Waves of Change – Jewish Life in Bournemouth, 1880–2025
Introduction
Over the centuries, Britain has been continuously shaped by people arriving from across the world—invaders, migrants, refugees, and skilled workers. Each group brought new ideas, skills, and cultures, weaving the fabric of British society we know today. This exhibition outlines the natural history of a provincial Jewish community from its origin in the 1800s to its peak in the 1960s and decline in the 2000s.
The story begins with a migration timeline, starting in the first millennium, followed by an introduction to the history of Jews in Britain and in Bournemouth.
After that, the boards highlight their contribution in many ways, from wartime, the holiday trade, science, manufacturing and the arts to the community’s decline. Each board has one or more QR codes, leading to more details about the topic.
| Early Invasions & Settlers (500–1300s) | Anglo-Saxons (500–600): Germanic tribes after the Romans Vikings (800–900): Norse invaders raided and settled Normans (1066): William the Conqueror brought Jewish financiers. Flemish & Dutch Artisans: helped build the textile industry. Hanseatic Merchants: German traders created trading hubs |
| Religious Refugees & Early Global Links (1500–1700) | Huguenots: French Protestants brought silk-weaving and crafts. Dutch & Walloon Protestants: boosting the textile trade. Africans in Tudor England: Free and enslaved individuals Indian & South Asian Workers: via the East India Company. |
| Industrial Era Migration (1700–1900) | Irish Migrants: Escaped famine in the 1840s; settled in Liverpool and East London. Eastern European Jews: Fled pogroms in Russia, forming communities in the East End. Lascars (Asian Seamen): settled in Cardiff and Liverpool |
War & Displacement (1900–1945) |
Belgian Refugees (WWI): 250,000 arrived during the war. Jewish Refugees (WWII) : Escaped Nazi persecution; children via Kindertransport. Poles & Eastern Europeans: Fought with Allies; many stayed |
Post-War Migration & Commonwealth Links (1945–1970s) |
Caribbean Migrants (Windrush): helped rebuild Britain, in the NHS, and transport. South Asians: settled in Leicester, Birmingham, and Bradford. East African Asians: Expelled from Uganda in 1972 |
| Modern Migration (1980s–Today) | EU Migrants: Arrived after 2004, from Poland, Romania, Bulgaria. Refugees from Global Conflicts: From Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq Skilled Workers: from India, Nigeria, Philippines Hong Kong BN(O) Citizens: Offered visas from 2021 |