What made people emigrate from the West Indies?
At various times in the 20th Century, people emigrated from The West Indies. Lots came to a place they recognised as "home" - Great Britain. Britain's imperial ties, meant that lots felt a closeness to Britain.
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Migration is always based on two things;
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Push - What makes a person/group leave their home?
Pull - What makes them choose a place for a new home?
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Here we concentrate on the push factors and some pull factors of emigration from The West Indies.
The Panama Canal
The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean. The canal was built in 1903. It was a huge project and drew workers from all over the world, including people from The West Indies.
Cuba
217,000 people from Haiti and Jamaica emigrated to Cuba to work on growing fruit. They were not treated well, but it was at least a wage.
World War Two
People from The West Indies answered the call in 1939 when war broke out in Europe.
They fought for, and supported Great Britain in many different ways.
100 Women served in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force.
Over 15,000 men served and 30 died for Britain.
Sixteen-year-old Reg Smith from St Lucia pictured after signing on as a galley boy for his first trip on a merchant vessel.
© IWM D 16071
Hondurans in Northumberland
People came to Britain in support roles.
Men from Honduras, in Central America worked as lumberjacks in Northumberland during World War Two.
Windrush
The arrival of West Indians on the HMT Empire Windrush on 28th June 1948 was an important moment in Britain's history.
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However it was, as we have seen, not the start of people from the West Indies coming to Britain.
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Some were returning to Britain. (Indeed The Windrush had taken people from Britain back to the West Indies before making this monumental journey.)
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People from The West Indies were brought up to think of Britain as another home, their imperial home.
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They were described by author Peter Fry as, ' 500 hundred pairs of willing hands' Britain needed to rebuild after World War Two, although there was little to make them feel welcome.
The 1948 British Nationality Act
The 1948 British Nationality Act legally allowed people from countries that were part of the British Empire, to become British citizens. Author, Robert Winder states, 'In a fervent attempt to demonstrate that the British Empire was still a vibrant concern, the 1948 Nationality Act expansively gave all imperial subjects the right of free entry into post-war Britain.'
Racist attitudes in Britain started to become louder and despite the law, many were not welcomed, by the government, employers and some communities.
Natural Disasters
The West Indies is in an area of the world with natural disasters. Big disasters can cause people to migrate.
When Hurricane Charlie hit the West Indies in 1951, it left 20,000 homeless and 154 dead. Migration was a sensible reaction to such devastation, as was the decision to migrate to a place where many believed they should be welcomed as imperial subjects.
Over to You!
500 hundred pairs of willings hands.
Research the lives of the Windrush generation.
What skills did they bring to Britain?