Barbadian British
Encyclopedia
Barbadian British people, or Bajan-Brits are citizens or residents of the United Kingdom
whose ethnic origins lie fully or partially in the Caribbean
island of Barbados
. The UK is home to the second largest Barbadian-born migrant population out of all the OECD countries, with the 2001 Census recording 21,601 UK residents born on the Caribbean island, compared to the 53,785 Barbadian-born residents of the United States
.
. In 1955, the Barbados government established a Sponsored Workers Scheme and appointed an officer in London to help find work for Barbadians in the UK, due to the perception that population pressure was too great in Barbados. Between 1955 and 1966, more than 27,000 Barbadians migrated to the UK. This represented the largest mass migration from the Caribbean island since 45,000 people emigrated to Panama
in the 1900s and 1910s, and was part of a wider migration of people from the Caribbean to the UK which saw 550,000 people migrate between 1948 and 1973, with the majority doing so before the passing of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962
. They were recruited to fill labour shortages in the UK in sectors such as transport and healthcare. Migration from Barbados to the UK between 1951 and 1971 represented 12 per cent of the population of Barbados.
The number of Barbadian citizenships successfully applying for British citizenship since 1997 is shown in the table below. The number of Barbadians being granted British citizenship per annum has recently begun to decrease, unlike those from Jamaica
(from where an increasing number of people are being granted citizenship).
in Berkshire
is reported to have the largest Barbadian community outside of the Caribbean, whilst Ipswich
, the county town
of Suffolk
is also home to a large Bajan population, with 2.7 per cent of the population originating in the Caribbean nation. The National Council of Barbadian Associations (UK) has branches in Huddersfield
, Leeds
, Liverpool
and Merseyside
, Manchester
, Oldham
, Preston, Coventry
, Leicester
, Birmingham
, London
, Bath and Bristol
, and Reading.
, between 1627 and 1966 the Island was under British rule, and it still retains a very 'British' identity today, much more so than the surrounding nations. Barbados is often referred to as Little England by its inhabitants as well as neighbours. The result of this close bond between the two nations is that the UK proves the most popular destination for Barbadian emigrants who then find it much easier to settle into society than many other English and non-English speaking immigrant groups. Leading on from British colonial rule in Barbados, one of the island nation's most popular pastimes is playing cricket
(a sport introduced and still played by the British). The culture of the Barbadian community in the UK is also heavily influenced by West African cultures, due to traditions dating back to the slave trade generation.
is much more African than English based, calypso
and the indigenous Spouge
genres are both unique within the Caribbean as are Reggae
, soca
, and tuk
which have now found their way into mainstream Western culture. Notable British musicians of Barbadian origin who have helped popularise the music of Barbados in the UK include Dennis Bovell
who is largely a producer of reggae music, Jimmy Senya Haynes of roots reggae band Steel Pulse
who was the only person of Barbadian origin to win a Grammy Award
(only recently did singer Rihanna
join the title). Soca artist Alison Hinds
is based in London. 90's singer Des'ree
is also famed for her singles "Feel So High", "You Gotta Be", "Kissing You", and "Life" which are mostly soul based. Shaznay Lewis
and Ms. Dynamite
are more contemporary artists that have helped bridge the gap closer between genres such as R&B, soul
, hip-hop and reggae.
.
A number of Barbadian-born and British-born people of Barbadian descent play in professional league football teams, and some British-born players of Barbadian origin have chosen to play for the Barbados national football team
. Emmerson Boyce
is a native of Aylesbury who plays for Wigan Athletic
and the Barbados national team, Ashley Cole
of Stepney, London currently plays left back for Chelsea
and the England national team
, and fellow Londoner Michael Gilkes has played for Barbados alongside Reading
. Likewise, Paul Ifill
and Mark McCammon
have played for Barbados alongside the English sides Crystal Palace
and Gillingham
respectively. Walter Tull
, whose father was from Barbados, was the first black officer in the British Army
and only the second black player in the top division of the Football League. Former WBC
super middleweight
world champion boxer Nigel Benn
is Barbadian British.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
whose ethnic origins lie fully or partially in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
island of Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
. The UK is home to the second largest Barbadian-born migrant population out of all the OECD countries, with the 2001 Census recording 21,601 UK residents born on the Caribbean island, compared to the 53,785 Barbadian-born residents of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
Hitorically migration from Barbados to the UK was fairly simple, since many Barbadians once held overseas British citizenship (see: Barbados and British nationality), but the number of Barbadians migrating to the UK increased after the 1952 McCarran Act put "severe curbs" on Caribbean immigration to the nearby United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 1955, the Barbados government established a Sponsored Workers Scheme and appointed an officer in London to help find work for Barbadians in the UK, due to the perception that population pressure was too great in Barbados. Between 1955 and 1966, more than 27,000 Barbadians migrated to the UK. This represented the largest mass migration from the Caribbean island since 45,000 people emigrated to Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
in the 1900s and 1910s, and was part of a wider migration of people from the Caribbean to the UK which saw 550,000 people migrate between 1948 and 1973, with the majority doing so before the passing of the Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962
Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962
The Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1962 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.Before the Act was passed, citizens of British commonwealth countries had extensive rights to migrate to the UK...
. They were recruited to fill labour shortages in the UK in sectors such as transport and healthcare. Migration from Barbados to the UK between 1951 and 1971 represented 12 per cent of the population of Barbados.
Population
According to the 2001 UK Census, 21,601 people born in Barbados were living in the United Kingdom, representing around 8 per cent of all Caribbean-born people living in the country. In 2001, Barbados was the 2nd most common birthplace in the Caribbean for UK residents and 47th most common out of all birth countries. By comparison, the 1971 Census recorded 27,055 people born in Barbados.Citizenship
| Numer of Barbadians granted British citizenship |
|
|---|---|
| 1997 | 64 |
| 1998 | 116 |
| 1999 | 131 |
| 2000 | 178 |
| 2001 | 155 |
| 2002 | 140 |
| 2003 | 155 |
| 2004 | 175 |
| 2005 | 175 |
| 2006 | 145 |
| 2007 | 105 |
| 2008 | 85 |
The number of Barbadian citizenships successfully applying for British citizenship since 1997 is shown in the table below. The number of Barbadians being granted British citizenship per annum has recently begun to decrease, unlike those from Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
(from where an increasing number of people are being granted citizenship).
Distribution
ReadingReading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
is reported to have the largest Barbadian community outside of the Caribbean, whilst Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
, the county town
County town
A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
of Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
is also home to a large Bajan population, with 2.7 per cent of the population originating in the Caribbean nation. The National Council of Barbadian Associations (UK) has branches in Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
, Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Oldham
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
, Preston, Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Bath and Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, and Reading.
Culture
Barbados along with many other Caribbean nations was once part of the British EmpireBritish Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
, between 1627 and 1966 the Island was under British rule, and it still retains a very 'British' identity today, much more so than the surrounding nations. Barbados is often referred to as Little England by its inhabitants as well as neighbours. The result of this close bond between the two nations is that the UK proves the most popular destination for Barbadian emigrants who then find it much easier to settle into society than many other English and non-English speaking immigrant groups. Leading on from British colonial rule in Barbados, one of the island nation's most popular pastimes is playing cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
(a sport introduced and still played by the British). The culture of the Barbadian community in the UK is also heavily influenced by West African cultures, due to traditions dating back to the slave trade generation.
Music
The music of BarbadosMusic of Barbados
The music of Barbados includes distinctive national styles of folk and popular music, including elements of Western classical and religious music...
is much more African than English based, calypso
Calypso music
Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago from African and European roots. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of enslaved Africans, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song...
and the indigenous Spouge
Spouge
Spouge On earlier album labels the word appears as spooge. A Music form of Barbados created by Dalton Bishop who performed as Jackie Opel in the 1960s. It is differentiated from Reggae by having a more even and repetitive backbeat...
genres are both unique within the Caribbean as are Reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, soca
Soca music
Soca is a style of music from Trinidad and Tobago. Soca is a musical development of traditional Trinidadian calypso, through loans from the 1960s onwards from predominantly black popular music....
, and tuk
Tuk band
A tuk band is a kind of Barbadian musical ensemble, which plays tuk music. They consist of a double-headed bass drum, triangle, flute and a snare drum; the traditional fiddle has most recently been replaced by the pennywhistle...
which have now found their way into mainstream Western culture. Notable British musicians of Barbadian origin who have helped popularise the music of Barbados in the UK include Dennis Bovell
Dennis Bovell
Dennis Bovell is a reggae guitarist, bass player and record producer. He was a member of the British reggae band Matumbi, and released dub-reggae records under his own name as well as the pseudonym 'Blackbeard'....
who is largely a producer of reggae music, Jimmy Senya Haynes of roots reggae band Steel Pulse
Steel Pulse
Steel Pulse is a roots reggae musical band. They originally formed at Handsworth Wood Boys School, in Birmingham, England, composed of David Hinds , Basil Gabbidon , and Ronald McQueen .-History:...
who was the only person of Barbadian origin to win a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
(only recently did singer Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
join the title). Soca artist Alison Hinds
Alison Hinds
Alison Hinds is a Bajan female soca artist based in the Caribbean island of Barbados. She is one of the most popular soca singers in the world and has been given the nickname the "Queen of Soca".-Biography:...
is based in London. 90's singer Des'ree
Des'ree
Des'ree is an English pop/soul singer who was popular during the 1990s. She is well known for her hits: "Feel So High", "You Gotta Be", "Life", and "Kissing You"...
is also famed for her singles "Feel So High", "You Gotta Be", "Kissing You", and "Life" which are mostly soul based. Shaznay Lewis
Shaznay Lewis
Shaznay Lewis is a British female singer-songwriter and a former member of All Saints.-Biography:...
and Ms. Dynamite
Ms. Dynamite
Niomi Arleen McLean-Daley , who performs as Ms. Dynamite, is a double BRIT Award and three time MOBO Awards winning UK garage, R&B and hip hop singer and rapper.-Biography:...
are more contemporary artists that have helped bridge the gap closer between genres such as R&B, soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, hip-hop and reggae.
Sport
Several Barbadian-born cricketers have pursued cricket careers in the country where the sport originated, including, for example, Surrey CCC's Chris JordanChris Jordan (cricketer)
Christopher Jordan is an English cricketer.Chris Jordan was educated at Dulwich College through a sporting scholarship from his native Barbados and he made his 1st XI debut for Surrey versus Middlesex at Lord's in August 2007...
.
A number of Barbadian-born and British-born people of Barbadian descent play in professional league football teams, and some British-born players of Barbadian origin have chosen to play for the Barbados national football team
Barbados national football team
The Barbados national football team, nicknamed Bajan Pride, is the national association football team of Barbados and is controlled by the Barbados Football Association. It has never qualified for a major international tournament...
. Emmerson Boyce
Emmerson Boyce
Emmerson Orlando Boyce is an English-born professional footballer who has represented Barbados at international level. He is currently a player at Wigan Athletic, and usually plays as a right back, but can also play in the centre of defence.Boyce started his career at the age of sixteen as an...
is a native of Aylesbury who plays for Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
and the Barbados national team, Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole is an Barbadian-English professional footballer who plays for Chelsea and the England national team. He plays as a left-back and has been named one of the best in the world....
of Stepney, London currently plays left back for Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
and the England national team
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, and fellow Londoner Michael Gilkes has played for Barbados alongside Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
. Likewise, Paul Ifill
Paul Ifill
Paul Everton Ifill is a Barbadian British footballer who plays for Wellington Phoenix in the Australian A-League.-Club career:...
and Mark McCammon
Mark McCammon
Mark Jason McCammon is an English-born Barbadian international football striker.Starting his career with Cambridge United in 1997, two years later he moved on to Charlton Athletic. In 2000 he was loaned out to Swindon Town, before signing with Brentford. He found regular football at Brentford,...
have played for Barbados alongside the English sides Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
and Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
respectively. Walter Tull
Walter Tull
Walter Daniel John Tull was an English professional footballer who played as an inside forward for Tottenham Hotspur and Northampton Town...
, whose father was from Barbados, was the first black officer in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and only the second black player in the top division of the Football League. Former WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
super middleweight
Super middleweight
Super Middleweight is a boxing and Muay Thai weight division that has a weight limit of 168 pounds .- 1960s–1983 :There was interest in a division between Middleweight and Light Heavyweight in the late 1960s, the mid-1970s, and the early 1980s...
world champion boxer Nigel Benn
Nigel Benn
Nigel Benn , known as "The Dark Destroyer", is a British former boxer who held world titles in the middleweight and super middleweight divisions....
is Barbadian British.
See also
- Black BritishBlack BritishBlack British is a term used to describe British people of Black African descent, especially those of Afro-Caribbean background. The term has been used from the 1950s to refer to Black people from former British colonies in the West Indies and Africa, who are residents of the United Kingdom and...
- Caribbean British
- Barbados–United Kingdom relations
- British African-Caribbean communityBritish African-Caribbean communityThe British African Caribbean communities are residents of the United Kingdom who are of West Indian background and whose ancestors were primarily indigenous to Africa...