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Immigrants in Tudor and Early Stuart England

Edited by Nigel Goose and Lien Luu
Editor text to follow

“Immigrants fleeing persecution pose urgent problems for policy-makers all over the world these days, so a book describing past experiences of the same
kind is a golden gift, offering much food for thought. One substantial volume on this theme was published by the Huguenot Society in 2001 (Sussex Academic Press, ed. Randolph Vigne and Charles Littleton). Now appears another volume, confined to England and the age of the Tudors and Stuarts. Twelve essays by eight scholars
broaden the scene further with fresh evidence, prompting fresh reflections. This one underlines, in particular, how much new information is brought to light by exploring documents held in archives in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

This wide-ranging volume overflows with ideas for further research. Its relevance is forcefully underlined by a recent headline in The Times (December
18, 2005), heralding a ‘new Baltic state of East Anglia’; many migrants are arriving even now from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to work in eastern England. We have been over this ground before.” English Historical Review

“Embodies the results of recent research and opens up some new lines of inquiry… Goose gives an admirably thorough, authoritative, and balanced account of the important contribution made by these aliens to English economic developments in the period. This was William Cunningham’s territory and Goose brings Cunningham fully up to date at last.” Population Studies

“As Goose suggests, in a fine introductory chapter, the importance of this ‘first refuge’ has political-religious significance as part of the Reformation and the battles between England and Spain that accompanied it in the latter half of the sixteenth-century. This perspective brings the subject of immigration into debates about the popularity of reformed faith explored through responses to the stranger churches and the importance of anti-popery and the Catholic threat from within and without.
The great strength of this collection lies in its quantitative rigour and the excellent detail of specific communities. Presented in a style that eschews sociological jargon, this is a work of great appeal to social and economic historians and is effective in restoring the importance of the ‘first refuge’.” Economic History Review

“If the first wave of immigrants is still commonly overshadowed in the literature by that of the second – the Huguenots – it is not difficult to see that the latter would have been much less of a success without the former. And this collection of essays does considerably more than bring the immigrants of the first refuge out of the historical shadows. It draws together important new research in an accessible, enlightening and enjoyable collection of essays that offer a wonderfully rounded picture of English aliens in the Tudor and early Stuart periods. Though the editors are clearly of a mind in prioritising the relationship between economic factors and migration, the collection also gives due regard to religious, political and cultural aspects of the immigration process. For the non-specialist in particular, there is much value and little to criticise. Indeed, this book deserves to be read by anyone with an interest in the history of the early modern period.” Local Population Studies

Throughout, the book preserves an excellent balance between aliens in London and in the provinces. It evaluates their economic contribution, emphasising the significance of the ‘new draperies’ and, later, silk. The ambivalence of the English response to the strangers in their midst, torn between respect for co-religionists and awareness of a real economic contribution on the one hand, and jealousy and occupational rivalry on the other, is well portrayed.” Huguenot Society Proceedings

“Fascinating and timely, this important book of essays restores the experience of immigration to its proper place as a vital part of England’s history.” Penelope Corfield, University of London

“This volume permits the inclusion of what are, at times, conflicting views, particularly with regard to levels and force of xenophobic responses. It is a book which should be included on any reading list pertaining to the study of immigrants and immigration, as well as the socio-economic and cultural history of Tudor and early Stuart England.” Canadian Journal of History / Annales canadiennes d’histoire

“The result is a coherent, satisfying and important study of immigration and its effects from the mid-16th to the mid-17th century. It covers the whole of the Protestant ‘first refuge’, the Dutch and Walloons from the Southern Netherlands as well as the smaller number of exiles from France.

Goose’s excellent initial chapter must now stand as the best brief introduction to the ‘first refuge’. Thereafter the book is divided into three sections, on the immigrants’ communities in England, their impact, and their relations with the international community.
Experts and general readers alike will find much of interest here. . .

Throughout, the book preserves an excellent balance between aliens in London and in the provinces. It evaluates their economic contribution, emphasising the significance of the New Draperies and, later, silk. The ambivalence of the English response to the strangers in their midst, torn between respect for co-religionists and awareness of a real economic contribution on the one hand, and jealousy and occupational rivalry on the other, is well portrayed.” Proceedings of The Huguenot Society

“Goose’s introduction, the first of his three substantial contributions to the volume, provides an overview not only of the numerical strength, geographical distribution, and timetable of this influx, but also of its English political, religious, economic and social context.” H-Net Reviews; H-Albion

It is now over 100 years since Cunningham wrote Alien Immigrants to England, which focused heavily upon the impact of immigration in later 16th and early 17th century England: it has yet to be supplanted by a comprehensive, up-to-date survey. Although much research has been completed on the subject, particularly during the past three decades, relatively little of this has appeared in mainstream history journals, while more general surveys have tended to concentrate upon the second wave of migration that followed the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685.

This book is a major reassessment of the size, nature, status, impact (economic, social, cultural), and international connexions of Dutch and French immigrants in Tudor and early-Stuart England, written by a team of internationally recognised scholars. The volume comprises three sections. Part One examines aspects of immigrant communities in England, including their origins, legal status, situation within the labour market and government policy towards immigrants. Part Two focuses upon their impact, particularly in economic and cultural terms, but also with regard to their reception by, and assimilation within, the host communities. Part Three discusses aspects of the continuing relationship between immigrants and the wider international community.

	List of Contents to follow

Publication Details