Notting Hill After the Second World War (Edexcel GCSE History) : Revision Note

Why did Caribbean migrants settle in Notting Hill after the Second World War? - Summary

After the Second World War, Notting Hill in West London became an area where many Caribbean migrants settled. The area had a mix of housing, but much of it was overcrowded and in poor condition due to wartime damage. Some landlords, like Peter Rachman, exploited migrants by renting out unsafe and expensive rooms in large houses that had been split into multiple bedsits. In response to the housing crisis, Bruce Kenrick helped set up the Notting Hill Housing Trust in 1963 to improve living conditions for migrant families.

Migrants were attracted to Notting Hill because of its affordable housing, its location near Paddington Station, and the presence of other Caribbean people who made the area feel more welcoming. Unlike other parts of London, some landlords in Notting Hill were willing to rent to Black migrants. Local spaces like Portobello Road Market gave migrants opportunities to trade, shop, and connect with others. These factors made Notting Hill an important centre for Caribbean life in post-war Britain.

Where is Notting Hill?

• Notting Hill is a district in West London, in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea

• It is:

  • North of Kensington

  • West of Paddington

  • South of Queen’s Park

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A map of where Notting Hill is located

Housing in the Notting Hill area

• After the Second World War, many homes in Notting Hill were in poor condition due to:

  • War damage

  • Housing shortages

• Landlords divided large houses into multiple bedsits or flats and rented out to multiple tenants

  • This is known as Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs)

  • HMOs often shared a kitchen and a bathroom between multiple tenants

  • The government placed no rent controls on HMOs

    • As a result, landlords could charge tenants whatever they wanted to

Peter Rachman

• Peter Rachman is the most famous example of a slum landlord in post-war Notting Hill

• He owned over 80 properties

• Rachman’s tactics included:

  • Evicting white tenants and replacing them with newly arrived Caribbean migrants

    • Migrants were often unfamiliar with their rights whereas white tenants had more housing rights

  • Charging extremely high rents for poor-quality, unsafe accommodation

    • Rachman's housing often had no heating, electricity, or proper sanitation

  • Dividing large houses into many cramped rooms or bedsits

  • Threatening or intimidating tenants who complained, sometimes using violence or illegal evictions

• These tactics made Rachman very rich

Bruce Kenrick & the Notting Hill Housing Trust

• In 1963, Bruce Kenrick, a Christian minister, helped set up the Notting Hill Housing Trust

• This group aimed to:

  • Buy and renovate houses to make them safe and affordable

  • Provide decent housing for working-class people and migrants

• By 1970, the Notting Hill Housing Trust housed nearly 1,000 people

• Kenrick later helped set up the charity Shelter in 1966, to campaign against homelessness

Portobello Road Market

• Portobello Road Market is one of London’s most famous street markets, running through the heart of Notting Hill

• After the war, it became a popular place for local working-class communities, including new migrant families

• The market sold:

  • Caribbean food such as yams, breadfruit, sweet potatoes and dasheen

  • Second-hand goods

  • Clothing

  • Antiques

• It became a central meeting place for many Caribbean migrants, helping them settle and connect with the local community

Why did Caribbean migrants go to Notting Hill?

• Notting Hill attracted Caribbean migrants because:

  • Cheap (though poor quality) housing was available

  • Unlike other parts of London, some landlords in Notting Hill were willing to rent to Black migrants

  • Existing Caribbean communities made it feel more welcoming

  • It was close to transport links and offered access to jobs in central London

    • Paddington Station, where the Caribbean migrants arrived, was very close by

  • Portobello Road Market and nearby areas offered opportunities to find work or trade goods