A Room Upstairs in 1956
Curated with the London Irish Centre
Supported by David P. Kelly
German bombing raids during the Second World War killed thousands and left London’s housing stock in tatters. New builds like this Terraced House in Camden rose from the ashes, designed cheaply and quickly to fill the awkward spaces left in Victorian and Georgian terraced streets.
Background
Irish migration
During the 1950s over half a million people left Ireland, with most heading for the UK and the USA. Poor economic conditions forced masses to leave, but for women, who made up the majority of migrants during this period, the promise of more social freedoms held a great appeal.
Lasting impact of the war
Rationing continued long after the war, with food rationing ending in 1954 and coal rationing in 1958. However, there was very little rationing in Ireland during the war, and many migrants were shocked by the poor quality of British food when they first arrived.
Anti-Irish discrimination
Like many migrant groups at the time, Irish people coming to Britain were often openly discriminated against. Variations of the now infamous phrase ‘No Blacks, No Dogs, No Irish’ could be found on shop signs or even housing and job adverts, limiting opportunities for the community.
The end of Empire
Britain had been severely weakened economically and militarily by the Second World War and struggled to hold on to its vast colonial empire. Anti-imperial and self-rule movements gathered force throughout Britain’s colonies, with India gaining Independence in 1947, and Ghana becoming Britain’s first African colony to gain independence in 1957.
Personal stories
Una
"The whole road was full of flats and everyone who lived there was Irish. We left our doors open - you could call in on anyone at any time. It was all young people. It was great."
Clare
"In 1959 we left County Monaghan and we arrived in London Euston. I was 17 years old, and I was travelling with my mother... We stayed in two big rooms on Caledonian Road at only £3 a week... In the shared bathroom, there wasn't much. There was a stone sink in the living room for washing."
Research kindly provided by the Irish Nurses in the NHS project at London Metropolitan University
What's happening
Newlyweds Kathleen and Jack are getting ready for a big night out at the Galtymore dancehall in Cricklewood, where they first met a few years earlier. Kathleen left Northern Ireland for a nursing job in the newly formed NHS, and Jack left his rural home in Roscommon for the plentiful construction work in post-Second World War London.
Kathleen has applied her favourite perfume Coty L’Aimant, a gift from Jack, and is hurriedly ironing his best suit so that he looks appropriately sharp on the dance floor. Meanwhile Jack is pouring them both a drink to warm them up for the long bus ride ahead.
Things to look out for
Irish ID Card
Before Patrick O’Loughlin moved to London, he would travel between Ireland and England several times a year for work, getting his ID card stamped for each trip. This is a common story among Irish migrants, with some continuing to travel rather than settling permanently in the UK.
Sacred Heart Print
1922
While some left Ireland to break away from the dominance that the Church played in people’s lives, religion was still a crucial part of life for most people in the London Irish community. Sacred Heart artworks were a staple of Irish homes, with this print handed down through generations in Tom G’s family.
Woodchip and Magnolia
A landlord favourite and a tenant's worst nightmare, woodchip wallpaper provided a cheap way to cover up blemished walls that was very difficult to remove if you didn’t like it. However, one advantage was that it could be painted over, and the newly developed Magnolia became a fast favourite in the 1950
Looking for more?
Come and immerse yourself in the rooms, and discover the personal stories and social history behind them, at the Museum.