Why did London attract such a large and diverse flow of immigrants - Essay Example

?Why did London attract such a large and diverse flow of immigrants Why did London attract such alarge and diverse flow of immigrants Introduction The Sunday of September 2nd 1666 saw the breakout of the Great Fire f London, which started at a Pudding Lane bakery in the city’s southern part. At that time, London was Britain’s largest city by far; the commercial heart, busiest port and dominated the manufacturing and trading classes[6]. Lasting four days, the fire destroyed 87 parish churches and 13,200 residential houses, killing several citizens and leaving 70,000 homeless. This essay will give a description of the rebuilding of London just after the Great Fire and what it meant for the city as well as the outlook of immigration at that time. It will further address significant events in the growth of the city relating to immigrant groups that arrived in different time periods upto the period after World War Two (WWII) and the early 1960s. Each group impacted differently on the city, contributing to different aspects of life ranging from clothing, cuisine, architecture and the industrial revolution. Most of the wooden structures and the springing slums were destroyed by the fire, resulting in devastating economic and social problems. To facilitate reconstruction, King Charles II initiated and encouraged resettlement to other areas amidst fears of rebellion from dispossessed refugees. This led to depopulation of the city just after the fire. Disputes between landlords and tenants were settled by a specially convened fire court to decide who must rebuild, and most of the plan of the old city was used for rebuilding. However, new regulations were also included such that the plan, additionally, had improved fire safety and hygiene standards, stone and brick structures, wider streets, communication infrastructure and no obstructions to the access of river Thames. A monument was also built near Pudding Lane in commemoration of the fire, together with the famous St. Paul’s Cathedral and 50 other smaller churches. The rebuilding process was slow, and within one year, the new houses did not number more than 200. However, things soon picked up and 7,000 new buildings had been completed by 1671[8]. The emergent city was by the standards a modern one, attracting back the population and wealth that had shifted to London’s suburbs and the Town. New insurance companies were also set up to fight fires. Presently, the houses in Spitalfields along Folgate Street in eastern London, grand and terraced, reminds any visitor to London of the refugee silk weavers who designed and constructed them[1]. Although it existed before the Great Fire of London, silk weaving was one of the economic successes that attracted immigrants to London in the late 17th century and early 18th century. It was initially introduced by the French Protestants, known as the Huguenots, along with the manufacture of guns and clocks[2]. They arrived in London fleeing a wave of persecution in their home country and were welcomed by King Charles II, joining the Jewish settlers who had earlier been expelled but allowed back into London by Oliver Cromwell. At the end of the 17th century, there were an approximate 50,000 Huguenots and 20,000 Jews in London, most notably in the Spitalfields area, who were later joined by the Bangladeshis. Recently, estimates have shown that 25 percent of London’s contemporary population has a Huguenot ancestor. However, mass transfer of silk weaving technology into London was via Netherlands from the Far East, Middle East and Italy, during which time, early signs of an interwoven thread of cultures and ethnicities, often contrasting, began to show. By 1713, silk workers migrated from most parts of Europe into London, and the city employed close to 300,000 immigrants skilled in the industry[4]. This influx of immigrants was fuelled by the royal family’s presence in London and the fact that the city was home to England’s wealthiest market attracted to the class and luster of silk garments. Gradually, London influenced the spread of silk to Norwich, Canterbury and Spitalfields as the technology diffused and disseminated among the immigrant community and eventually transferred to the native population. During the periods bordering the transition between the 17th and 18th centuries, Britain actively took part in the slave trade between the Americas, Africa and Europe, also known as the tri-continental slave trade, resulting in forced movement of Blacks. Effectively, London experienced a growth in black settlements in the era, especially in the southern, eastern and northern parts. Military personnel, plantation owners, traders, ex-colonial officials and sea-captains used black slaves as attendants[6]. A smaller number of free slaves arrived from South Asia and West Africa, most of who were driven into beggary by racial discrimination and the lack of jobs. By the 1760s, London had 15,000 Black residents. However, the figure is expected to have been higher, because this statistic was only based on registered burials. Many more may have gone unreported. As trade grew with the growth of the British Empire, so did the number of Indian seamen granted employment on English ships, joining Jewish settlers who had earlier been allowed into London. Some of the Indians were employed in English homes as servants and cooks. Further, thousands of scholars from South Asia, who were known as lascars, were brought to London by the East India Company. Most of them settled and, due to a shortage of Asian women, married local Europeans. A notable immigrant from Bengali in the 18th century to London was Sake Dean Mohamed, who worked for the East India Company as a captain. He founded the Hindoostane Coffee House, which was London’s premier Indian restaurant. At the close of the 18th century, London had a combined Indian population of 40,000 made up of businessmen, soldiers, scholars, seamen, students and tourists. The industrial revolution that gained full momentum in the early years of the 19th century was another attracting factor for immigrants into London[3]. Raw materials that had to be transported both from abroad and the rest of Britain called for a better transport infrastructure as an urgent necessity. As a result, male Irish labourers found ready employment in London to build canals, railways and roads that would be used in transportation of raw materials and goods between shops, cities, manufacturing centres and docks not only in London but by the whole country. Likewise, female Irish immigrants worked as street vendors and domestic employees. With the presence of a diverse range of consumers, even young children were also spotted selling wares on the streets[5]. Towards the mid of the century, higher wages in London attracted German clerical officials, who were advantaged by their English-speaking ability and working efficiency. Italians, together with an influx of Jewish Eastern Europeans soon occupied London’s district of Clerkenwell, which was later christened “Little Italy”. They introduced the vending of ice cream in the streets, and most were employed in the catering industry as confectioners, bakers, chefs and waiters. Others owned restaurants. Within the century, ongoing revolutions in many parts of Europe and France ended up in more refugees moving to London. The refugees were mostly Austrian, Italian and German communists and socialists, including Karl Marx Conclusion Finally, studies carried out after WWII indicated that by 1960, 18 percent of London’s population was foreign-born citizens (although this shot up to 39 percent at the turn of the millennium)[5]. This was in sharp contrast with the rest of Britain, which is home to 8 percent of the country’s total immigrant population. 20th century immigrants were attracted to London mainly because it is located off a continent that has witnessed disruptions and disturbances arising from political unrests and liberalisations. Populations have fled political upheavals from Afghanistan, Iraq and Africa. Granted the geographical and historical convenience, London’s practice of political liberalism offered ready asylum to those in search of sanctuaries from hostile regimes. On the financial and the economical from, a growing wealth occasioned by emerging markets brought in more immigrants following the Soviet Union’s collapse as well as European Union’s expansion. This was made more attractive by the time zone, which is positioned conveniently between Asia and America. The international appeal of London’s business explains the influx of foreigners in the 1960s[3]. According to a study conducted by the Wall Street Journal, upto 50 percent of deal movers in London’s trading were foreigners in the late 1960s. The investors, as per the study, trust the honest bureaucracy and legal system. A London-based Greek real estate dealer was quoted saying that his company gets a competitive advantage when they draw contracts under English Law. Lower level regulations, in contrast to continental Europe, had brought 100,000 French people to the City of London before 1970[8]. Students from America, Europe, India and Africa were also attracted to London, a significant number of whom stayed after their studies. A report by Eurostat shows that the total arrival of immigrants into London between 1991 and 2001 was 726,000 individuals. This trend does not indicate any decline in the statistics, and it can be assumed that more will still be arriving in future. Published reports indicate that from 1991, London has held 12 percent of the United Kingdom’s population and is associated 40 percent of immigrant inflow[4]. References 1. Adrian Tinniswood, By Permission of Heaven: The Story of the Great Fire of London. (London: Jonathan Cape, 2003). 2. David Mills, Dictionary of London Place Names. (London: Oxford Paperbacks, 2001). 3. Geoffrey Bell, The other Eastenders: Kamal Chunchie and West Ham's early black community (Stratford: Eastside Community Heritage, 2002) 4. Kenneth Morgan, Oxford Illustrated History of Britain. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000). 5. Michael Fischer, Counterflows to Colonialism: Indian Traveller and Settler in Britain 1600– 1857. (London: Orient Blackswan, 2006). 6. Peter Ackroyd, London: The Biography (London: Vintage, 2001). 7. Robert Bucholz and Joseph Ward, London: A Social and Cultural History, 1550-1750 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012). 8. Roy Porter, London: A Social History, (New York: Harvard University Press, 2000). Read More