The following article ‘Victims of Stalin and Hitler: The polish community of Bradford’ by Thomas Lane explores the Polish community within Britain specifically within Bradford.
The author introduces the source by including that Bradford attracted workers and merchants from the surrounding rural areas, and from far-flung ports of the British Isles and overseas. Bradford became a centre home of many different ethnic minority groups as Lane established that there were Irish, German and Jewish Immigrants attracted by job opportunities in the textile factors and wool markets. The author establishes that Christine Poles were not included within these ethnic groups until the second World War. It was established that there was a total of only around 4,500 poles numbered in the United Kingdom in the 1931 census to which they were clustered in three main areas of Polish settlement: London, Manchester and Lanarkshire.
Lane establishes that from the 19th century the majority of Polish newcomers were economic migrants and before then Poles in Britain were often mainly political refugees seeking sanctuary after the Polish uprisings of 1830, 1848 and 1863. The author also establishes that the polish presence within Britain and to a larger extent within Bradford was mostly a result of the war. Lane acknowledges that British officials were aware of the danger of creating ‘Alien’ settlements and that all reasonable measures had to be taken by the government to ensure that the Poles and other Eastern European workers within Britain after the war would assimilate. The Royal Commission on populations report in 1949 emphasised that Immigration was welcome only If the migrants “were of good human stock” and were not prevented by religion or race from intermarrying with the host of the population and becoming merged with it.
The author then establishes that Polish civilians freed from German labour camps at the end of the war increased the number of displaced persons held in Germany. There was around 55,000 Polish troops in the Polish first corps based in Britain and Germany at the end of the war, plus 19,000 members of the Polish air force and around 4,000 naval personnel. The author then mentions the significant number of Poles within Bradford as he states that according to the 1951 census there was a total of 2,757 Polish residents within Bradford. In 1961 the number was 2,303 however the reduction of poles reflects in the re-migration of Bradford Poles to the United States, Canada and Australia. Lane also establishes that one other factor which makes up for the 1961 figure being relatively low was the fact it failed to take into account both substantial numbers of naturalization during the 1950s and the children born in British to Polish parents, or in mixed marriages where one parent was Polish. In most cases these individuals considered themselves to be part of a polish community and it was possible to estimate their numbers.
Lane proceeds to mention that a consequently large proportion of the European Voluntary Workers found employment in West Yorkshire and Lancashire textile industries including Bradford where there was a severe shortage of labour after the war. The process of finding a job within Bradford was entirely Government directed, members of the Polish resettlement corps were, however, free to find their own employment from the outset as some moved into textiles straight away while others made their way to Bradford after working in other areas which for one reason or another proved unsatisfactory.
Historian Lane introduces the reasoning for many Poles coming to Bradford and he states that some came because they had friends, some came prior to the possibility of a job in engineering when that industry was closed to them in other cities. Some Poles preferred work in textiles as opposed to alternatives elsewhere, and others came due to the greater housing availability. However, Lane emphasises that although many went onto work in Textiles many believed their stay would be temporary until they could find something which also another reason which enabled hundreds of Poles to come to Bradford under this scheme, it also helped them enable friendships which lasted till after the war.
Lastly, Lane emphasises the social aspect of the Polish within Bradford as he recognised that parish clubs offered social and recreational opportunities within the Polish community. The list went from activities such as dancing, army days, gymnastic and chess clubs discussion groups, music and drama societies, a circulating library and many other activities. It was also emphasised that Saturday schools offered children the opportunity to learn and speak Polish and to study Polish history, geography and culture. Although there was a number of shops selling traditional polish food, a polish pharmacy and a travel agency. All these allowed members of the community to meet and socialise away from the clubs and the chance to talk to their native language in familiar settings. Overall this source written by Thomas Lane does well to illustrate the Polish community and explains their settlement into Bradford.