Thought to be the oldest Chinese community in Western Europe, if not the most ancient in Europe, the first settlers came to Britain in the early 19th century from Tianjin and Shanghai.
By 1890 there were two distinct, if small, Chinese communities living in London. The Chinese from Shanghai were settled around Pennyfields, Amoy Place and Ming Street and those from Canton and Southern China lived around Gill Street and Limehouse Causeway. There was much prejudice against the East End Chinese community largely due to exaggerated reports of gambling and opium dens. This may have been true of some, but for the majority of Chinese people, life consisted of hard work in the docks, struggling to save for a passage for the return voyage to the Far East.
Later immigrants worked in other industries including catering, hotels and laundries and many British Chinese have been in Britain for many generations. There are Chinese communities in many major cities including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield, Belfast and Aberdeen.
These communities have an active ethnic life with many activities and support networks for members, but have also integrated into the British community at large. Compared to most ethnic minorities in the UK, the Chinese tend to be more widespread and decentralised, with a record of high academic achievement, and have one of the highest inter-ethnic marriage rates in the country.
By 1890 there were two distinct, if small, Chinese communities living in London. The Chinese from Shanghai were settled around Pennyfields, Amoy Place and Ming Street and those from Canton and Southern China lived around Gill Street and Limehouse Causeway. There was much prejudice against the East End Chinese community largely due to exaggerated reports of gambling and opium dens. This may have been true of some, but for the majority of Chinese people, life consisted of hard work in the docks, struggling to save for a passage for the return voyage to the Far East.
Later immigrants worked in other industries including catering, hotels and laundries and many British Chinese have been in Britain for many generations. There are Chinese communities in many major cities including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield, Belfast and Aberdeen.
These communities have an active ethnic life with many activities and support networks for members, but have also integrated into the British community at large. Compared to most ethnic minorities in the UK, the Chinese tend to be more widespread and decentralised, with a record of high academic achievement, and have one of the highest inter-ethnic marriage rates in the country.