The largest Italian community in Britain is in Bedford, which is in the county of Bedfordshire in East Anglia (see map).
The Second World War ended in the 1950’s. The War had done a lot of damage to Britain, which meant that there were lots of buildings to rebuild. As there were lots of buildings to rebuild there was an increasing need for bricks. Bedford itself had lot of cay. This meant that this clay could be used to make bricks and supply to everyone. As the Second World War had killed a lot of men, there weren’t enough labourers to make the bricks.
Meanwhile in Italy (see map) everyone was having a very tough time. Not only had they lost the war but also everyone’s lives had been turned upside down. This resulted in lots of people being homeless, jobless (see push and pull factors) etc.
As Bedford for looking for lots of labourers to work in the brick factories (see labelled diagram) and lots of people in Italy were jobless, the Italians were offered a four-year contract to work in the brick factory (lowering bricks to the kiln to be fired). Most people from the little town on Buoncino came to Bedford. Around 90% of them worked in the brick factories but the other 10% were craftsmen or tailors.
When the Italians came to Bedford they could not speak English so they found it hard to socialise with the English society. It those days it was also hard to contact families overseas. They only intended on staying in Bedford for five years but then after they started working here they decided to live here. When they had made some money by working in the brick factories, they bought a small terraced house and started developing businesses of their own. Most people made their own wine and exported them to Italy. They also mostly lived on potatoes. After they had earned sufficient amounts of money they were able to bring their families over to Britain. To feel more at home, the Italians changed Bedford to suit their style. They built Italian churches so they could worship their religion in their own language. Many elderly Italians go to pubs and clubs. Social clubs played a main part in peoples lives because that’s where they could relax, meet fellow Italians and meet fellow Englishmen. Many older people knew each other even before leaving Italy. Other than that they used all the general facilities like we do today.
Italian parents made sure that their children marry fellow Italians. This strengthens the Italian community and keeps it bonded together. It is also the Italian tradition that keeps the community strong.
When the Italians migrated to Bedford, they started off by doing lots of heavy manual work and then gradually started their own business, e.g.: bakeries. Not only Italians buy what are sold in the Italian shops but multicultural people also buy Italian products. Italians also changed their businesses to serve the British people as well as the Italians. They held a pizza shop and a fish and chips shop together.
The Italian children spoke English at home. The children also went to an English school. But, the Italians wanted the children to speak fluent Italian so now the Italian government is paying the schools to undergo Italian classes. Although the children were born in Britain they still fell as though they are a strong part of the Italian community. They may keep a strong sense of being Italians but will the next two generations keep it like this.
Throughout the years Bedford has earned the name ‘Little Italy’ but now that name is slowly dying away. Now the Italians of Bedford are moving to wealthier places. Wherever the Italians move to, their sense of tradition and community will never change. Recently three Italian restaurants and one Italian grocery store have opened in Harrow Road in Sudbury. This is telling us that there are some Italians living in Sudbury. Similar to this there will be more shops like this will open all around Great Britain. The Italian shops in Bedford are now being bought by a lot of Asians who have also migrated to Britain because of civil wars in their country. Very soon there will be no Italians left in Bedford. Who knows, it might become ‘Little Asia’!
Without the Italians, Bedford would have been a normal market town in the South East of England. Italians have changed it with their unique style of tradition and community.
Bedford (see map) was filled with Italians who migrated from Italy after they had lost the war and Britain offered them some jobs. For all these years, the strong sense of tradition and community could be seen in Bedford. Throughout these years Bedford has earned the name ‘Little Italy. But, now the Italians are moving out of Bedford into wealthier places. And Asians are moving into Bedford. In a few decades will Bedford be known as ‘Little Asia’? Nobody knows….