Timeline of Immigration

2000 BC – Today

2000 – 1500 BC

The ‘Beaker’ people came to the UK from Spain. They brought with them bronze arrows, axes and ornaments as well as a distinctive pottery beaker (or cup) which is often found in their graves.

800 – 450 BC

The Celtic people came from

Europe and introduced iron into

the UK.

43 – 411 The Romans invaded and introduced many things such as roads, Latin, the calendar and towns.

Photograph by Dave-F 2007

C. 390

Around this time there were

further invasions by the Angles,

who came from Denmark, and

the Saxons who travelled from

Germany to settle.

1066 The next group of people to invade and conquer Britain were the Normans from Normandy in France. They became famous for their castles.

Photograph by Bobcatnorth

1200s

People came from all over

Europe to trade goods. They

were known as merchants.

Markets became important in

many large towns.

1670s

A group of people known as the

Huguenots escaped from

religious persecution in France

to come to the UK. They were

known for their skills of making

paper, silk weaving and clocks.

1700s – Early 1900s

Sailors travelled to & from Asia, Africa and the Far East.

They introduced spices which were very important then for using in cooking.

Late 1700s

During the French Revolution,many fled France to come to theUK. Some of these people (whohad been rich and famous intheir own country), took on jobssuch as window cleaning,delivering coal and being waiters.

1834

When slavery was finally abolished in British colonies many former slaves came to live here. Some became grocers, writers and composers.

1845 - 1849

At this time many people fled to

Britain from Ireland when their

staple crop, the potato, failed.

This was known as the Great

Famine.

1850s onwardsMany European immigrants cameto work in the UK. These includedpersecuted Jews, who oftenbecame businessmen or took onprofessional jobs. Germans cameas clerks, and Italians worked onice-cream vans or in pizzarestaurants.

1935 – 1945

During World War Two, many refugees came to Britain. This included Jews, children and Polish people who had fled when first the Nazis then the Soviet Army invaded Poland. Many served with the British forces.

1947

Political changes in the Indian

sub–continent resulted in

immigrants arriving in Britain.

They included people of many

faiths including Muslims, Hindus

and Sikhs. Curries became popular in Britain.

1948

People from the Caribbean

Islands moved here to work and

settle, bringing with them reggae

music and carnivals. Many

helped to rebuild Britain after the

Second World War.

1960s

Many people came from all over

the world to work in the National

Health Service taking up many

jobs such as nurses, doctors,

care assistants and surgeons.

1960s - TodayPeople from the UK have emigrated

to live and work in many different

countries. The UK has also

received immigrants from all over

the world. Many asylum seekers

have left their countries as a result

of war and persecution e.g. Iraq,

Afghanistan, Vietnam and Bosnia.