Post Colonial Ties

Question 1

Who were the European Voluntary Workers?

Answer 1

Workers invited from Europe, especially Ukraine, Latvia and Poland, by the British government after WW2.

Question 2

How did Britain maintain strong political ties with its former colonies (5)?

Answer 2

1) British-style parliaments, ministries, wigged judges and legal systems were legacies of Empire in the colonies.
2) In some colonies, former colonial officials stayed on as advisors in some key positions.
3) Commonwealth Conferences, attended by Prime Ministers and Presidents, occurred regularly, at least every 2 years.
4) The Queen remained a symbol of the Commonwealth, reinforcing ties with regular visits to the Commonwealth, and meetings with Commonwealth leaders.
5) The establishment of a Commonwealth Secretary General in 1965 helped coordinate Commonwealth activities. Commonwealth citizens were eligible for British honours, and many listened to the monarch’s Christmas Day message.

Question 3

What was the economic legacy of Empire for Britain (3)?

Answer 3

1) London remained a major financial centre, acting as the headquarters for banking, insurance and investment companies, and service industries.
2) Britain’s imperial connections had resulted in MNCs, with branches across the world, providing Britain with a large overseas investment portfolio and important trading links.
3) Britain returned from its ‘formal’ Empire to an ‘informal’ one of trading links and economic ties.

Question 4

How did Britain maintain strong military ties with its former colonies?

Answer 4

Britain retained a military with a global reach, recruiting citizens from Commonwealth nations who, with residency requirements, were eligible to serve in the British army. Britain retained a remnant of the old Indian Army in the brigade of Gurkhas.

Question 5

What were Britain’s 3 main aims of Britain creating the Commonwealth?

Answer 5

1) Bolster Britain’s international position in a post-colonial world.
2) Provide a strong and wide ranging diplomatic network.
3) To ensure British membership of key international bodies, e.g. Britain’s position on the United Nations Security Council reflected British status acquired through Empire, and maintained by the Commonwealth.

Question 6

What were the 3 main reasons for the emigration from Britain to the Dominions 1946-57?

Answer 6

1) Wartime experiences.
2) Britain’s continuation of rationing until 1954.
3) The increasing demand for labour in countries like Australia, New Zealand and Canada, which offered better prospects.

Question 7

How many people left Britain for the Dominions 1946-57, and what was the likely effect of this?

Answer 7

Between 1946-57, approx. 1 million left Britain for the Dominions. This likely raised awareness of the Empire and the Commonwealth, by increasing understanding and knowledge of it.

Question 8

What was the extent of British contact with relatives in the Dominions 1948-59 (2)?

Answer 8

1) A Mass Observation survey in 1948 showed 25% of the British population were in contact with relatives in the Dominions.
2) It is estimated that in 1959, the transfer of money from Britons to friends/family overseas and vice versa was worth £12 million (approx. £1 billion today).

Question 9

What was National Service?

Answer 9

Between 1939-60, British men aged 17-21 were required to undertake military service for up to 18 months.

Question 10

How did migration patterns in Britain change in the late 1950s (3)?

Answer 10

1) By the late 1950s,improved living standards and full employment reduced the number of people migrating to the Dominions.
2) Dominion governments started looking for skilled labour from across the world, despite the persistence of racial hierarchies.
3) When the National Service ended in 1960, and decolonisation gathered pace, more and more began moving to Britain.

Question 11

What were the patterns of emigration (to Britain) and immigration (from Britain) from and to Australia in 1967?

Answer 11

1) Approx. 87,100 emigrated from Britain to Australia.
2) Approx. 27,800 immigrated from Australia to Britain.

Question 12

What were the patterns of emigration (to Britain) and immigration (from Britain) from and to Canada in 1967?

Answer 12

1) Approx. 65,800 emigrated from Britain to Canada.
2) Approx. 9,900 immigrated from Canada to Britain.

Question 13

What were the patterns of emigration (to Britain) and immigration (from Britain) from and to New Zealand in 1967?

Answer 13

1) Approx. 17,500 emigrated from Britain to New Zealand.
2) Approx. 7,700 immigrated from New Zealand to Britain.

Question 14

What were the patterns of emigration (to Britain) and immigration (from Britain) from and to Africa except South Africa in 1967?

Answer 14

1) Approx. 16,600 emigrated from Britain to Africa (except South Africa)
2) Approx. 18,200 immigrated from Africa (except South Africa) to Britain.

Question 15

What were the patterns of emigration (to Britain) and immigration (from Britain) from and to India, Pakistan and Ceylon in 1967?

Answer 15

1) Approx. 7,600 emigrated from Britain to India, Pakistan and Ceylon.
2) Approx. 45,900 immigrated from India, Pakistan and Ceylon to Britain.

Question 16

What were the patterns of emigration (to Britain) and immigration (from Britain) from and to the British West Indies in 1967?

Answer 16

1) Approx. 8,400 emigrated from Britain to the British West Indies
2) Approx. 15,200 immigrated from the British West Indies to Britain.

Question 17

What were the patterns of emigration (to Britain) and immigration (from Britain) from and to the USA in 1967?

Answer 17

1) Approx. 23,500 emigrated from Britain to the USA.
2) Approx. 11,400 immigrated from the USA to Britain.

Question 18

What was immigration like in the British Empire before 1947?

Answer 18

Colonial migrants had settled in Britain since the 1800s, especially sailors from Asia and the Caribbean.

Question 19

Why did many immigrants to Britain come from Kenya in 1967?

Answer 19

In 1967, the Kenyatta, wanting Kenya to be a purely African state, pressured the Asian Kenyans to leave. Many of them had British passports.

Question 20

What was the British Nationality Act 1948

Answer 20

It gave full British citizenship, with the right of free entry into Britain, to every member of the Empire and the Commonwealth.

Question 21

What was the significance of the arrival of the Empire Windrush for immigration to Britain (3)?

Answer 21

1) In 1948, 1,027 immigrants arrived in East London on the steamship Empire Windrush, with 802 being from the Caribbean. This attracted media attention.
2) The Labour Government tried to stop the ship from arriving, with Attlee describing it as an ‘incursion’. 11 MPs delivered a letter to Attlee warning of damages to public and social life, and wellbeing of the British public, caused by an ‘influx of coloured people’.
3) The attempts to block the ship failed, and the immigrants were temporarily housed in Clapham. They eventually formed an immigrant community in Brixton.

Question 22

How and why did the British government change its policy towards migrants in the 1950s?

Answer 22

As the British economy recovered from WW2, there was plentiful and well-paid work for the unskilled in factories and a shortage of workers. Britain encouraged recruitment in public transport and in the NHS. Many sent for their wives, children and parents to join them. As there was many jobs available, no action was taken against immigration, although none was taken to help them find accommodation, with many immigrants exploited by landlords and racial discriminated against.

Question 23

How many Caribbean immigrants lived in Britain in 1958?

Answer 23

115,000.

Question 24

How many people immigrated to Britain from the Caribbean per year from 1959, compared to 1951?

Answer 24

Around 16,000 a year by 1959, compared to 17,500 arriving in Britain in 1951.

Question 25

How many immigrants from India and Pakistan lived in Britain in 1958?

Answer 25

55,000.

Question 26

How many immigrants from India and Pakistan came to Britain in 1959?

Answer 26

3000.

Question 27

How many immigrants from West Africa lived in Britain in 1958?

Answer 27

25,000.

Question 28

How many immigrants from Cyprus lived in Britain in 1958?

Answer 28

10,000.

Question 29

How many people immigrated to Britain from Cyprus in 1959?

Answer 29

25,000.

Question 30

What was the British reaction to the increased exposure to other races in the 1950s and 1960s (6)?

Answer 30

1) Curiosity mixed with uncertainty. Indifference was more common than intolerance in the 1950s.
2) As the post-war boom slackened, worries about the dissolution of the British culture and national identity, coupled with a concern to protect houses and jobs led to racism.
3) Immigrants were put in the poorest neighbourhoods, and as these communities grew, many white residents felt threatened.
4) 1958 saw gangs of white ‘Teddy boy’ youths attacking black people, and violent riots breaking out in Nottingham and Notting Hill, London.
5) Oswald Mosley’s anti-immigration Union Movement (UM) increased their activities, campaigning against immigration.
6) In a 1962 survey, 90% of the British population supported legislation to curb immigration, and 80% agreed that there were too many immigrants in Britain already.

Question 31

What is the Notting Hill Carnival?

Answer 31

An annual Caribbean festival, with floats, steel drum bands, costumes, dancing and Caribbean food, occurring since 1966.

Question 32

Who was Oswald Mosley and the Union Movement?

Answer 32

Mosley was a fascist, and founder of the BUF. He founded the UM in 1948. He campaigned against immigration, spreading scare stories and issuing pamphlets. This increased white extremism, although only receiving 8.1% of the vote.

Question 33

How many people immigrated to Britain a year 1962-65?

Answer 33

Just over 50,000 a year.

Question 34

What was Britain’s black population c1967?

Answer 34

Nearly 1 million.

Question 35

What are some examples of racism in Britain in the 1960s (6)?

Answer 35

1) In London’s East End, Bengal migrants were subject to campaigns of violence, which rendered certain areas ‘no-go’ areas, especially at night.
2) Girls from migrant families were kicked going to school, with stones, tomatoes, and eggs thrown at them.
3) Many migrants were attacked at bus stops or whilst shopping, with attacks becoming a regular occurrence for black people.
4) The hit TV series ‘Till Death Do Us Part’ aimed to satirise racism, but instead earned a cult following.
5) A group of Conservative MPs in the midlands pushed for political action against immigration, claiming Britain would become a mixed Africa-Asian society.

Question 36

What was the data collected by a North London survey in 1965, in regards to race (3)?

Answer 36

1) 1/5 objected to working with black or Asian people.
2) 1/2 said they would refuse to live next door to a non-white person.
3) 9/10 disapproved of racially mixed marriages.

Question 37

What was the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act (4)?

Answer 37

1) It divided immigrants into 3 groups: (A) those with employment in the UK already arranged. (B) those with skills/qualifications in short supply in the UK. (C) All others.
2) A quota was drawn up, whereby a limited number of entry vouchers would be annually issued, starting with categories A and B, limiting those in C.
3) Free immigration for former colonial subjects was ended, even if they had a British passport.
4) The work permit/voucher scheme discriminated against black and Asian immigrants, with the Irish exempt, and white immigrants easily able to obtain vouchers. Unskilled black and Asian applicants found it difficult to obtain permits, with only 34,500 arriving in Britain 1962-63.

Question 38

What was the aim of the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act?

Answer 38

An attempt by the Conservative government to appease the public and win political support by controlling increasing non-white immigration.

Question 39

What was the significance of the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act politically (2)?

Answer 39

1) With opinion polls suggesting 70% of the British public was in favour of the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act, issues of immigration featured heavily in the 1964 general election.
2) Peter Griffiths (Conservative) was able to win the seat in Smethwick (borough with the highest concentration of immigrants: 6000/70,000) using the racist slogan ‘If you want a n***** for a neighbour, vote labour’. This showed many agreed with this view.

Question 40

How did the Labour government further the 1962 Commonwealth Immigrants Act (2)?

Answer 40

They reduced the quota of vouchers, and barred those over 16 from entering Britain as family members.

Question 41

What was the Race Relations Act 1965, and how significant was it for reducing racism (3)?

Answer 41

1) Forbade discrimination in public places ‘on the grounds of colour, race or ethnic or national origins’.
2) Discrimination in housing and employment were not included.
3) Incitement to race hatred was not made a criminal offense.

Question 42

What was the Race Relations Board 1965 (2)?

Answer 42

1) Set up to consider all aspects of race relations, compiling statistics, producing reports, and held ‘hearings’.
2) It could not compel witnesses to attend, and despite handling 982 complaints in its first year, 734 were dismissed due to a lack of evidence. Many of the cases were about racial stereotypes in advertising.

Question 43

What were the attitudes of Jamaican compared to Indian immigrants towards Britain, according to a survey in Nottingham?

Answer 43

1) 87% of the Jamaicans said they felt British before coming to England, with 86% happy for their children to fell English.
2) 2% of the Indians and Pakistanis said they felt British before coming to England, with 6% happy for their children to fell English.

Question 44

How did interests towards Empire deteriorate in the 1950s?

Answer 44

As Britain moved into the decolonisation era, interest in Empire waned. Society became subject to Americanism, and interest in Europe was fuelled by holidays and political concerns over the EEC.

Question 45

When was Empire Day abolished?

Answer 45

1962.

Question 46

To what extent did extreme British/imperial patriotism still exist in the 1950s?

Answer 46

Fuelled by victory in WW2, many held strong patriotic views in the 1950s, believing Britain, almost singlehandedly, defeated Hitler and the Axis Powers in Western Europe.

Question 47

What is diaspora?

Answer 47

The spread of peoples from their original homeland.

Question 48

What was the impact of Britain’s former policy of Westernisation on post-colonial states (5)?

Answer 48

1) The Empire had enabled a British diaspora of c10 million around the world, maintaining British traditions.
2) Peoples in post-colonial states continued to use anglicised names, live in anglicised communities with British-style architecture (e.g. railways), and speak variants of English. The Union Jack remained in the corner of many flags.
3) The Anglican Church had more members in Africa than in Britain, with the Boy Scout movement maintaining ties across the former Dominions.
4) British sport (football, cricket, rugby, snooker, etc.) were established in many post-colonial states, with the Commonwealth Games bringing nations together in a sporting competition every 4 years.
5) The Empire still featured in honours and awarding of the British Empire Medal.

Question 49

How was Britain reminded of its imperial past in the 1950s and 60s?

Answer 49

1) Words (like bungalow, dinghy, safari, pyjamas, zombie, etc.) from the colonies entered the English language, with colonial contacts strong in British public schools, the military and in some professions.
2) Imperial music was still played, such as ‘God Save the Queen’, ‘Rule, Britannia’, and performances of Edward Elgar’s compositions. It is tradition for these songs (and more) to be played on the ‘last night of the proms’, since 1954.

Question 50

What are the Commonwealth Games?

Answer 50

Replacing the Empire Games in 1954, they are an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth countries.

Question 51

What is the list of all imperial royal honours (descending order) (6)?

Answer 51

1) Knight/Dame of the Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (GBE).
2) Knight/Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE or DBE).
3) Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE).
4) Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE).
5) Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE).
6) The British Empire Medal (BEM).

Question 52

What was the effect of Empire’s collapse on the media (2)?

Answer 52

1) Children’s stories and comics abandoned imperial themes, with the comic ‘Eagle’ (1950-69) informing its writers that foreigners were not to be depicted as enemies/villains, and that at least one child of any group of children should be foreign.
2) Mass audiences no longer welcomed over-patriotic films in the cinema, with fewer films using Empire as a theme.

Question 53

Name 3 films that still used imperial themes in the late 1950s to early 1960s?

Answer 53

1) North West Frontier (1959): A British officer attempts to protect a Hindu prince from a murderous Muslim uprising. Hinted Empire was necessary to preserve order.
2) Lawrence of Arabia (1962): About Lawrence in WW1 in the Middle East, depicted as torn between loyalty to the Empire and to his Arab allies, who he collaborated with to defeat the Turks. This is more critical of Empire.
3) Guns at Batasi (1964): A British officer leading troops faces dilemmas over turmoil in a recently independent colony. This conveyed how Britain saw themselves as containing internal divisions in the colonies.

Question 54

How were race and immigration represented in popular culture in Britain in the 1960s (3)?

Answer 54

1) TV replaced radio as the main medium for the spread of popular culture after WW2. Documentaries enabled the public to become more aware of other countries and cultures.
2) Race and immigration were the subject of 1960s comedy programmes, such as ‘Till Death Do Us Part’. Some comedians used music to ridicule immigrant communities.
3) A lot of TV and theatre comedy used racist stereotyping, such as the Black and White Minstrels’ show, with white singers using ‘blackface’ makeup to portray African-American characters. This ran from 1958 to the late 1970s.