1820
St. Katharine's Dock social make-up was rewritten. An entire community is displaced, as eleven thousand people, their church and hospital are moved on to make way for ship trade, as boatloads of ivory arrived from Africa.
1840
The Irish famine tragedy leads to mass emigration out of Ireland, and while the largest number fled to the United States, Britain, in particular the impoverished East End of London, was the second preferred destination.
1846-50s
Outbreaks against the incoming Irish population begin and take the form of religious disputes. Rising anti-Catholic sentiments coupled with economic pressures and social factors form a simmering mix of mistrust. The restoration of a Catholic hierarchy further fuels religious antagonism. Brawls, attacks on shops and property, psychological intimidation, verbal abuse and routine daily discrimination were the ways in which the British vented their anger at the Irish.
1870
The philanthropist Dr Barnardo sets up his first refuge for homeless boys in Stepney.
1880
The composition of London's Jewish community changes dramatically as progroms and anti-Semitism in Russia (pogroms) encourages a steady flow of Jews to seek refuge in the West.
1888
Match girls strike in Bow, Jack the Ripper murders occur in Whitechapel. The first Salvation Army hostel opens in a converted warehouse by the West India Docks.
Problems associated with Jewish immigration problem first come to the surface. Political agitators were already spouting inflammatory rhetoric in some areas, playing on the fears and prejudices of the local slum dwellers in white working class neighbourhoods. Local unemployment and housing shortages in housing were good causes of resentment to be played upon, in a similar way to current BNP campaigns.
The East End News of February 21st 1988 has this to say about the situation: 'I object to England with its overcrowded population, being made a human ashpit for the refuse population of the world'.
The Times quoted imperialist Arnold White: "Will you permit me to fire a parting shot at the pauper foreigner? He is successfully colonising Great Britain under the nose of H.M. Government". (Times 13 July 1887)
As the East End hosts successive refugee communities, from Jews to Bangladeshis to Asylum Seekers from many backgrounds of today, each new generation bears the brunt of hostility snd discrimination from more settled communities.
1889
Dockers strike, machinists and pressers stage a successful strike to improve hours and pay.
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