Migrants In Britain: 2.4

Question 1

Where is Sandwich ?

Answer 1

Kent (it’s a port town)

Question 2

What was the state of Sandwich in the 1500s ?

Answer 2

• declining economy
  [] poverty increasing

Question 3

Describe the migration of Flemish “strangers” into Sandwich in the 1500s

Answer 3

• 1561, people of Sandwich asked Elizabeth I to invite Flemish Protestant weavers into the town to boost the economy: she agreed
• 407 Flemish migrants over a couple months in 1561, 25 Flemish households in total set up textile workshops

Question 4

How did the Flemish migrants boost/kickstart the cloth trade in Sandwich ?

Answer 4

• many of the original Flemish migrants in 1561 were master weavers and knew their trade extremely well
• produced expensive, luxury cloths like broadcloths with the use of raw, high-quality English wool
• markets held twice a week for the weavers to sell their wares
• all cloth produced in Sandwich was given a “grading” for its quality; any cloth produced under the standard would get its maker fined
  [] this helped to keep the cloth trade expensive and luxury in Sandwich and boost the economy even further

Question 5

Describe the success of the Flemish community in Sandwich

Answer 5

• by 1582, over half of Sandwich’s population were Flemish migrants
• the Flemish were given St Peter’s Church for their worship
• wealthy weavers built their own homes with Dutch architectural features such as ornate brickwork
• the migrants expanded the range of trades practiced in Sandwich beyond weaving
  [] Flemish farmers grew new crops like celery, as well as carrots
  [] 1564, Flemish man called Symons opened a tailor’s shop (was told could only hire Englishmen however, to keep the job market open for the minority English population)

Question 6

Describe the change in English attitudes towards the Flemish migrants in Sandwich

Answer 6

• went from welcoming to unsavoury
• English in the town felt that, by expanding the range of trades practiced by the Flemish in Sandwich, they were taking jobs from the English
• backlash from the English:
  [] 1569, Town ordered that migrants may only work as bricklayers, masons and carpenters if an Englishman first refused the work. Banned from being cobblers
  [] 1581, town prevented migrants from running their own shops, and ordered them only to work in the cloth and fishing industries; fined anyone who broke this
  [] 1582, Flemish migrants appealed to Elizabeth’s council, whom agreed that the Flemish migrants in Sandwich should adhere to the rules set by the townspeople, but were free to migrate elsewhere to work in other trades. Also protected Flemish community in Sandwich from fines from the town
  [] 1582, many Flemish families left Sandwich to look for new economic opportunities, and over time, more and more migrants left Sandwich

Question 7

Who were the Walloons ?

Answer 7

• French speaking Protestants from the Spanish Netherlands who also migrated to Sandwich in 1561
• mainly weavers, like the Flemish

Question 8

What were the pull factors of England for the Walloons ?

Answer 8

• safety from Catholic persecution of Protestants in the Spanish Netherlands
• economic opportunities

Question 9

Why and when did the Walloons leave Sandwich for Canterbury ?

Answer 9

• 1575
• invited by Canterbury to move there

Question 10

Why did Canterbury invite the Walloons ?

Answer 10

• was in economic decline, like Sandwich
  [] this is due to the fall-off in pilgrimage (and thus less visitors and less trade) because of the Reformation in the 1530s

Question 11

Describe the migration and success of the Walloons in(to) Canterbury (including their impacts on Canterbury’s trades, their importance to the community and their relationship with the English inhabitants of the city)

Answer 11

• migrated in 1575
• were given the use of the Blackfriars monastery (closed during the Reformation)
  [] part of it was converted into a church and a school
  [] another part became the Weavers’ Hall and Market (became the heart of the community)
• created successful cloth and weaving market
• introduced new trades to Canterbury, like silk dyeing, sugar refinery and diamond cutting
  [] all of these new industries created jobs and meant that there was no jealousy from the original inhabitants in terms of ‘taking jobs’ unlike in Sandwich
• the Walloon community had 12 ‘elders’ who set rules and worked closely with the local authorities in Canterbury
• by 1595, one third of the Canterbury population were Walloon migrants
  [] some English worried about the sheer volume of migrants, like in Sandwich
  [] the Walloon elders helped to control migration in response by asking for proof that any new migrants from 1582 onwards had left their homes on religious grounds
• the Walloons were incredibly important to the general population of Canterbury
  [] helped to prepare against possible Spanish invasion
  [] improved economy and trade by an insane amount and allowed Canterbury city to prosper
  [] created many jobs
  [] were willing and eager to work alongside the English, not simply seek economic prosperity for themselves, like the Flemish