Reasons for Migration:
Although initially Chinese people settled in various
ports along the coast, they were on the whole based
in London. Apart from the East End’s Limehouse,
places such as Lewisham and Lambeth became central
to the Vietnamese community of the 1970’s. But
the 1980’s and 90’s saw professionals
move out into the suburbs of Croydon and Colindale
by large.
• Following China’s
defeat in the Opium Wars during the latter half of
the nineteenth century, seamen fled to Britain to
reverse their fortunes.
• The 1960’s saw Chinese agricultural
workers disillusioned with land reform in Hong Kong
enter Britain.
• During the First World War some Chinese men
were employed by the Allies on the Western Front as
labourers, following which they settled in Britain.
• The 1950’s and 1960’s resulted
in a boom for the flourishing Chinese restaurants
and attracted more Orientals to Britain.
• After the Communist victory in the Civil War,
many traditional farmers were forced out, and these
Chinese people make up the bulk of those in Britain.
• In the 1970’s there was a mass influx
of several thousand Vietnamese refugees.
• Since then Chinese professionals and students
have predominantly entered the UK.
