London: A City of Immigrants, Since When?

History books show that our nation has nearly always been made up of people from different countries, some war-mongering, some friendly, some looking for opportunities, some truly desperate.

We Londoners are a mixed up society and a;though this isn't always easy it has made us one of the most tolerant and easy-going cities in the twenty-first century.

Look at the timeline below and next time you see a scaremongering headline about immigrants, think about the shared ever-evolving history of our city #LoveLondon

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250, Romans arrive in Britain

700s, Danes & Norwegians invade and settle

1000s, Normans conquer and settle

1100s, Jews are invited to settle in England (but were expelled in 1290)

1100s, Flemish merchants from the Netherlands settle in England

1500s, Queen Mary marries Philip of Spain, the first Gypsies settle & Huguenots arrive

1600s, Africans, West Indians are brought to England as slaves

1700s, Refugees from the French revolution arrive (1789)

1700s, First records of Indian & Chinese sailors in London

1800s, Jewish refugees from Poland, Ukraine and Russia arrive

1800s, Irish people fleeing famine in Ireland arrive

1800s, The growth of the empire & trade routes brings more people from China and India

1900s, Belgians fleeing the battles of the First World War arrive

1930s, Refugees fleeing Nazi oppression in Germany arrive

1940-1960s, Homeless refugees from across Europe arrive, mainly from Poland

1948,  Jamaicans start arriving, invited by the government to help rebuild post-war Britain

1950s, More settlers from other Commonwealth nations arrive eg, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Australia, Canada and New Zealand

1970s, Asians are forced to leave Uganda and come to the UK seeking refuge

1980s, Refugees from Romania and former Yugoslavia arrivve fleeing war

1992-97, After the break up of Yugoslavia, refugees arrive seeking sanctuary

1999, War in Sri Lanka leads to more asylum seekers arriving

2000s, Changes within the EU result in a wave of Polish & other EU economic migrants

2010, Unrest in Middle East leads to more refugees.

The Seven Oldest Places of Worship in London

The Seven Oldest Places of Worship in London

The Oldest Mosque

The Fazl Mosque (also known as the London Mosque) in London’s Notting Hill was inaugurated in 1926 but the first prayers were held there from 1924.  The East London Mosque dates back further, with ambitions to build a mosque dating back to 1910.  However, the first mosque in east London wasn’t actually built until 1940.  This mosque was located on Commercial Road and was converted from 3 houses.

The Fazl Mosque was used as a bomb shelter during World War II

The Oldest Synagogue

The Bevis Marks Synagogue in the east end of London opened in 1701 for a Jewish community that came mainly from Spain & Portugal - although there are records of services held nearby from 1663. The Bevis Marks Synagogue is also the oldest continually functioning synagogue in Europe.

Daniel Mendoza, the British boxing champion of 1789 was part of the Spanish & Portuguese community of the east end of London.

The Oldest Catholic Church

St Ethelreda’s is not only the oldest Catholic church in London, but the oldest in England too.  It is located in central London, near Holborn.  The church dates back to the thirteenth century although it has had a chequered history and was restored as an active church in 1879.  At it’s opening a Catholic Mass was celebrated there for the first time in over 200 years.

An engraving of St Ethelreda's, 17775

The Oldest Carribbean Church

The first pentecostal church services were thought to have started in the mid 1950s in private homes around Brixton & Lewisham.  In the 1960s there was a growth in Seventh Day Adventist churches predominantly supported by the community from the Caribbean in Brixton. While Seventh Day Adventists had a presence in London from the end of the nineteenth century, St Paul's church on Ferndale Road may be the oldest purpose built as a Seventh-day Adventist church, built by John Soper - and it was built in 1958.

The Oldest Hindu Temple

The Sri Ghanapathy Hindu Temple in Wimbleon is believed to be the first consecrated Hindu temple in London.  Planning for the temple began in the late 1960s, with regular services in hired halls around Wimbledon through the 1970s.  The temple was finally open and consecrated in 1981 as not only the first Hindu temple in London, but in Europe too.

A smaller adjacent temple dedicated to Sai Baba is an addition to the original temple.

The Oldest Sikh Gudwara

The first Sikh Gurdwara was opened in London in 1911, funded by the Maharaja of Patiala (below) who generously donated £1000 to the Sikh society in order to set up a Gurdwara.  The Gurdwara was opened in Putney and then moved to 79 Sinclair Road, London - a Georgian terrace in Shepherds Bush. The Gurdwara was named the Bhupinder Dharamsala after the Maharaja who was present at the opening.

The Oldest Buddhist Temple

Wat Buddhapadipa in London was the first Buddhist temple in the United Kingdom, established by the London Buddhist Temple Foundation. This temple has been under Thai Royal Patronage since 1965 when it was originally located on Christ Church Road, Richmond. It was moved to its present site in Calonne Road, Wimbledon Parkside in 1976. Wat Buddhapadipa is the only Thai temple ever built in Europe.

Monks visiting Wat Buddhapadipa in Wimbledon

Our First Interview

An interview with Caroline Bourne, cofounder of SharedCity

SC:  What is your family history?

CB:  My family is Jewish and has strands that go back to Poland, Lithuania, Russia and Spain. Three quarters of my Great Grandparents came from small places off the map in Russia or Eastern Europe before the First World War. The other two were extremely anglicised Jews who could trace their history back to the eighteenth century in London, with origins way back ​in Spain. We count Daniel Mendoza, the British Boxing Champion of 1789 among our ancestors. Pictured below is my family lighting the candles at Chanukah last year. And at the bottom is a portrait of my Sefardi grandmother, who recently died aged 92.

SC:  Where is your favourite place in London?

CB:  I love the South Bank as it’s always a place of surprises. And in particular, I love the London Eye because firstly it is so iconic and secondly I was married at the top of it in 2005.

SC:  What is your ideal comfort food?

CB:  Most food is a comfort but forced to choose I would say ​a freshly baked bagel with hummus from Roni's in West Hampstead. Failing that, a big slab of chocolate.


SC:  Where would you love to visit and why?

CB:  I would love to go ​on a safari in Africa to see giraffes running wild. I've always loved giraffes.​


SC:  Why are you involved in SharedCity?

CB:  I have lived in other cities and always miss the diversity of London. I love hearing a billion different languages on the street and seeing different styles of dress on the street. I set up SharedCity to celebrate all the wonderful things about a city with so many different cultures. It is sad when I read negative stories about immigrants in London. Hopefully through SharedCIty others will see what riches different cultures can offer.

Bollywood in London

Bollywood in London

There are loads of Asians in London, loads of Bollywood films produced each year, and presumably loads of people who might want to see them, but the Cineworld chain seems to be the only cinema that has cottoned onto this. Unless the exceptionally long running times of most Bollywood movies and the number of dodgy DVDs in circulation means its not a money-spinner, it's odd.



Anyhow, Cineworld has at least three key London-area sites – Feltham, Staples Corner and Ilford – showing regular Bollywood films - although only a tiny tiny proportion of those actually made make it to the big screen. Other cinemas to show the latest dramas and musicals coming from India include Upton Park's Boleyn and the famous Harrow Safari.




Sadly the true home of Asian cinema, the Himalya Palace in Southall closed down in 2010 - and is still sorely missed (see below).



But for value for money you can't get better than a Bollywood movie on a rainy Tuesday afternoon. The Harrow Safari charges for £3.50 for 2-3 hours of movie: that's 2-3p a minute, a real bargain.

Warmer London

No escaping it, London in January is not balmy.  There is a distinct lack of blue skies, heat and dazzling sunshine and very much in need of a little warmth I took myself on a tour of places in London where I could pretend London is actually in the tropics.

An obvious place is the hot house at Kew Gardens.  After trudging through the rain and battling the wind, I arrived at the magnificent glass and steel structure.  Inside gorgeous giant tropical leafy plants towered over me and the rich smell of the tropics warmed even the insides of my nostrils.  I even spotted a few bananas dangling above my head.  What was missing was a comfy deckchair for some long-term lounging around, preferably until summer re-appears.

Next, I researched Turkish Baths in London and discovered that there are only four large Victorian Turkish Baths remaining in the city:  Porchester Spa, Ironmonger Row, York Hall and the RAC Club.  But I also found some smaller hammams dotted around London and bravely took myself to the most authentic looking one in the heart of London's Turkish community in Dalston.  Even though a card in the window stated it was 'LADIES DAY' I felt my heartbeat quicken with nerves before going inside.

It was one of those shop windows you can't see behind and the signs outside offer massage in a slightly questionable way. 

 Pushing open the door I was greeted in Turkish.  Unfortunately, my Turkish isn't up to much but luckily I did manage to get shown to the changing room and later ushered down to the marbled steam rooms where I was encouraged to throw warm water over myself for twenty minutes.  This was no bad thing. I was finally defrosting.  The steaming that followed and the scrub down by a couple of burly women totally did the job.  By the time I was done, some two hours later, my body temperature was through the roof and I left the building in a t-shirt, singing summery songs to myself.  Tra-la-la-la.  I was warm and happy for at least ten minutes until the rain started to fall. Well, at least I know where to go next time I really need warming up.  And so do you.

Unusual Round the World Drinks

Fermented horse-milk is the true drink of choice in Kazakhstan.  It's called Kumis and sadly, it doesn't seem to be available in London.  You just can't get fresh horsemilk round here.  From a bit of research, I've found it's possible to make your own Kumis from cow's milk.  The recipe here.  But this won't satisfy my Kazakh friends, who yearn for real the real thing.

Other weird drinks I've been offered on my trips around London's communities include:


Guarana Soda is the most popular soda in Brazil.  It contains extract from the guarana berry and is high in caffeine so good for staying awake. It tastes is like a mild fizzy apple juice - but more interesting.  You can buy it here

Kvass is Russia's soda of choice.  It is a fermented drink, low in alcohol, made from rye flour or bread with malt.   You can buy it here



In the Japan Centre I saw a drink called Pocari Sweat for sale.  Apparently it's a sports drink, and it looks innocuous, like water. But I gave it a miss.

Another drink with a similar theme is Arak, the most popular Arabic alcoholic drink common in Iraqi and Lebanese communities - and widely available in London.  The literal translation of Arak is 'sweat' and again, it's a clear drink, served with ice - but the actual flavour is cool zesty aniseed.

Discover Romanian Culture

At SharedCity we're probably not the only ones shocked at the representation of Romanians in the UK media over the last few months.  Now the gates of immigration have opened we'd like to our top three ideas for enjoying the best of Romanian culture in London.

1. The Romanian Cultural Institute is just off Belgrave Square.  The centre is housed in a magnificent Georgian townhouse and with it's sweeping staircases and glorious location, it is about as far from the image of Romanians portrayed in the media as you could get.  The building is a palace. The staircase from the entrance hall leads up to a huge elegant drawing room where regular classical music concerts are held salon-style to celebrate the work of Romania's greatest composer (and teacher of Yehudi Menuhin), George Enescu.  Check the website for details of the next concert.  All the concerts held here are free. And you often get a glass of the best Romanian wine thrown in too.

2.  Also in the salubrious central SW London postcode, the Victoria & Albert Museum are celebrating Romanian culture this month with a sound and light show that celebrates the extraordinary historic monument known as the Trajan.  The Trajan is a massive column on which is carved an intricate history of the ancient Romanian people. On Friday 17th January you can celebrate the 1900th anniversary of Trajan's column by viewing a short film about the history of the column narrated by broadcaster Dan Snow, and a specially commissioned light and sound projection created by Romanian artists Dreamrec and Rochite. 

3.  On the other side of London, in Leytonstone and Tottenham, are two of London's best Romanian Restaurants, Amorg and the Cornelius bar. The food is influenced by both eastern Europe and Italian cuisine, so you will find Romanian & Italian wine, heavy meaty dishes, dumplings and pizza/pasta on most Romanian menus.  Both restuarants have a programme of live music to check out.   For a taste of Romanian music right now, you can listen to popular tunes on London's Spectrum Radio.