Hello,
I wanted to share with you the start of Bonnie Greer's foreword to 99 Immigrants Who Made Britain Great. In it, she makes the point that throughout history Britain has experienced waves of immigration. Britain, she writes, is a nation of immigrants.
Thanks for supporting the appeal. It's going well. As I write, we are over 70%, having received several pledges yesterday. There are a few days left. So if you know anyone who might like this project, then please send them this link: https://unbound.com/books/99-immigrants/
Right, over to Bonnie...
Best wishes,
Martin Hickman
Canbury Press
Start of Bonnie Greer's introduction
Over a decade ago now, I was invited to be a panellist on Question Time. Nick Griffin, then leader of the far-right British National Party, was also invited on as a guest. Then as now, the issue of immigration: good or bad, loomed large.
The British National Party claimed to be the party for ‘indigenous Brits.’ ‘Indigenous’ meaning ‘native’ to Britain. But one of the great joys is that your new country, the one that you choose and that in time chooses you, is always unfolding. This unfolding never stops.
This unfolding makes you eager to share with other citizens, pass on the gifts that you discover; those fascinating tidbits of history. And your own insight.
At the time of this particular Question Time, I was a Trustee of the British Museum. So I went to the Prehistory Department to ask about ‘indigenous Brits.’ I was told, by experts, that permafrost covered most of the British Isles, and that Southern Britain was a polar desert. And that the only thing ‘indigenous’ to Britain is oats.
Therefore, everyone, every human being... and animal, too, in the UK is descended from an immigrant. We are all incomers. Either yesterday. Or thousands of years ago.
