail & ships.
  • Migrants often know about famous towns before arrival.
  • Towns & cities offer better forms of help for migrants.
  • Better opportunities for education.

African Experiences

• Challenge Task:
  • Some African men fought for the British Army during the American War of Independence (1775).
  • As a reward, they were given their freedom and an opportunity to come to Britain.
  • However, after their arrival, many struggled to find work and were left begging on the streets.
  • The skills they had used as slaves did not match the skills which were needed to find work in Britain.
  • Some help was offered but the government soon encouraged them to sail ‘back’ to Africa.
  • Gold: Compare and evaluate the experience of each migrant group to Britain.
  • Silver: Explain why some experiences of migrants were more positive than others.
  • Bronze: Describe the experiences of the migrant groups using a range of key terms.
• Title: How far was the experience of all migrants good in the Industrial period?
• Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025
• Learning Objective: To analyze the experiences of migrants in Britain c.1700 – c.1900

African Experiences (Continued)

• Challenge Task:
  • Newspapers played a key role in changing some attitudes towards African migrants in Britain.
  • They published influential articles about the following:
  • Gold: I can compare and evaluate the experience of each migrant group to Britain.
  • Silver: I can explain why some experiences of migrants was more positive than others.
  • Bronze: I can describe the experiences of the migrant groups using a range of key terms.
• Title: How far was the experience of all migrants good in the Industrial period?
• Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025
• Learning Objective: To analyze the experiences of migrants in Britain c.1700 – c.1900
• Lord Justice Mansfield:
  • Judge Mansfield made the important decision that slavery did not legally exist in Britain, after the Somerset Case, 1772.
  • His arguments helped influence a more positive attitude towards African migrants in Britain.
• Mary Seacole:
  • Newspapers published the story of Jamaican nurse, Mary Seacole who had been living in poverty despite having helped care for British soldiers in the Crimean War.
  • They helped raise funds from the public to give to her.

Indian Experiences

• Challenge Task:
  • In 1869, a key transport route called the Suez Canal opened up in north Africa – even better, it was controlled by the British.
  • It cut nearly 5,000 miles off the journey Between Britain and India.
  • Lascars from India and China continued to settle in ports such as London, Liverpool and Glasgow.
  • Other than working in ports, they struggled to find work and had to rely on Christian charities for help.
  • More Ayahs came to Britain with British families returning from India.
  • Some found work for other British families.
  • However, others were stranded, living in poverty and needed help from Christian organizations.
  • Gold: Compare and evaluate the experience of each migrant group to Britain.
  • Silver: Explain why some experiences of migrants were more positive than others.
  • Bronze: Describe the experiences of the migrant groups using a range of key terms.
• Title: How far was the experience of all migrants good in the Industrial period?
• Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025
• Learning Objective: To analyze the experiences of migrants in Britain c.1700 – c.1900

German Experiences

• Challenge Task:
  • Many skilled German migrants came to Britain as they were attracted by the freedoms that Britain offered.
  • They came to set up new businesses, share new ideas, and develop new skills.
  • They settled in a wide variety of towns across Britain.
  • Their skills allowed them to settle quickly and attitudes towards German migrants were generally positive.
  • Gold: Compare and evaluate the experience of each migrant group to Britain.
  • Silver: Explain why some experiences of migrants were more positive than others.
  • Bronze: Describe the experiences of the migrant groups using a range of key terms.
• Title: How far was the experience of all migrants good in the Industrial period?
• Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025
• Learning Objective: To analyze the experiences of migrants in Britain c.1700 – c.1900
• People:
  • Paul Reuter:
    • Set up a successful news agency called Reuters News in 1851. It remains an influential news organization today.
  • Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels:
    • Famous German thinkers who were able to publish their radical new ideas about how society should be run in Britain.
    • They went on to influence many world leaders.

Italian Experiences

• Challenge Task:
  • Italian migrants had previously been farmers and so lacked the wide range of skills which the German migrants offered.
  • They had to adapt to new jobs quickly.
  • Many settled in an area of London called Clerkenwell. This area soon became known as Little Italy.
  • Many set up as street musicians playing instruments such as the hurdy-gurdy and barrel organs.
  • Others gained success by setting up their own Italian ice-cream parlours. Eating Italian ice- cream because hugely popular in Britain.
  • Many Italians in Scotland began to run their own fish & chip shops.
  • Gold: Compare and evaluate the experience of each migrant group to Britain.
  • Silver: Explain why some experiences of migrants were more positive than others.
  • Bronze: Describe the experiences of the migrant groups using a range of key terms.
• Title: How far was the experience of all migrants good in the Industrial period?
• Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025
• Learning Objective: To analyse the experiences of migrants in Britain c.1700 – c.1900

Irish Experiences

• Challenge Task:
  • Irish migrants mainly came to Britain with skills in farming. However, they had to adapt to working in different industries.
  • Many took on work as navvies (short for navigators). They worked hard to build routes for railways and canals.
  • Despite their hard work, the Irish often faced anti-Irish prejudice. They were accused of being drunks and even terrorists, especially by the newspapers.
  • Gold: Compare and evaluate the experience of each migrant group to Britain.
  • Silver: Explain why some experiences of migrants were more positive than others.
  • Bronze: Describe the experiences of the migrant groups using a range of key terms.
• Title: How far was the experience of all migrants good in the Industrial period?
• Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025
• Learning Objective: To analyse the experiences of migrants in Britain c.1700 – c.1900

Jewish Experiences

• Challenge Task:
  • 90% of Jewish migrants settled in the poorer east-end of London with other Jews who had migrated in previous years.
  • Many arrived poor and only speaking Yiddish – they had to try and adapt to British life quickly.
  • They mainly worked in the clothing industry, especially in the terrible conditions of the sweatshops.
  • These new Jewish migrants faced Anti-Semitism as local people saw them as being so ‘different’ to them.
  • Gold: Compare and evaluate the experience of each migrant group to Britain.
  • Silver: Explain why some experiences of migrants were more positive than others.
  • Bronze: Describe the experiences of the migrant groups using a range of key terms.
• Title: How far was the experience of all migrants good in the Industrial period?
• Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025
• Learning Objective: To analyse the experiences of migrants in Britain c.1700 – c.1900

Main Task

• Challenge Task:
  • Gold: Compare and evaluate the experience of each migrant group to Britain
  • Silver: Explain why some experiences of migrants was more positive than others
  • Bronze: Describe the experiences of the migrant groups using a range of key terms
• Title: How far was the experience of all migrants good in the Industrial period?
• Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025
• Learning Objective: To analyse the experiences of migrants in Britain c.1700 – c.1900
• Complete a table like the one below to help you understand the experiences of migrants in this time.
  • Group Work/Living Conditions Evidence of positive experience Evidence of negative experience
    • Irish
    • Jewish
    • African
    • Asian
    • German
    • Italian

Experiences of Migrants in Britain

• Migration into the Towns & Cities
  • Most migrants settled in growing industrial towns and cities where they tended to settle alongside each other and form their own small communities.
  • With such a huge influx of people, the authorities struggled to house everyone.
  • Often, tensions grew between the original residents of a town and the new migrants.
  • Problems included:
    • Deadly diseases such as cholera, measles, TB and typhus spread quickly in the unsanitary conditions.
    • There was little relief (help for the poor) especially for poor migrants.
    • Migrants often settled in poorer parts of towns where housing was cheap and already run-down.
    • Poorer parts of towns became overcrowded
    • Few homes had running water, drainage or working sewers. Up to 60 people had to share an outside toilet.
• Experiences of Irish Migrants
  • Irish Navvies:
    • Irish migrants came to Britain with few skills other than farming.
    • They often worked as labourers in the local docks or in mines and quarries.
    • The most common work they took on however was working as navvies.
    • Navvies (short for navigators) dug out routes for canals and railways and involved digging tunnels and building bridges.
    • The work was tough and dangerous.
    • Many were killed or injured which led their wives and children into more poverty.
    • New Laws
      • 1778 Catholic Relief Act - Allowed Catholics to join the British Army and own land in Britain. By 1868, 55,000 Irishmen had joined the British army.
      • 1791 Catholic Relief Act - Allowed Catholics to practice their religion in Britain without being fined.
      • 1871 - Catholics were allowed to attend British universities for the first time.
  • Anti-Irish Prejudice
    • Despite their hard work, prejudice against the Irish grew.
      • The Fenians were a Catholic terrorist group who unsuccessfully attempted to overthrow the British government in 1867. The fact that they were Irish meant that the British public associated all Irish people with being Fenians.
      • Some simply still disliked the Irish for being Catholic.
      • The Irish were poor. British believed this was their own fault and that they should be sent back to Ireland.
      • British found it easy to accused Irish migrants of being criminals as they often lived in high crime areas.
      • Navvies were often blamed for social problems and accused of being drunk trouble makers.
      • In the media, newspapers blamed the Irish for outbreaks of typhus labelling it ‘Irish Fever’. This fuelled more negative views.
      • British people were caught up in the racist ideas of the time. They believed that the Irish were ‘inferior’ to the British as they were descended from Celts whereas British people were descendants of the ‘superior’ Anglo -Saxons.
• Experiences of Jewish Migrants:
  • Education
    • The London Jewish Free School in Whitechapel aimed to integrate Jewish children into English society. Between 1880 and 1900, a third of all London’s Jewish children were educated there.
  • Living Conditions
    • Jewish migrants settled in the overcrowded East End of London in poorer districts like Spitalfields and Whitechapel. By 1901 it was 14 people per house in these areas.
  • Work
    • Most Jews worked in one of three trades: clothing, shoemaking or furniture making.
    • In Whitechapel, many Jews worked in clothing sweatshops.
    • Sweatshops were buildings where cheap, basic clothing items were produced, often in poor conditions and for very low wages.
    • Men and women worked long hours in terrible conditions.
    • Some sweatshops were even set up in the larger homes which had once been used by the Huguenots.
    • Many sweatshops were run by Jews.
    • 90% of Jews from Eastern Europe came to London with the hope of joining the existing Jewish communities in the East End.
    • Existing Jewish migrants were worried that the new Jewish migrants might affect the positive view that British society had formed of the Jews.
    • Jewish leaders urged Jewish migrants to quickly learn English and adapt to the British way of life.
    • Understandably, Jews also wanted to also keep their Jewish religion and traditions.
    • Trying to be both ‘British’ and ‘Jewish’ proved difficult.
  • Anti-Semitism
    • Many locals had a dislike and resentment towards Jewish migrants.
      • The existing population started to believe Anti-Semitic stereotypes of Jews which were presented in the media (newspapers & novels) such as Jews being ugly, greedy and untrustworthy. For example, in Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist, the character Fagin was based on Jewish stereotypes.
      • There was prejudice because:
        • Jewish workers worked for low wages. British people resented this as they had been pressuring for better pay for many years.
        • The sweatshops which were set up by Jews would only employ other Jewish workers. The English felt like they were being pushed out of work. Jews were accused of taking jobs from British workers.
        • There were differences in traditions. The Jewish holy day is a Saturday and not a Sunday. This meant that Jewish businesses could be open on a Sunday for trade when British businesses had to close.
        • There were differences in culture. People disliked the traditional orthodox Jewish clothing, foods and the fact that many only spoke Yiddish and not English.
• The Experiences of African Migrants
  • By 1750, there were around 10,000 Africans in England. Many came from families who had been in Britain for hundreds of years and were generally accepted in society.
  • Others were more recent and had been forced to come to Britain by their owners and worked as servants, despite slavery never officially being legal in Britain. So many were left in a legal limbo where it was unclear if they were free or not as they could be free if they ran away but racists attitudes were increasingly common, and they would struggle to find work.
  • By 1800, 15,000 Africans lived in London. Black communities grew in Liverpool, Glasgow and Cardiff. Africans worked in a range of jobs with some earning more money than others.
  • Former Slaves & British Soldiers
    • African men fought for Britain during the American War of Independence (1775). In return they were offered freedom and a chance to come to Britain. However, many struggled to find work and were left begging on streets.
    • The Committee for the Relief of the Black Poor was set up in 1786 to care for African beggars until they found work. But the government soon encouraged them to leave. In 1787, a ship sailed from England to Africa with 400 beggars on board. 133 died on board ship.
  • The Influence of the Media on Attitudes
    • Newspapers had an important role in changing attitudes towards African migrants.
      • In 1772, newspapers published the judgement of Lord Justice Mansfield who concluded that slavery did not legally exist in England. This delighted black African migrants in Britain and helped change some attitudes towards them.
      • Newspapers also published the case of Mary Seacole, a Jamaican nurse who was left in poverty despite caring for British soldiers during the Crimean War. In 1858 they helped raise funds from the public which were given to her.
• The Experiences of Indian & Chinese Migrants
  • Indian Ayahs
    • In 1869, a key transport route called the Suez Canal opened up in north Africa. It was controlled by the British. It cut 5 thousand miles off the journey from Britain to India. The journey was made even easier with the use of steam powered ships.
    • Ayahs (nannies) travelled to Britain with the families they had worked for in India. Many stayed with the family until the children had grown up and then found work with other English families. However, some were abandoned and lived in dire poverty as a result.
    • Those stranded headed for the poorer parts of London. E.g. in 1855, 50 ayahs were found living in one run down lodging house in London’s East End.
    • By the 1850s, a hostel was set up by a Christian organisation which gave shelter to abandoned ayahs. It helped ayahs find work but also aimed to convert the women from Hinduism to Christianity.
  • The Lascars
    • The British East India Company recruited Indians to work on board trading ships. Once Britain had defeated China in the Opium Wars (1839-42), Chinese lascars were also in high demand to help with the trade of luxury goods such as tea and silk.
    • Some Lascars reached British ports and decided to stay rather than make their return journey back to India or Asia. They often found work in busy British ports such as Liverpool and Glasgow.
    • However, some became destitute (homeless and without work). They roamed the streets, begging and stealing. Many died from starvation or from the cold.
    • Hostels were opened to help destitute lascars, providing them with food, clothing and to find work. Christian organisations also worked in the hostels offering to convert the lascars to Christianity.
• The Experiences of European Migrants
  • German Migrants
    • As well as escaping warfare, Germans came to Britain because of the freedom it offered to develop their skills, ideas and businesses. German migrants came to a wide variety of towns and cities across Britain.
    • Hundreds of Germans set up smaller businesses such as butchers, bakers, brewers, ran restaurants and pubs – they even introduced the sausage to Britain!
      • Paul Reuter set up a successful news agency called Reuters News in London in 1851. It covered international news in Britain and made British readers feel part of the wider world.
      • Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels - Famous German thinkers who were able to publish their radical new ideas in Britain.
      • John Merz - An electrical engineer who created a company which supplied electricity to the north-east of England.
  • Italian Migrants
    • Italians had previously been farmers and had to quickly find other ways to make a living. Many settled in a district called Clerkenwell in London which soon became known as ‘Little Italy’.
    • The Italians brought some fun to London and the other cities they settled in.
      • Many Italians worked as street musicians using instruments such as barrel organs and hurdy-gurdy machines - sometimes with a tame monkey dancing and playing tricks. By 1881 there were over a thousand streets musicians in Britain.
      • Some Italians developed the skills they had first learned in Italy such as making tiles and plastering.
      • Some moved to Scotland where they set up fish and chip shops. Many today are still run by Italians.
      • The biggest form of employment was making and selling ice cream. Many opening their own ice cream parlours in towns coastal resorts across Britain which were hugely popular.

Plenary

• Challenge Task:
  • Gold: I can compare and evaluate the experience of each migrant group to Britain
  • Silver: I can explain why some experiences of migrants was more positive than others
  • Bronze: I can describe the experiences of the migrant groups using a range of key terms
• Title: How far was the experience of all migrants good in the Industrial period?
• Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025
• Learning Objective: To analyse the experiences of migrants in Britain c.1700 – c.1900
• Which migrant group?
  1. The newspapers helped improve the general attitude people had towards us. - African
  2. We mainly settled in the East- End of London and worked in the clothing industry. - Jewish
  3. We were less accepted in Britain by the 1900s than we were in the 1700s. - African
  4. Some of us were abandoned and had to rely on Christian charities for support. - Indian
  5. We settled successfully in Britain due to the wide variety of skilled jobs we could do. - German
  6. We became hard working navvies but still faced prejudice. - Irish
  7. We came on board ships trading our tea and silks. - Chinese
  8. We love the hurdy-gurdy and eating ice-cream! - Italian
  9. We were blamed for disease, drunkenness, violence and criminal behaviour. - Irish

Peer Assess

• Challenge Task:
  • Gold: I can compare and evaluate the experience of each migrant group to Britain
  • Silver: I can explain why some experiences of migrants was more positive than others
  • Bronze: I can describe the experiences of the migrant groups using a range of key terms
• Title: How far was the experience of all migrants good in the Industrial period?
• Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025
• Learning Objective: To analyse the experiences of migrants in Britain c.1700 – c.1900
• Now, lets take a look at your 16 markers: ‘The biggest cause of migration to Britain in the period 1700-1900 was the impact of the British Empire.’ How far do you agree?
  • You may use the following information in your answer:
    • India
    • Ireland
  • You must use information of your own. [16]
  • Use the mark-scheme to peer assess your partner’s work. Remember to find the level by deciding which bullet points the answer has achieved, then the mark.
    • BP1- Explanation and Analysis of the Question (AO2)
    • BP2- Structure and Focus (AO2)
    • BP3- Knowledge and Understanding (AO1)
    • BP4- Judgement and Criteria (AO2)
    • Level 1- Poor
    • Level 2- Some
    • Level 3- Good
    • Level 4- Precise