Britain 1948 - 1962

‘Sapphire’ (1959)

• Dramatised the problem of race
• 'Tulips' Dance club scene - showed the racialisation of the "coloured" people showing their true nature.
• Represents Black people in a negative way. 
• (1959) - society resented black people and immigrants for taking away their employment and so their was a lot of anger directed towards them. 

Britain 1948 - 1962

• ·     (INVESTIGATE) 1950’s large number of West Indians/Asians/Pakistan people arrived in Britain
  ·       The 50’s saw young people gaining a significant disposable income
  ·       Youth culture became more distinct – “Teddy boys”, mods/rockers
  ·       Tea still rationed until 1952, Sweets until 1953, meat/cheese until 1954
  
  
  ·       (SOCIAL LANDSCAPE) Commonwealth Act 1948: all citizens of the ex-Empire could come to the UK
  ·       1948 SS Empire Windrush brought over thousands of Jamaican and Caribbean service men and women
  ·       West Indians and Asians filled jobs that the British weren’t
  ·       Pressure on food supplies disappeared (1954)
  ·       British capitalists /sections of British state encouraged emigration to the UK from Caribbean and Jamaica during the 50’s/60’s
  ·       1960’s: government ministers/private employers started to recruit directly from West Indies
  ·       Concern rose as to the number of “coloured” people in the 50’s, but race wasn’t an actual issue until the Watershed year of 1958
  ·       Notting Hill and Nottingham riots put race on a social and political agenda = race was a problem
  ·       Groups of young white men (Teddy boys) often assaulted/harassed black people because of their colour
  
  
  ·       (‘RACIALISATION’) ‘black immigration into Britain is a fundamentally bad thing, and that it should be prevented at all costs, except, of course, where the system would literally cease to function without it’
  ·       Concern for the harmful effects Black immigration had on the ‘racial character of the English people’ was aired as early as 1948 (just after the Empire Windrush arrived) Labour wrote to Conservatives for control over Black immigration
  ·       1962 Act brought about because of the growing difficulties the economy faced which black workers were blamed for
  ·       1962 Act: State regulation of Commonwealth immigration, entry restrictions on British Commonwealth citizens (primary immigration dependent on a work voucher) – intended targets were Black or Asian
  ·       1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act
  ·       1968 Commonwealth Immigrants Act
  ·       1971 Immigration Act
  ·       1981 Immigration Act
  ·       1981 Nationality Act
  ·       1985 New Visa System
  ·       White people grew concerned that the immigrants, especially from the West Indies, would take their jobs meaning more unemployment for them and they would find it harder to get one
  ·       1960’s: over 12000 Kenyan and Asian refugees came to Britain due to ongoing violence in their country. Politician Jim Callahan passed a Commonwealth Immigration Bill meaning that there would be no free entry for commonwealth immigrants.
  ·       MP Enoch Powell: country ‘mad’ to allow such a high number of immigrants into the country (‘The River’s of Blood’ speech)

Britain 1948 - 1962

Increasing numbers of Caribbean migrants arrived in London after the Second World War. By 1961 there were over 100,000 Caribbean people living in London. 

Caribbean migrants often found homes in areas of slum or poor housing.  One of these areas was Notting Hill in North Kensington. During the 1950s, a strong Caribbean community had grown up in Notting Hill, many from Trinidad and Barbados.

At that time poverty, rootlessness, violence and crime were a part of life in North Kensington.  Poor white families competed with poor Caribbeans for housing, a situation that was often exploited by unscrupulous landlords.

From the early 1950s, young White working-class ‘Teddy Boys’ began to turn hostile towards the growing numbers of Black families in the area. Right-wing groups exploited the situation.  Fascist groups such as  the Union for British Freedom set up branches in the district. Sir Oswald Mosely, founder of the pre-war British Union of Fascists, held street-corner meetings in west London and further afield.  Leaflets and wall slogans urged ‘Keep Britain White’.

During the summer of 1958, gangs of Teddy Boys became increasingly open about their aggressive intentions toward anyone who was Black.  Youths smashed Caribbean cafés. Individuals were harassed.  On the morning of 24 August, nine White youths assaulted five Black men in separate incidents in Shepherd’s Bush and Notting Hill, seriously injuring three of them.

Britain 1948 - 1962

Asian Immigration 1948 - 1962

Between 1948 and 1962 workers from the colonies could migrate to Britain without restriction. Until 1962 every Commonwealth citizen was entitled to enter the United Kingdom at will.

This right had been freely exercised for many years but it was only in the 10 years from 1952 onwards that substantial numbers of people from the Commonwealth began to think of settling in Britain.

Under the British Nationality Act 1948, citizens of British colonies could simply apply to the Home Office for registration of British nationality and were issued with certificates.

The South Asian citizens who could obtain certificates included many who came to Britain from other colonies, such as indentured labourers from the West Indies and families who had settled in East Africa.

Information found on this website:

http://www.movinghere.org.uk/galleries/roots/asian/migration/migration.htm