Coming to Britain
All our ancestors were immigrants
Over the centuries, Britain has received many waves of
immigrants. Many were treated with fear or contempt when they
arrived. Eventually, however, most have been assimilated and have
made a contribution to our culture and way of life. This section
looks at why and how they came, and the reception they
received. All our ancestors were immigrantsAll our ancestors must have been immigrants at one time or
another. History allows us to record the arrival of Romans across
the English Channel. Before them the Celts must have arrived by
sea. After the Romans left, came the Danes, Angles, Saxons and
Jutes across the North Sea. Lastly, the Normans arrived again
across the Channel. Initially, these were considered invasions,
intent on occupying major portions of the country. Invasion was
inevitably followed by peaceful settlement achieved through
immigration. Since 1066, arrival of migrants has been more peaceful. Examples
include the Huguenots, who were driven out of Catholic France in
two waves of persecution (1570s - 80s and 1680s - 90s) because of
their Protestant religion. Their skills as weavers and silversmiths
meant they established themselves in business. In Southampton, a
French-speaking community of Walloons (from the area now across
north-east France and Belgium) settled; the records of their church
(St Julien`s) date from 1567.
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