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The concept of home had two different meanings for Caribbean migrants.įor some it was a symbol, a place of belonging, which also helped to play a role in the construction of their identities.
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There was a strong belief that almost anything could be tolerated as it was not going to be for an extended period. Migrants accepted all manner of challenges thrown at them because they believed that it was only for a time that they needed to deal with these negative aspects of their migration experience.Įven the cold, bleak, sombre and stark difference from all the stories that were told by friends or family who encouraged them to migrate, as well as the pictures they conjured up when listening to the various programmes and news about the UK, were not enough to dissuade migrants for them to want to return home. Their belief in the temporary nature of their stay allowed people to overlook the difficulties they faced while trying to find jobs and housing, even though frustrated and appalled by the conditions and attitudes toward them by the locals. This attitude laid the foundation for almost all other issues that migrants encountered during their time in the UK. Given this, many felt that any inconveniences or difficulties could be tolerated because they were temporary. Most migrants travelled to the UK with the mind-set that it would be short-term, for a period of 3-5 years. Length of stay played the biggest and most important role in how West Indians viewed their experiences in Britain. There are three main areas that stand out when considering West Indian attitudes towards migration and living in Britain: the intended length of stay, the conditions they encountered and the reality of the UK/”Mother Country”. Watch Shameful Episode Aka Racial Riots 1958 Many Caribbean heritage families began to espouse a positive Caribbean identity, nurturing and imparting Caribbean culture – cuisine, music, literature, history, identity – to their children and grandchildren. Even now, Caribbean heritage children are still discriminated against in schools, and at university entrance. This led to supplemental schooling being offered within Caribbean communities in order to help these children to progress. Teachers often did not recognise ability, or encourage it, and assumed that West Indian children could not compete with white British children educated in the UK. In the educational system, migrant children were treated differently. In another instance a female migrant recalled that while her white workmates were friendly at work, they would not acknowledge her outside the work environment.Īs a result, there was little initial interaction between the West Indian and the white British communities. One migrant man recalled that when he entered the doctor’s waiting room and greeted all present no one replied. Some migrants learned to modify their cultural upbringing because of the way the British people reacted and treated them. Cultural practices instilled from home such as being “mannerly” and greeting people with whom you came into contact were ignored by the British. Watch Uk: Demonstrations, For And Against Mr. It would have a lasting impact on many immigrants and their descendants who would one day awaken to find themselves abandoned and without a country to call home. Thatcher campaigned on a platform which queried how many immigrants were too many, while she staunchly tried to identify how a British citizen should be defined. Powell's inflammatory anti-immigration rhetoric paved the way for Margaret Thatcher to continue the anti-immigration battle. Instead, only those born in Britain, or the descendants of those born in Britain, could claim to be British. Citizenship was no longer based on imperial ties to Britain, which had extended to all citizens of the Commonwealth. This was followed by the 1981 British Nationality Act passed by Margaret Thatcher's government, which re-defined British citizenship. The fight against Commonwealth citizen immigration to the UK culminated with the 1971 Immigration Act which saw even more restrictions placed on Commonwealth citizens. English people it was feared, would awaken one morning to a country that was no longer theirs. Powell, in particular, advocated the halting or reversal of post-war immigration from the colonies failing which he predicted he could see “like the Roman.the River Tiber foaming with much blood”, caused by the violence that immigration would bring.