3. Bold Defiance Flashcards
1
Q
Why did the Irish migrate to Spitalfields?
A
Many had been forced into poverty by the linen industry’s decline and strict Penal Laws that discriminated against Catholics
2
Q
What were the experiences of the Irish?
A
- Employers in Spitalfields often preferred to hire them because, as the poorest residents, they accepted low wages
- This made English weavers resent them
- They were the most likely to be underpaid and out of work, and to suffer racist violence
- In July 1736 serious fighting broke out after English labourers accused the Irish of undercutting their wages on a church building site
- They were not allowed to worship openly or build churches
- In 1780, there were violent anti-Catholic ‘Gordon’ riots and a mob burnt down Catholic chapels in Brick Lane
- Full freedom for Catholics only came in 1829 with the Roman Catholic Relief Act
3
Q
How did the Irish change Spitalfields?
A
