Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-5-1-windrush-and-immigration

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# Windrush & Immigration

History: AQA A Level The British Empire, topic 4.5.1

## Windrush and Immigration

After the second world war, migration to Britain from the former colonies was actively encouraged to bolster the workforce, bringing diversity to Britain on a scale previously not seen.

### The Empire Windrush

![The Empire Windrush](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-04/a0c279b4-1a8d-4bfb-8330-a88abf098252/windrush.jpg)

- On 22nd June 1948, the Empire Windrush was a ship that steamed up the Thames to the Tilbury Dock, London. 
- The 1948 British Nationality Act gave everyone in the Commonwealth the right to live and work in Britain. Britain had severe labour shortages after World War 2 and migration was desired by the government. 
 - The new National Health Service and London's improved transportation system were 2 government-funded areas in dire need of more workers. 
- 500 settlers from Kingston, Jamaica had moved to the UK, responding to the call.

### Who migrated to Britain after WW2?

![Who migrated to Britain after WW2?](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-04/792114ea-eefc-49a7-aa61-4b061d1f4c4f/jamaica.jpg)

- 1/3 of the migrants on the Empire Windrush were RAF fighters or RAF veterans, many of whom had fought for Britain in World War Two. 
- Many people migrated from Ireland and by 1971, 12% of British nurses were Irish nationals.
- Enoch Powell, Health Minister, recruited 18,000 doctors from India and Pakistan in the 1960s. 
- By the year 2000, 73% of the NHS' General Practitioners in Wales’s Rhondda valley were south Asian.

### Reaction to immigration

![Reaction to immigration](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/ef38499a-9dab-4a31-9666-57ff73505847/fear-letters.jpg)

- Immigrants were initially welcomed. The government had asked that they come and many had served for Britain in the war. 
- Enoch Powell made a u-turn on his views towards immigration, which is a clear sign of the inconsistency with which Britain treated immigrants. 
- As migration to the UK rose, some white British people began to feel threatened. Some people feared that they would lose their jobs to migrants. Some people disliked people who looked or acted differently to them. Some people welcomed migrants. Some people were intolerant. Some people were racist.

### British immigration statistics

![British immigration statistics](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/5a365045-dde2-4f40-a24c-f22434a2ac60/passport-immigration-travel-.jpg)

- In the 1970s, the most represented foreign country among migrants to England was Ireland. 
- Between 1950 and 1955, 358,000 more people moved from the UK to other countries than arrive in the UK. 
- Immigration to Britain peaked between 1960 and 1962. Then in 1962, the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962 introduced more constraints on immigration. 
- Between 1962 and 1965, 50,000 immigrants arrived per year.
- It is estimated that Britain's non-white population in 1950 was under 20,000 people. According to the 2011 census, in 2011, there were 1.9 million black people in the UK.

## Racist Attitudes Towards Immigrants

The influx of black immigrants angered some people in Britain who held racist attitudes. Many aspects of British society exhibited racist and xenophobic views.

### Oswald Mosley and racist attacks

![Oswald Mosley and racist attacks](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-04/5af80e3d-19bf-4859-8999-aafc46834dff/Screenshot%202019-04-29%20at%2017.17.16.png)

- In 1948, Oswald Mosley founded the Union Movement on an anti-immigration platform. Mosley's movement never received mainstream support. 
- The Teddy Boys were violent groups of youths. In 1958, they launched prominent racist attacks in Notting Hill.

### Hostility towards "coloured people"

![Hostility towards "coloured people"](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-04/38ce01bc-94fb-442f-9d5e-e63f60d86028/black-civil-rights-racist-racism-mlk-protest-.jpg)

- In 1965, a North London survey revealed that:
 - 20% of people refused to live next door to a "coloured person".
 - 90% of people disapproved of mixed marriages.
- Bengalis in London’s East End were subjected to violence, and ‘P**i-bashing’ (attacking anyone with non-white skin, but especially those of south Asian descent) became common in Bradford and Luton.
- It was only made illegal to discriminate against other people based on 'colour, race or ethnic origins' in 1965 under the Race Relations Act. 
- The phrase "coloured people" has come to be considered offensive in modern times, in part due to the fact it was used widely to refer to non-white people in the segregation era in the US.

### Enoch Powell and racist behaviour

![Enoch Powell and racist behaviour](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/7a84a14c-925d-4f69-86b8-a2353446109e/racism-sign.jpg)

- In 1968, Enoch Powell, a Conservative MP gave his infamous 'Rivers of Blood' speech which said:
 - “We must be mad, literally mad, as a nation to be permitting the annual inflow of some 50,000 dependents, who are for the most part the material of the future growth of the immigrant-descended population. It is like watching a nation busily engaged in heaping up its own funeral pyre.”
- In the 1964 election, in the constituency of Smethwick, the Conservative MP, Peter Griffiths won the local seat, and refused to distance himself from the campaign slogan “If you want a n***** for a neighbour, vote Labour.” When asked about the posters by The Times, Griffiths said: "I would say it is exasperation, not fascism."

### Hostility to Irish people

![Hostility to Irish people](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-02/3237b14d-6c9c-4974-a24d-a46963200622/the-sun-cover-newspaper-immigration-politics-cameron-eu-.png)

- Racism in the 20th Century in the UK does not seem to have been primarily against Irish people.
- However, when the IRA was bombing prominent sites in the UK, the Daily Mail requested that "Irish people to be banned from UK sporting events and fined for IRA disruption to public transport".

## Test yourself on Windrush & Immigration

- Who migrated to Britain after WW2 and what were the impacts of migration?
- Complete the statistics on British immigration.
- What violent youths launched racist attacks in Notting Hill in 1958?
- What were the findings of the 1965 North London survey?
- What campaign slogan did Conservative MP Peter Griffiths refuse to distance himself from?

[Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/4dd48474-7381-4a8b-8d47-f52ec6b25dfd/section/337bf832-2632-43b2-87f5-09674ad0ec55/session)

- Previous topic: [4.4.3 Pan-Africanism in Nationalism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-4-3-pan-africanism-in-nationalism.md)
- Next topic: [4.5.2 Commonwealth Immigrants Act](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-5-2-commonwealth-immigrants-act.md)

## History: AQA A Level The British Empire contents

### 1 High Water Mark of the British Empire, 1857-1914
- 1.1 Development of Imperialism, 1857-1890
  - [1.1.1 Empires over Time](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-1-1-empires-over-time.md)
  - [1.1.2 Key Questions About Empires](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-1-2-key-questions-about-empires.md)
  - [1.1.3 Expansion into Africa](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-1-3-expansion-into-africa.md)
  - [1.1.4 History of Egypt](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-1-4-history-of-egypt.md)
  - [1.1.5 Control of Egypt](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-1-5-control-of-egypt.md)
  - [1.1.6 Control of Sudan](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-1-6-control-of-sudan.md)
- 1.2 Imperial & Colonial Policy, 1857-1890
  - [1.2.1 The British Empire & India](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-2-1-the-british-empire-and-india.md)
  - [1.2.2 The British Raj](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-2-2-the-british-raj.md)
  - [1.2.3 International Relations with other Powers](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-2-3-international-relations-with-other-powers.md)
  - [1.2.4 Scramble for Africa](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-2-4-scramble-for-africa.md)
  - [1.2.5 The Informal Empire](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-2-5-the-informal-empire.md)
- 1.3 Trade & Commerce, 1857-1890
  - [1.3.1 Trade & Commerce in the Empire](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-3-1-trade-and-commerce-in-the-empire.md)
  - [1.3.2 Infrastructure of Trade & Commerce](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-3-2-infrastructure-of-trade-and-commerce.md)
  - [1.3.3 Products of Trade & Commerce](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-3-3-products-of-trade-and-commerce.md)
- 1.4 Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1857-1890
  - [1.4.1 Explorers](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-4-1-explorers.md)
  - [1.4.2 Missionaries](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-4-2-missionaries.md)
  - [1.4.3 Traders & Colonial Administrators](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-4-3-traders-and-colonial-administrators.md)
  - [1.4.4 Government Attitudes Towards Imperialism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-4-4-government-attitudes-towards-imperialism.md)
- 1.5 Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1857-1890
  - [1.5.1 Relations with India](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-5-1-relations-with-india.md)
  - [1.5.2 Relations with South Africa](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-5-2-relations-with-south-africa.md)
  - [1.5.3 British-Boer Relations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/1-5-3-british-boer-relations.md)

### 2 Imperial Consolidation & Liberal Rule, 1890-1914
- 2.1 Consolidation & Expansion in Africa, 1890-1914
  - [2.1.1 Consolidation & Expansion into Africa](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-1-1-consolidation-and-expansion-into-africa.md)
  - [2.1.2 Consolidation & Expansion in South Africa](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-1-2-consolidation-and-expansion-in-south-africa.md)
  - [2.1.3 Historical Interpretations: Expansion into Africa](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-1-3-historical-interpretations-expansion-into-africa.md)
- 2.2 Imperial & Colonial Policy, 1890-1914
  - [2.2.1 Policy in India](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-2-1-policy-in-india.md)
  - [2.2.2 Policy in Egypt](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-2-2-policy-in-egypt.md)
  - [2.2.3 Native Policy in Colonies](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-2-3-native-policy-in-colonies.md)
  - [2.2.4 International Relations with Other Powers](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-2-4-international-relations-with-other-powers.md)
- 2.3 Trade & Commerce, 1890-1914
  - [2.3.1 The Benefits of Trade](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-3-1-the-benefits-of-trade.md)
  - [2.3.2 Costs of the Empire](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-3-2-costs-of-the-empire.md)
  - [2.3.3 Debates Over Trade](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-3-3-debates-over-trade.md)
- 2.4 Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1890-1914
  - [2.4.1 Key Administrators - Chamberlain & Rhodes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-4-1-key-administrators-chamberlain-and-rhodes.md)
  - [2.4.2 Key Administrators - Baring & Milner](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-4-2-key-administrators-baring-and-milner.md)
  - [2.4.3 Key Administrators - Curzon](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-4-3-key-administrators-curzon.md)
  - [2.4.4 Government Attitudes to the Empire](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-4-4-government-attitudes-to-the-empire.md)
  - [2.4.5 National Efficiency & the Boer War](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-4-5-national-efficiency-and-the-boer-war.md)
  - [2.4.6 Popular Attitudes Towards Imperialism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-4-6-popular-attitudes-towards-imperialism.md)
- 2.5 Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1890-1914
  - [2.5.1 Challenges in India](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-5-1-challenges-in-india.md)
  - [2.5.2 Challenges in Africa](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-5-2-challenges-in-africa.md)
  - [2.5.3 Challenges in South Africa](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-5-3-challenges-in-south-africa.md)
  - [2.5.4 Historical Interpretations of the Boer War](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-5-4-historical-interpretations-of-the-boer-war.md)
  - [2.5.5 Relations & Business with Iran](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/2-5-5-relations-and-business-with-iran.md)

### 3 Imperialism Challenged, 1914-1967
- 3.1 Expansion & Contraction of Empire, 1914-1947
  - [3.1.1 Impact of WW1](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/3-1-1-impact-of-ww1.md)
  - [3.1.2 Palestine](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/3-1-2-palestine.md)
  - [3.1.3 Ireland & WW1](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/3-1-3-ireland-and-ww1.md)
  - [3.1.4 Impact of WW2 on the British Empire](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/3-1-4-impact-of-ww2-on-the-british-empire.md)
- 3.2 Colonial Policy & Administration, 1914-1947
  - [3.2.1 Administration in India & Palestine](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/3-2-1-administration-in-india-and-palestine.md)
  - [3.2.2 Administration in Iraq & the Dominions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/3-2-2-administration-in-iraq-and-the-dominions.md)
  - [3.2.3 Imperial Defence](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/3-2-3-imperial-defence.md)
- 3.3 Trade, Commerce & Economic Impact of War
  - [3.3.1 Economic Impact of WW1](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/3-3-1-economic-impact-of-ww1.md)
  - [3.3.2 Inter-War Trade & Commerce](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/3-3-2-inter-war-trade-and-commerce.md)
  - [3.3.3 Economic Impact of WW2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/3-3-3-economic-impact-of-ww2.md)
- 3.4 Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1890-1914
  - [3.4.1 Colonial Administrators](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/3-4-1-colonial-administrators.md)
  - [3.4.2 Trusteeship](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/3-4-2-trusteeship.md)
  - [3.4.3 Gandhi](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/3-4-3-gandhi.md)
  - [3.4.4 Montagu, Haig & Linlithgow](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/3-4-4-montagu-haig-and-linlithgow.md)
  - [3.4.5 Cameron, Mitchell, Cohen & Furse - African Admins](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/3-4-5-cameron-mitchell-cohen-and-furse-african-admins.md)
  - [3.4.6 Imperialist Ideals](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/3-4-6-imperialist-ideals.md)
- 3.5 Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1914-1947
  - [3.5.1 Ireland & India 1914-1947](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/3-5-1-ireland-and-india-1914-1947.md)
  - [3.5.2 The Middle East and Africa](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/3-5-2-the-middle-east-and-africa.md)

### 4 The Wind of Change, 1947-1967
- 4.1 Decolonisation in Africa & Asia, 1947-1967
  - [4.1.1 Reasons for Decolonisation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-1-1-reasons-for-decolonisation.md)
  - [4.1.2 Decolonisation in East & West Africa](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-1-2-decolonisation-in-east-and-west-africa.md)
  - [4.1.3 Decolonisation in Central & South Africa](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-1-3-decolonisation-in-central-and-south-africa.md)
  - [4.1.4 Decolonisation in Asia](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-1-4-decolonisation-in-asia.md)
- 4.2 Colonial Policy & Administration, 1947-1967
  - [4.2.1 Relations & Business with Iran after WW2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-2-1-relations-and-business-with-iran-after-ww2.md)
  - [4.2.2 The 'Winds of Change'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-2-2-the-winds-of-change.md)
  - [4.2.3 The Suez Canal Crisis - 1956](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-2-3-the-suez-canal-crisis-1956.md)
  - [4.2.4 International Relations 1947-1967](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-2-4-international-relations-1947-1967.md)
- 4.3 Trade & Commerce, 1947-1967
  - [4.3.1 The Economic Impact of WW2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-3-1-the-economic-impact-of-ww2.md)
- 4.4 Attitudes Towards the Empire, 1947-1967
  - [4.4.1 Colonial Administrators: Cohen & Arden-Clarke](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-4-1-colonial-administrators-cohen-and-arden-clarke.md)
  - [4.4.2 Local Leaders in the Independence Movement](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-4-2-local-leaders-in-the-independence-movement.md)
  - [4.4.3 Pan-Africanism in Nationalism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-4-3-pan-africanism-in-nationalism.md)
- 4.5 Post-Colonial Ties, 1947-1967
  - [4.5.1 Windrush & Immigration](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-5-1-windrush-and-immigration.md)
  - [4.5.2 Commonwealth Immigrants Act](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-5-2-commonwealth-immigrants-act.md)
  - [4.5.3 Residual Impact of the Empire](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-5-3-residual-impact-of-the-empire.md)
- 4.6 Relations with Indigenous Peoples, 1947-1967
  - [4.6.1 Challenges to Colonial Rule Post 1947](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-6-1-challenges-to-colonial-rule-post-1947.md)
  - [4.6.2 Kenya & the Mau Mau Uprising](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-6-2-kenya-and-the-mau-mau-uprising.md)
  - [4.6.3 Nigeria & Rhodesia](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/history/aqa/4-6-3-nigeria-and-rhodesia.md)