Blog

Migration is about people, not numbers

This guest blog by Mihir Bose, a distinguished friend of the Migration Museum Project, was written shortly after his visit to Adopting Britain, the exhibition at the Southbank Centre to which the Migration Museum Project has been a proud contributor. Read more

Boughton House, the Huguenot Summer … and a contemporary resentment

MMP Projects Manager Andrew explores the fascinating history and Huguenot heritage of Boughton House near Kettering in Northamptonshire, whose current Huguenots Exhibition includes a contribution from MMP. Read more

A gift from France

The contribution of the Huguenots to the economy and culture of this country has been immense, and it is being celebrated this year in the Huguenot Summer. In this blog, MMP Projects Manager Andrew explores aspects of Huguenot history. Read more

Boat people over history

This blog on the subject of boat people, written by Migration Museum Project trustee Jill Rutter, is timely for a number of reasons. First, it is published in Refugee Week, when the UK’s attention is focused on the predicament of refugees. This year, Refugee Week is celebrating the contribution of refugees to the UK. (For… Read more

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Marmite: the quintessentially British brand… made by a migrant

A blog post by Jen Baldwin, Research Specialist at Findmypast to accompany our Taking Care of Business exhibition exploring the history of Marmite and the man who made it famous: Frederick Wissler. Because its story, like so many other ‘quintessentially British’ brands, is a migration story. Read more
Census reveals new chapter in story of mixed-race Britain

In this guest blog post, author Lucas Fothergill explores Britain’s mixed-race history, what the latest Census data reveals – and the significance of this moment. Read more
50 years a British Bangladeshi

A guest post from Iqbal Wahhab OBE FRSA, founder of London restaurants The Cinnamon Club and Roast and Distinguished Friend of the Migration Museum, who was born in 1963 in Rajshahi, and moved to London before his first birthday. I was born in 1963 in a Rajshahi hospital, in what was then East Pakistan and… Read more
From Redruth to Real del Monte: the unexpected legacies of Cornish emigration to Mexico

What prompted Cornish emigrants to build new lives and communities in Mexico during the 19th century – and what were some of the unexpected legacies of this migration on both sides of the Atlantic? This guest blog post by Georgia Murphy, Collections and Engagement Officer at the Royal Cornwall Museum, is part of Departures: 400… Read more
Emigration from Liverpool to Canada: the Street family story

Why did a family who emigrated to Canada from Liverpool in June 1924 return home just six months later – and what does their experience suggest about the reality of emigration for many British families? This guest blog post by Megan Ashworth, Archive Assistant at Merseyside Maritime Museum, is part of Departures: 400 Years of Emigration from Britain – Partner Stories, a national series to accompany our Departures exhibition and podcast. Read more
Mayflower 400 – Passengers, People, and Perceptions

The passengers of the Mayflower were men, women and children. 102 of them left Plymouth on 6th September 1620. Who were they and why were they leaving? This guest blog post by Jo Loosemore, curator of Mayflower 400: Legend and Legacy – the national commemorative exhibition for 2020/21 in The Box, Plymouth, is part of Departures: 400 Years of Emigration from Britain – Partner Stories, a national series to accompany the Migration Museum’s Departures exhibition and podcast. Read more
Did your Welsh ancestors migrate to Argentina? Here’s how to find out…

Our latest guest post from family history website Findmypast helps you discover if you have distant Welsh cousins somewhere you might not expect: Patagonia, South America. Read more
From Antigua to Australia, via Angola, Ghana and Ireland: Scottish and Welsh footballers with overseas family links

As part of our Football Moves People campaign, our friends at family history website Findmypast have been exploring the pasts of Scotland’s and Wales’s footballing heroes to see where their heritage lies. Read more
More of it than we think

Andrew Steeds has been involved with the Migration Museum as a volunteer, trustee and as our Projects Manager for the best part of a decade. His many responsibilities have included creating and overseeing our blog. He stepped back from our core staff team at the end of 2020, although will continue to work with us on a freelance basis and to be closely involved in our future activities and developments. In this sign-off blog post, he explains why the idea of a national Migration Museum for Britain resonates so strongly with him. Read more
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s family history reveals complex relationships and links beyond Liverpool

Trent Alexander-Arnold was part of England’s initial 26-man Euros squad, but suffered an injury in a warm-up game which forced him to withdraw from the tournament. In this post, Findmypast’s family history experts delve into the Liverpool-born player’s family tree and try to assess some of the headline-grabbing claims about his family ties to the US – and to Sir Alex Ferguson. Read more