Religion, Culture, and Biology: English Muslim Workers, 1962–85

Fazakarley, Jed

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-53792-4_4

Jed Fazakarley⁵

Part of the book series: Palgrave Politics of Identity and Citizenship Series ((CAL))

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Abstract

Despite the centrality of employment as a “pull” factor for Muslim immigrants to post-war Britain the history of British Muslims at work has been little considered. This is not to say that such workers have been ignored entirely. Rather it has been presumed that they were identified and understood as “Blacks”, Asians, or members of national groupings, and not on the basis of their faith. In particular, a body of writing has grown up around so-called “black” or “ethnic” strikes.

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Notes

1.
Ron Ramdin, The Making of the Black Working Class in Britain (Aldershot: Gower, 1987), 269–322; Ambalavaner Sivanandan, “From Resistance to Rebellion: Asian and Afro-Caribbean Struggles in Britain”, Race and Class 23: 111 (1981), 111–52.
2.
Pratibha Parmar, “Gender, Race and Class: Asian Women in Resistance” in CCCS ed. Empire Strikes Back, 261–9; Mahamdallie, “Muslim Working Class Struggles”.
3.
John Wrench and Satnam Virdee, Organising the Unorganised: ‘Race’, Poor Work and Trade Unions (Coventry: Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations, June 1995).
4.
Jack McGowan, “‘Dispute’, ‘Battle’, ‘Siege’, ‘Farce’? – Grunwick 30 Years on”, Contemporary British History 22: 3 (2008), 383–406.
5.
Stuart Bentley, “Industrial Conflict, Strikes and Black Workers: Problems of Research Methodology”, New Community 5 (1976), 131–2.
6.
WYASB, Town Clerk’s papers, BBD 1/7/T9644, “…Report…by the Medical Officer of Health…” 1962, and Butterworth, “Area Reports…”, January 1966.
7.
Martin Barker, The New Racism: Conservatives and the Ideology of the Tribe (London: Junction Books, 1981).
8.
John Solomos and Les Back, Racism and Society (Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1996), 27.
9.
Tariq Modood, Multicultural Politics: Racism, Ethnicity, and Muslims in Britain (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2005), 7.
10.
Caroline Adams, Across Seven Seas and Thirteen Rivers: the Life Stories of Pioneer Sylheti Settlers in Britain (London: THAP Books, 1987), 22.
11.
MRC, TUC papers, MSS.292B/805.94/3, South East [transcript], 26/2/64.
12.
Peter L. Wright, The Coloured Worker in British Industry: with Special Reference to the Midlands and North of England (London: Institute of Race Relations, 1968), 116–7.
13.
WYASB, YCCR papers, 49D79/2/3/5,HCSS, “Commonwealth Immigrants in Halifax”, 7/63.
14.
BLSL, BHRU interviews, A0007.
15.
Ibid. , A0008.
16.
MRC, TUC papers, MSS.292B/805.94/5, CIAC, “Minutes…on 20th March, 1964”.
17.
Wright, Coloured Worker, 96–118.
18.
BLSL, BHRU interviews, A0112.
19.
Wright, Coloured Worker, 110.
20.
MRC, TUC papers, M55.292B/805.91/1, TUC General Council, “Memorandum Submitted to CIAC…”, 1962/3.
21.
WYASB, YCCR papers, 49D79/1/3/3, YCSS, “…Immigrant in the Urban Environment…”, 11/65.
22.
MRC, TUC papers, M55.292B/805.9/5, “Extract from Speech…”, 27/4/68.
23.
Ibid. , TUC, M55.292B/805.9/9, “Recommendations Relating to Training…”, 1969.
24.
Ibid. , M55.292B/805.9/10, TUC, “Consultations on Select Committee Report…”, 2/1/70; and Ibid. , M55.292B/805.91/3, MSCEDCFSI, “Commonwealth Immigrants”, 1968.
25.
Ibid. , M55.292B/805.91/3, DEP, “Race Relations Memorandum No. 3…”, [1970].
26.
Ibid. , MSS.292D/805.9/7, TUC, “The Trade Unions and Race Relations: the Language Barrier in Employment”, 16/11/76.
27.
Ibid. , MSS.292D/805.9/6, TUC, “Trade Unions and Race Relations”, [1976].
28.
Ibid. , TUC, “Draft”, 8/76.
29.
Edson and Burgin, Spring Grove, 48, 66.
30.
WYASB, YCCR papers, 49D79/2/3/5, HILC, “1st Annual Report, 1967–8”.
31.
BLSL, BHRU interviews, A0112.
32.
WYASB, YCCR papers, 49D79/1/2/9 MoL, “Commonwealth Immigrants…Cultural and National Characteristics…”, 1964.
33.
Tinker, Banyan Tree, 177.
34.
BLSL, BHRU interviews, A0044.
35.
Peter Jackson, “The Racialization of Labour in Post-War Britain”, Journal of Historical Geography 18: 2 (April, 1992), 202.
36.
BLSL, BHRU interviews, A0033.
37.
Jackson, “Racialization of Labour”, 202.
38.
BLSL, BHRU interviews, A0012.
39.
Ibid. , A0033.
40.
Badr Dahya, “Pakistanis in England”, New Community 2 (1972–3), 28.
41.
Wright, Coloured Worker, 102–3.
42.
Ibid. , 174.
43.
WYASB, YCCR papers, 49D79/2/3/5, Halifax CSS, “Commonwealth Immigrants…”, 7/63.
44.
MRC, TUC papers, M55.292B/805.9/10, TUC International Department to Lord Cooper, 20/7/70.
45.
Wright, Coloured Worker, 157.
46.
Ibid. , 138.
47.
Desai, Indian Immigrants, 81–2.
48.
Roger Ballard, “Migration and Kinship: the Differential Effect of Marriage Rules on the Process of Punjabi Migration in Britain” in Clarke, Vertovec, and Peach eds., South Asian Overseas, 237.
49.
MRC, TUC papers, MSS.292D/805.91/3, Sheffield & District Trades Council to TUC, 29/5/74.
50.
CRE Employment Report 1:3 (July 1979).
51.
WYASB, YCCR papers, 49D79/1/2/9, MoL, “Commonwealth Immigrants…”, 1964, 9.
52.
Ibid. , 10.
53.
WYASB, YCCR papers, 49D79/2/3/5, NCCI, “Racial Equality in Employment:..”, 2/67.
54.
SCCR, Harmony 2 (December, 1968).
55.
MRC, TUC papers, M55.292B/805.91/3, DEP, “Race Relations Memorandum No. 5”, 9/11/70.
56.
MRC, TUC papers, M55.292B/805.91/3, Hargreaves to Feather, 18/5/70.
57.
Ibid. , MSS.292D/805.9/7, UMO, “Memorandum to British Muslims…”, 8/1/76.
58.
Guardian, 23/3/77.
59.
MRC, TUC papers, MSS.292D/805.9/9, DEAGRR, “Minutes of a Meeting…Tuesday, 14 February 1978…”.
60.
Ibid. , UMO, “Guidelines for Employers…”, [1978].
61.
Ibid. , DEAGRR, “Religious Observance by Muslim Employees”, 1/78.
62.
Ibid. , MSS.292D/805.9/9, DE AGRR, “Minutes of a Meeting…on Tuesday, 14 February 1978…”.
63.
Ibid. , CRE, “Religious Observation…”, 10/78.
64.
Ibid. , Muhammad Khalid, “Religious Observation…Response by Muslim Organizations”, 10/78.
65.
Ibid. , MSS.292D/805.91/6, Pasha to Murray, 30/7/79.
66.
Ibid. , MSS.292D/805.9/11, DEAGRR, “Minutes…on Tuesday 31 October 1978”.
67.
Ibid. , MSS.292D/805.9/12, Monks to Sengupta, 2/4/79.
68.
Ibid. , MSS.292D/805.9/14, Douglas to TUC, 26/3/80.
69.
Ibid. , Monks to Douglas, 3/4/80.
70.
MRC, TUC papers, MSS.292D/805.9/9, DEAGRR, “Religious Observance…”, 3/83; DEAGRR, “Minutes…Thursday 21 April 1983…”.
71.
Ibid. , DEAGRR, “Religious Observance…”, 3/83.
72.
Ibid. , DOERRAG, “Minutes of a Meeting…Thursday 21 April 1983…”.
73.
WYASB, YCCR papers, 49D79/2/3/5, HCSS, “Commonwealth Immigrants…”, [1963].
74.
Guardian, 6/3/65.
75.
TNA, HO papers, HO 376/176, “Background Notes”, [1967].
76.
Guardian, 6/3/65.
77.
WYASB, YCCR papers, 49D79/2/3/5, Treacy to Rahman, 11/4/67.
78.
Guardian, 27/11/67.
79.
TNA, HO papers, HO 376/176, “Background Notes”, [1967].
80.
WYASB, YCCR papers, 49D79/2/2/11, J.O.F. Hewlett to Clarke, 26/4/67.
81.
KLSL, KCRC papers, BK61/4: KIFC, “Annual Report”, 6/68.
82.
Harmony 2 (December, 1968).
83.
Guardian, 24/2/70.
84.
Ibid. , M55.292B/805.91/3, TUC International Committee, “Extract…Religious Observances of Immigrants”, 19/5/70.
85.
Ibid. , DEP, “Race Relations Memorandum No. 5…”, 9/11/70.
86.
Ibid. , M55.292B/805.9/10, CBI, “Race Relations Act, 1968…”, 1970.
87.
Ibid. , MSS.292D/805.9/2, TUC to unions, 4/11/71.
88.
Ibid. , TUC, “Dating of Moslem Festivals”, 4/11/71.
89.
Ibid. , CRC, “Dating of Moslem Festivals”, [1971].
90.
Guardian, 3/2/73.
91.
Ibid.
92.
MRC, TUC papers, MSS.292D/805.9/7, UMO, “Memorandum to British Muslims…”, 8/1/76.
93.
Ibid. , MSS.292D/805.91/5, Jean F. Hartley, “Case Study No. 13”, [1978].
94.
Ibid. , J.D. Roberts, “Case Study No. 14”, [1978].
95.
Ibid. , MSS.292D/805.9/9, DEAGRR, “Religious Observance…”, 1/78.
96.
TUC papers, MSS.292D/805.9/13, ICC circular, 27/7/79.
97.
CRE Employment Report 1:3 (July 1979).
98.
Lorimer, Science, Race Relations, 29.
99.
Royal Commission on Population, Report (London: HMSO, 1949), 124.
100.
Miles, “Nationality, Citizenship”, 433–7.
101.
BLSL, BHRU interviews, A0054.
102.
Ibid. , A00117.
103.
WYASB, TC’s papers, BBD 1/7/T964, Clerk to J.C. Swaffield, 12/2/63.
104.
Guardian, 9/6/65.
105.
Guardian, 13/9/69.
106.
Wright, Coloured Worker, 175.
107.
B.G. Cohen and P.J. Jenner, “The Employment of Immigrants: a Case Study within the Wool Industry”, Race 10: 1 (1968), 55–6.
108.
Wright, Coloured Worker, 176.
109.
Ibid. , 162–7.
110.
Anwar, Myth of Return, 114.
111.
BLSL, BHRU interviews, A0054.
112.
MRC, TUC papers, MSS.292D/805.9/9, UMO, “Guidelines for Employers”, [1978].
113.
Ibid. , M55.292B/805.91/3, TUC, “Proposed Pamphlet on Immigrant Workers…”, 9/6/70.
114.
Ibid. , MSS.292D/805.9/12, DEAGRR, “Catering Arrangements for Ethnic Minorities”, 2/79.
115.
For example, Ibid. , MSS.292B/805.94/1, County Councils Association(CCA), “CIAC: Questionnaire”, 7/11/62, and Ibid. , Mayor of Smethwick to Smethwick Trades Council, MSS.292B/805.94/6, 9/5/63.
116.
Butterworth, “Aspects of Race Relations”, 140.
117.
TNA, HO papers, HO 376/17, NMB, “Submission…Racial Integration…”, 8/1/68; J.T.A Howard Drake to WJ Madigan, 17/1/68.
118.
WYASB, YCCR papers, 49D79/2/3/5, HCSS, “Commonwealth Immigrants”, 6/63.
119.
MRC, TUC papers, MSS.292B/805.94/5, CIAC, “Minutes…on 20th March, 1964”.
120.
Edson and Burgin, Spring Grove, 20–1.
121.
WYASB, YCCR papers, 49D79/2/3/5, HCSS, “Commonwealth Immigrants…”, 7/63.
122.
SCCR, Harmony 2 (December, 1968); GMCRO, MCCR papers, GB127.M184, “Minutes…on Tuesday, December 9th [1968]”.
123.
MRC, TUC papers, M55.292B/805.91/3, DEP, “Race Relations Memorandum No. 5…”, 9/11/70, 3.
124.
Ibid. , MSS.292D/805.9/7, UMO, “Memorandum to British Muslims…”, 8/1/76.
125.
Ibid. , MSS.292D/805.9/9, UMO, “Guidelines for Employers…”, [1978].
126.
Ibid. , DEAGRR, “Religious Observance by Muslim Employees”, 1/78.
127.
Ibid. , CRE, “Religious Observation by Muslim Employees”, 10/78.
128.
Ibid. , MSS.292D/805.91/5, Jean F. Hartley, “Case Study No. 13…”, [1978].
129.
Ibid. , JD Roberts, “Case Study No. 14…”, [1978].
130.
Virinder S. Kalra, From Textile Mills to Taxi Ranks: Experience of Migration, Labour, and Social Change (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2000), 120.
131.
Gurharpal Singh and Darshan Singh Tatla, Sikhs in Britain: the Making of a Community (London: Zed, 2006), 125–37.
132.
Feldman, “Why the English Like Turbans”, 290–1.

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Hertford College, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
Jed Fazakarley

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Fazakarley, J. (2017). Religion, Culture, and Biology: English Muslim Workers, 1962–85. In: Muslim Communities in England 1962-90. Palgrave Politics of Identity and Citizenship Series. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53792-4_4

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53792-4_4
Published: 18 April 2017
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
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