Thematic Study: Migrants to Britain, c.1250 to present — OCR GCSE History B Schools History Project

This thematic study explores the movement of people to Britain from c.1250 to the present day, covering groups such as Jews, Huguenots, Irish, Africans, Asians, and Eastern Europeans. It examines the reasons for migration (economic, religious, political), the experiences of migrants, their contributions to British society, and the responses of government and local communities. The study highlights continuity and change over time, helping students understand how migration has shaped modern Britain.

Studying this topic is crucial for understanding Britain's diverse heritage and the complex factors that influence migration policies. It fits into the wider OCR History B curriculum by developing skills in analysing causation, significance, and source evaluation, while fostering empathy and historical perspective. It also connects to other thematic studies like 'Power and the People' and 'Britain in Peace and War'.

• →Push and pull factors: Migrants were driven by religious persecution, economic hardship, and political instability (push), and attracted by economic opportunities, religious tolerance, and political freedom (pull).
• →Government policy: Attitudes shifted from relative openness (e.g., welcoming Huguenots) to restriction (e.g., 1905 Aliens Act, 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act) based on economic needs and racial prejudice.
• →Experiences of migrants: Varied from hostility and discrimination (e.g., anti-Irish riots, 'No Blacks, No Dogs, No Irish' signs) to integration and economic success (e.g., Huguenot silk weavers, Asian doctors in the NHS).
• →Impact on Britain: Migrants enriched British culture, economy, and society, contributing to industries, food, music, and the NHS, while also sparking debates about identity and belonging.
• →Continuity and change: While the groups and specific causes changed, patterns of migration, such as economic migration and responses of hostility or welcome, remained consistent over time.

• Identification of the feudal system as the primary social and political structure.
• Recognition of the Catholic Church's dominance over religion, culture, and daily life.
• Description of the agrarian economy and the gradual growth of towns and trade.
• Explanation of how events like the Black Death impacted population and social mobility.
• Explanation of the economic role of Jewish communities as moneylenders due to the Church's ban on usury.
• Identification of the legal status of Jews as the direct property of the English Crown.
• Description of the religious and economic causes of anti-Jewish sentiment, including the blood libel and heavy taxation.
• Analysis of the reasons for the 1290 expulsion, including the rise of Italian bankers and Edward I's financial and political motives.
• Identify specific migrant groups such as Dutch, Flemish, Italians, and Germans.
• Explain the reasons for their migration, including economic opportunities and royal invitations.
• Describe the specific skills or trades they brought, such as weaving, banking, and brewing.
• Discuss the geographical spread of these communities across Britain, noting settlements outside of London.
• Distinguish between official government or monarchical responses and unofficial public reactions to migrants.
• Provide examples of positive official responses, such as letters of denization or invitations to settle.
• Provide examples of negative official responses, such as alien subsidies or restrictive legislation.
• Describe unofficial responses, ranging from everyday integration to violent riots like Evil May Day.
• Identify the European Reformation as a primary cause of religious conflict and persecution in 16th and 17th century Europe.
• Explain how religious persecution acted as a push factor for Protestant refugees migrating to Britain.
• Describe the growth of world trade and the establishment of global trading networks during this period.
• Evaluate how economic opportunities in Britain's expanding port cities acted as a pull factor for global migrants.
• Identify the Huguenots as French Protestants who migrated to Britain to escape religious persecution, particularly after 1685.
• Explain the economic contributions of the Huguenots, such as their expertise in silk weaving, clock making, and banking.
• Describe the push factors for the Palatine migration in 1709, including war, religious tension, and severe weather in the Rhineland.
• Analyse the differing British responses to these groups, noting the economic integration of the Huguenots versus the resource strain caused by the Palatines.
• Identify the arrival of Romany Gypsies in the early 16th century and the subsequent legislative persecution they faced.
• Recognise the significance of the 1530 Egyptians Act as a measure aimed at expelling Romany Gypsies.
• Explain Oliver Cromwell's role in the tacit/de facto return without a formal readmission of Jews to England in 1656.
• Contrast the differing state responses to Jews and Romany Gypsies to highlight the diversity of migrant experiences.
• Identify the presence of free Africans in Britain from the 16th century, working in diverse occupations such as sailors and musicians.
• Explain the role of the East India Company in facilitating the migration of Indian people to Britain.
• Describe the specific roles of Indian migrants, such as ayahs (nannies) and child servants in wealthy households.
• Connect the arrival of these early African and Indian migrants to the broader context of British imperial expansion and global trade.
• Identify industrialisation as a key pull factor creating employment opportunities in factories and infrastructure projects.
• Recognise the British Empire's role in establishing global trade networks that brought colonial subjects to British ports.
• Explain how the combination of industrial growth and imperial expansion shifted migration patterns towards major urban centres.
• Describe the diverse nature of migrants arriving during this period, including merchants, sailors, and labourers from across the empire.
• Identify the Great Famine (1845-1852) as the primary push factor for large-scale Irish migration to Britain.
• Describe the typical employment of Irish migrants, such as navvies on railways and canals, or labourers in factories.
• Explain the living conditions in early Irish communities, noting their concentration in overcrowded urban slums.
• Analyse the reception of Irish migrants, including the anti-Catholic prejudice and economic hostility they faced from the local population.
• Identify Lascars as sailors from the Indian subcontinent employed on British ships, particularly by the East India Company.
• Explain that many Lascars were abandoned in British ports without return passage, leading to the formation of early Indian communities.
• Describe the growth of Chinese communities in port cities like Liverpool and London, often originating from maritime trade.
• Outline how African communities developed in port cities, comprising sailors, former enslaved people, and students.
• Discuss the living conditions of these communities, noting the poverty, discrimination, and reliance on charitable institutions.
• Explain that Italian migrants came to Britain to escape rural poverty and political instability, settling in areas like Clerkenwell.
• Describe the occupations of Italian migrants, including street musicians, craftsmen, and workers in the emerging ice cream and catering industries.
• Identify that Eastern European Jews migrated primarily to escape religious persecution and violent pogroms in the Russian Empire, especially post-1881.
• Outline the settlement patterns of Eastern European Jews, focusing on the East End of London and northern industrial cities like Leeds.
• Discuss the involvement of Jewish migrants in the 'sweated trades', such as tailoring, and the harsh working conditions they endured.
• Identify the impact of the World Wars on migration, such as the recruitment of colonial workers and soldiers.
• Explain how the end of the British Empire led to increased Commonwealth migration to address post-war labour shortages.
• Describe how Britain's changing relationship with Europe, including joining the EEC, affected migration patterns.
• Recognise the role of wider world events, such as global conflicts, in driving refugee migration to Britain.
• Define 'enemy aliens' as citizens of enemy countries residing in Britain during the World Wars.
• Describe the public and government reactions to 'enemy aliens', including physical attacks and anti-alien riots.
• Explain the purpose and conditions of internment camps used to detain 'enemy aliens' during both World Wars.
• Detail the Kindertransport initiative, noting it rescued predominantly Jewish children from Nazi persecution before the Second World War.
• Identify the 1948 British Nationality Act as the catalyst for post-war Commonwealth migration.
• Explain the reasons for migration, including labour shortages in the NHS and transport sectors.
• Describe the impact of restrictive immigration legislation, such as the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act.
• Outline the actions and impact of racist movements, such as the National Front, and anti-racist responses, including the Race Relations Acts.
• Define the differences between economic migrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers.
• Identify the 2004 expansion of the European Union as a key driver for economic migration from Eastern Europe.
• Explain the global conflicts since the 1980s that have led to an increase in refugees and asylum-seekers arriving in Britain.
• Describe the political and social responses to these different groups of migrants, including changes to asylum policies.

• 💡Use the Black Death as a key turning point when discussing changes in medieval society and economy.
• 💡Link the growth of towns and the wool trade directly to the pull factors for migrants like Flemish weavers.
• 💡Remember to mention the overarching power of the Catholic Church when explaining attitudes towards non-Christians.
• 💡Clearly link the economic function of Jewish moneylending to both their initial settlement and their eventual unpopularity.
• 💡Use the term 'usury' correctly to explain why Christians were forbidden from lending money at interest.
• 💡Mention the arrival of Italian bankers as a key turning point that made Jewish moneylenders expendable to the Crown.
• 💡Use specific examples of migrant groups and their trades to support your answers.
• 💡Link the arrival of specific European migrants to the broader economic needs of Britain at the time.
• 💡Compare the experiences or contributions of two different migrant communities to demonstrate depth of knowledge.
• 💡Clearly separate your analysis of official government policies from the reactions of the general public.
• 💡Support your points with specific historical events, such as the 1517 Evil May Day riots.
• 💡Explain how economic conditions often drove fluctuations in both official and unofficial attitudes.
• 💡Link the religious changes of the Reformation directly to the push factors causing migration to Britain.
• 💡Use the growth of world trade to explain the increasing diversity of migrants arriving in British port cities.
• 💡Remember that this topic provides the context for specific migrant groups, so keep your overview broad but accurate.
• 💡Contrast the economic impact of the skilled Huguenots with the challenges posed by the impoverished Palatines.
• 💡Use specific dates, such as the 1685 Revocation of the Edict of Nantes and the 1709 Palatine arrival, to anchor your historical narrative.
• 💡Discuss both the push factors from Europe and the pull factors, such as Britain's Protestant identity, that drew these refugees.
• 💡Compare the differing government attitudes towards Jews and Romany Gypsies to demonstrate an understanding of diverse migrant experiences.
• 💡Use specific dates, such as the 1656 readmission of Jews, to anchor your historical narrative.
• 💡Link the treatment of Romany Gypsies to broader Tudor concerns about vagrancy and social order.
• 💡Use the examples of ayahs and child servants to illustrate the domestic impact of the British Empire.
• 💡Emphasise the diversity of occupations held by free Africans to provide a nuanced picture of early migration.
• 💡Link the migration of these groups directly to the economic activities of global trading companies.
• 💡Link specific pull factors, such as factory work or port expansion, directly to the broader themes of industrialisation and empire.
• 💡Use examples of major industrial cities, like Liverpool or London, to illustrate where migrants settled during this period.
• 💡When analysing sources from this era, consider whether the author's perspective is influenced by imperial attitudes or economic concerns.
• 💡Use the term navvies when discussing the specific contribution of Irish migrants to Britain's transport infrastructure.
• 💡Connect the growth of Irish communities to the broader context of rapid urbanisation and public health challenges in the 19th century.
• 💡Be prepared to contrast the experiences of Irish migrants with other migrant groups arriving in Britain during the same period.
• 💡Use specific locations like Limehouse in London or Tiger Bay in Cardiff to demonstrate precise knowledge of where these communities settled.
• 💡Link the arrival of Lascars directly to the economic activities of the East India Company and the broader British Empire.
• 💡When discussing the experiences of these migrants, contrast the economic wealth they helped generate for Britain with the poverty they often faced upon arrival.
• 💡Use the term 'pogroms' when discussing the push factors for Eastern European Jewish migration to demonstrate precise historical vocabulary.
• 💡Contrast the experiences and occupations of Italian and Jewish migrants to highlight the diversity of European migration during this period.
• 💡Link the concentration of Jewish migrants in the East End of London to the growth of the 'sweated trades' and subsequent trade union activity.
• 💡Link specific global events, like the end of empire, directly to changes in the demographic makeup of Britain.
• 💡Use the term 'Commonwealth' correctly when discussing post-1945 migration from former colonies.
• 💡Remember that this is an overview topic; focus on the broad trends and connections between international relations and migration.
• 💡Differentiate clearly between the treatment of 'enemy aliens' and the reception of refugees like those on the Kindertransport.
• 💡Mention specific locations, such as the Isle of Man, when discussing internment camps to add precise historical detail.
• 💡Be prepared to compare the experiences of migrants during the First World War with those during the Second World War.
• 💡Ensure you can name specific pieces of legislation, such as the 1948 British Nationality Act and the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act, to support your answers.
• 💡When discussing racist movements, link them to the social and economic context of the time, such as housing shortages and employment fears.
• 💡Contrast the experiences of different Commonwealth migrant groups, noting both shared challenges and unique community responses.
• 💡Be precise with your terminology; clearly distinguish between economic migrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers in your answers.
• 💡Use specific examples of global events, such as the Syrian civil war or EU expansion, to explain the push and pull factors for migration since the 1980s.
• 💡Consider the impact of media and political discourse on public attitudes towards different types of migrants during this period.
• 💡Use specific dates, names, and legislation to support your points. For example, refer to the 1290 Edict of Expulsion, the 1685 revocation of the Edict of Nantes, and the 1948 British Nationality Act.
• 💡When evaluating sources, consider provenance, purpose, and audience. Ask: Who wrote it? When? Why? Who was it for? This will help you assess reliability and usefulness.
• 💡For essay questions, structure your answer thematically (e.g., economic, religious, political factors) or chronologically, and always link back to the question. Use connectives like 'however', 'therefore', and 'this led to' to show analysis.

• Assuming medieval Britain was entirely rural with no towns. Correction: Acknowledge that while predominantly rural, towns were growing and becoming important centres for trade and migration.
• Believing the monarch had absolute power without reliance on others. Correction: Understand that the monarch relied heavily on the nobility and the Church to maintain control and administer the realm.
• Ignoring the role of the Church in everyday life. Correction: Emphasise that the Catholic Church was central to medieval life, influencing everything from the calendar to law and education.
• Stating that Jews were expelled solely for religious reasons. Correction: Explain that while religious prejudice was significant, economic factors and the Crown's changing financial needs were crucial to the expulsion.
• Believing Jews were citizens with normal legal rights. Correction: Clarify that Jews were legally the property of the monarch, which offered some protection but also allowed for severe exploitation.
• Confusing the 1290 expulsion with later events or other countries. Correction: Specify that the 1290 Edict of Expulsion was issued by Edward I and applied specifically to England.
• Confusing Dutch and Flemish migrants; correction: Flemish migrants were primarily from Flanders and known for weaving, while Dutch migrants often brought skills in drainage and brewing.
• Assuming all migrants came for the same reason; correction: Recognise the diversity of motives, from Italian bankers seeking profit to French Huguenots fleeing religious persecution.
• Believing migrants only settled in London; correction: Note that while London was a major hub, migrants settled in many areas, such as Flemish weavers in East Anglia.
• Treating official and unofficial responses as always identical; correction: Contrast situations where the monarch protected migrants while the public attacked them, such as during the Peasants' Revolt.
• Focusing only on negative attitudes; correction: Include examples of positive integration, intermarriage, and successful business partnerships alongside instances of conflict.
• Using modern terminology inappropriately for historical periods; correction: Use period-accurate terms like 'aliens' or 'denizens' when discussing medieval and early modern official responses.
• Mistake: Believing the Reformation only affected Britain. Correction: The Reformation was a pan-European movement that caused widespread conflict across the continent, driving migration.
• Mistake: Assuming all migrants during this period were religious refugees. Correction: While religious refugees were significant, the growth in world trade also brought many economic migrants, merchants, and sailors.
• Mistake: Confusing the timeline of the Reformation with later industrial migration. Correction: The Reformation and early global trade expansion occurred primarily in the 16th and 17th centuries, distinct from the 19th-century Industrial Revolution.
• Mistake: Confusing the origins of the Huguenots and Palatines. Correction: The Huguenots were from France, whereas the Palatines originated from the Rhineland region of the Holy Roman Empire (modern-day Germany).
• Mistake: Assuming both groups had identical experiences in Britain. Correction: The Huguenots largely integrated and brought valuable skills, while the Palatines arrived destitute, causing public resentment and leading to their rapid dispersal.
• Mistake: Stating that the Palatines were solely religious refugees. Correction: The Palatines were driven by a combination of religious tension, the devastation of war, and a catastrophic winter that destroyed their crops.
• Believing Jews were never expelled from England; they were expelled in 1290 and were tacitly allowed to return during the 1650s, without a formal readmission.
• Assuming Romany Gypsies were welcomed for their skills; they actually faced intense suspicion and harsh legislation seeking their expulsion.
• Confusing the origins of Romany Gypsies in this period; while contemporaries called them 'Egyptians', they migrated to Britain from other parts of Europe.
• Assuming all early African migrants to Britain were enslaved; there was a significant population of free Africans working in various independent trades.
• Believing Indian migration only began in the 20th century; Indian migrants, including ayahs and servants, arrived much earlier due to the East India Company.
• Overlooking the specific roles of female migrants; ayahs were a crucial group of female Indian migrants who played a specific economic and social role.
• Assuming industrialisation only caused internal migration within Britain. Correction: Remember that industrialisation also attracted significant international migration to fill labour shortages.
• Viewing the British Empire solely as a source of emigration from Britain. Correction: Acknowledge that the empire facilitated two-way movement, bringing colonial subjects to Britain.
• Treating industrialisation and empire as unconnected factors. Correction: Explain how they were deeply intertwined, with imperial resources fuelling industrial growth and creating global migration networks.
• Stating that Irish migration only began during the Great Famine. Correction: Note that while the Famine caused a massive spike, Irish economic migration to Britain was already established before 1845.
• Assuming all Irish migrants were unskilled labourers. Correction: Recognise that while many were labourers, the Irish community also included skilled workers, journalists, and political figures.
• Claiming that Irish communities quickly assimilated without resistance. Correction: Highlight the significant religious and cultural tensions, particularly anti-Catholic sentiment, that delayed assimilation.
• Mistake: Believing that Indian, Chinese, and African migration only began after the Second World War. Correction: Understand that these communities have roots in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, largely driven by the maritime trade of the British Empire.
• Mistake: Confusing Lascars with wealthy merchants or students. Correction: Lascars were working-class sailors, often subjected to poor pay and harsh conditions, who frequently became stranded in Britain.
• Mistake: Assuming these communities were evenly spread across Britain. Correction: Recognise that these early communities were heavily concentrated in major port cities such as London, Liverpool, Cardiff, and Bristol.
• Mistake: Confusing the reasons for Italian and Jewish migration. Correction: Remember that Italians largely migrated for economic reasons and due to political unification struggles, whereas Eastern European Jews were primarily fleeing religious persecution and pogroms.
• Mistake: Assuming all European migrants settled in the same areas and did the same jobs. Correction: Distinguish between Italian settlements and occupations versus Jewish settlements and occupations.
• Mistake: Believing that these migrant groups were universally welcomed. Correction: Acknowledge that both groups faced xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and accusations of undercutting local wages, which eventually contributed to the 1905 Aliens Act.
• Assuming migration only began after the Second World War; correct by acknowledging the significant movement of people during the First World War.
• Confusing the end of empire with an immediate halt to migration; correct by understanding that decolonisation initially led to increased Commonwealth migration.
• Believing Britain's relationship with Europe only involved the EU; correct by recognising earlier post-war European migration, such as the Polish Resettlement Act.
• Confusing the Kindertransport with the evacuation of British children; correct by specifying that the Kindertransport brought refugee children from Europe to Britain.
• Assuming all interned 'enemy aliens' were spies or threats; correct by noting that many were ordinary civilians or even refugees who had fled the enemy regimes.
• Believing internment only happened in the Second World War; correct by acknowledging that internment camps were also widely used during the First World War.
• Error: Believing that all Commonwealth migrants arrived solely as refugees. Correction: Most post-war Commonwealth migrants came to fill specific labour shortages in Britain, such as in the NHS or transport.
• Error: Confusing the purpose of the Commonwealth Immigrants Acts with the Race Relations Acts. Correction: The Immigrants Acts restricted entry to Britain, whereas the Race Relations Acts aimed to tackle discrimination within Britain.
• Error: Assuming anti-racist movements were entirely government-led. Correction: Grassroots organisations and community protests played a crucial role in driving anti-racist movements and forcing legislative change.
• Error: Using the terms 'economic migrant', 'refugee', and 'asylum-seeker' interchangeably. Correction: An economic migrant moves for work, an asylum-seeker has applied for sanctuary, and a refugee has had their claim for sanctuary accepted.
• Error: Assuming all migration since the 1980s has been from outside Europe. Correction: A significant proportion of economic migration since the 1980s, particularly after 2004, has been from within the European Union.
• Error: Believing that asylum-seekers have the same working rights as economic migrants. Correction: Asylum-seekers are generally not permitted to work in the UK while their claims are being processed, unlike economic migrants.
• Misconception: 'All migrants were poor and unskilled.' Correction: Many migrants were skilled artisans (Huguenot silk weavers), professionals (Jewish doctors), or entrepreneurs, though some were unskilled labourers.
• Misconception: 'Government policy was always hostile to migrants.' Correction: Policies varied; some groups were welcomed for economic reasons (e.g., Huguenots), while others faced restrictions (e.g., Jews in 1905).
• Misconception: 'Migration to Britain only became significant in the 20th century.' Correction: Significant migration occurred throughout the period, including Jewish, Flemish, and Irish migrants in the medieval and early modern periods.

1. 1Week 1: Create a timeline of major migrant groups and key events (e.g., 1290 expulsion of Jews, 1685 Huguenots, 1840s Irish famine, 1948 Windrush, 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act). Use colour coding for push/pull factors.
2. 2Week 1: For each group, make a table of reasons for migration, experiences, and impact. Include specific details like names, laws, and statistics.
3. 3Week 2: Practise source evaluation using past paper sources. Focus on assessing usefulness, reliability, and provenance. Write model answers and compare with mark schemes.
4. 4Week 2: Complete at least two past paper questions (one 6-mark explanation, one 8-mark source evaluation) under timed conditions. Review using examiner reports to identify gaps.
5. 5Ongoing: Use flashcards for key terms (e.g., 'usury', 'pogrom', 'Aliens Act') and test yourself regularly. Watch documentaries or read articles to deepen contextual understanding.

• 📋Explain why... (6 marks): Requires a clear explanation of causes or consequences, with at least two developed reasons. Use specific evidence and link back to the question.
• 📋How useful is Source A for... (8 marks): Evaluate the source's content and provenance, considering its strengths and limitations. Use your own knowledge to contextualise and judge usefulness.
• 📋Write an account of... (8 marks): Narrate a sequence of events, showing understanding of causation and consequence. Include specific details and link events logically.
• 📋Evaluate the significance of... (10 marks): Argue the importance of a person, event, or development, using criteria like depth, breadth, and duration. Provide a balanced judgement.