The Impact of Migrants in Early Modern Britain (Edexcel GCSE History) : Revision Note

What was the impact of migrants in Early Modern Britain?- Timeline & Summary

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Migrants helped Britain in many ways between c1500 and c1700. They made a big difference to the economy, especially in the cloth trade, where Huguenots introduced fabrics like velvet and taffeta for the upper classes. Others helped grow new industries, like steel in Sheffield and paper-making. Migrants also helped with money and banking. Jewish migrants worked in trade and finance, and a Huguenot called John Houblon became the first governor of the Bank of England in 1694.

Migrants also changed life in Britain through farming, art, and fashion. Dutch engineers helped drain the Fens, turning wet land into farming land. Huguenots brought new clothing styles, which became popular in cities like London. In art, people like Hans Holbein the Younger painted important portraits, helping kings show their power. Some migrants also brought new ideas through books and printing.

Early Modern trade & industry

• Migrants made a huge contribution to England’s trade and industry

Maritime trade

• Jewish and Dutch merchants helped establish international trading links, especially by sea

  • This connected England to Europe, Asia, and the Americas

  • This created new opportunities for importing and exporting goods

Fashion

• Huguenots brought new knowledge and skills in producing luxury fabrics such as:

  • silk

  • taffeta

  • velvet

• These materials that became popular with wealthy customers and the royal court

• Their work helped grow England’s fashion industry

  • In London, demand for fine clothing was high

Cloth trade

• By 1700, the value of English cloth exports had doubled

  • Textiles made up over 70% of England’s exports

  • Huguenot migrants were crucial for this growth

• In Norwich, 20,000 workers were employed in the cloth trade by the end of the 17th century

  • Many of these workers were linked to migrant communities

Manufacturing

• Steel and cutlery production in Sheffield was boosted by knowledge brought from continental Europe

• English paper-making developed due to French and Dutch migrants

  • This helped meet the growing demand for printed books and official documents

    • By 1535, two-thirds of workers in the book trade were European

Early Modern finance

• Jewish migrants played an important role in England’s financial development

  • Many worked in moneylending, shipping finance, and international trade

  • Their financial skills helped support growing trading activity, especially in port cities like London

Banking

• Huguenot migrants also made major contributions to early banking and credit systems

  • Many Huguenots were experienced merchants and investors

    • They helped expand lending in England

  • One Huguenot, John Houblon, became the first governor of the Bank of England

    • This institution was established in 1694

    • It shows how trusted and influential some migrant communities became

• The creation of the national debt also started around this time.

  • This gave the state access to large sums of money during wars

  • It made it easier for English businesses to:

    • get credit

    • invest in trade

• England became a global trading power by the 18th century

Early Modern agriculture

The draining of the Fens

• East Anglia is an area of Eastern England

• Within East Anglia is a region called the Fens

  • The Fens were marshland with islands

• In 1630, King Charles I invited Dutch and Flemish engineers to drain the Fens

  • Cornelius Vermuyden led the project

Impact of the draining of the Fens

Positive impacts

• By the mid-17th century, large areas of wet, unusable land had been transformed into fertile farmland

  • The new farmland was then rented or sold. This allowed for:

    • increased food production

    • higher profits for landowners

    • more tax revenue for the government

• Migrant workers who worked on the project also settled in the region

  • This contributed to the local economy and introducing new farming methods

Negative impacts

• Some locals lost their jobs that involved the fenlands, including

  • cutting rushes

  • hunting eels

• Angry locals destroyed dams and pumps

  • They were called Fen Tigers

Early Modern culture

• Migrants influenced:

  • fashion

  • art

  • books

  • ideas

Fashion

• Huguenots brought fine tailoring and helped develop England’s fashion industry, particularly in London

• They introduced new French styles such as:

  • Doublets with rich embroidery

  • High, ruffled collars

  • Lace-trimmed cuffs and sleeves

  • Use of silks, taffeta, and velvet in fitted gowns and coats

Art

• One of the most famous was Hans Holbein the Younger, a German-Swiss painter, who became court painter to Henry VIII

  • He is known for realistic portraits of royalty and nobles, including the famous portrait of Henry VIII

• Later, other European artists, such as Anthony van Dyck (Flemish), worked for Charles I

  • He helped to introduce Baroque styles of art to England

Books

• The printing press became more widely used thanks to skilled European writers

• Notable writers:

  • Philippe de Mornay – a Huguenot writer who visited England and corresponded with Protestant thinkers

  • Theodore de Bèze – a French Protestant scholar who supported Elizabeth I's Protestant cause and influenced English intellectuals

Ideas

• Migrants also brought new ideas in science, religion, and education

  • This helped to spread Renaissance and Reformation thinking