UK Editorial
Prior to the First World War, very few Cypriots migrated to the UK
and the British Cypriot population at this time was around 150,
according to historian Stavros Panteli. Only a handful of marriages
involving Cypriots are recorded at London's Greek Orthodox
Cathedral of Saint Sophia in the years before 1918. During the First
World War many Cypriots joined the allied forces. When the British
annexed Cyprus in 1914, Cypriots' political status changed and they
found it easier to travel.
The 1931 British Census recorded more than 1,000 Cypriot-born
people, but many of these were the children of British military
personnel serving in the Mediterranean. However, some Greek
Cypriots did migrate to the UK in the 1920s and 1930s, often finding
jobs in the catering industry in Soho. By the start of the Second World
War, there were around 8,000 Cypriots in London. More Cypriot
immigrants arrived in the UK from 1955 onwards to 1960
approximately 20,000,. Migration peaked following independence in
1960, with around 25,000 Cypriots migrating in the year that
followed. Many migrants joined family already living in Britain. Further
migration accompanied the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974
Home Office figures show that roughly 10,000 Cypriots fled to the
UK, the majority of them refugees, but many of them subsequently
returned to the island.
The increase in post-war rents in central London had forced many
Cypriot immigrants to move north within the city. With them settling
mainly in Camden and then to Haringey. Robert Winder reported that "Haringey became the second biggest Cypriot town in the world".
Many Cypriots set up restaurants, filling a gap left by Italians, many of
whom had been interned during the Second World War. Greek
Cypriots are found in large numbers in the London boroughs of
Enfield, Haringey, Barnet and Hackney and outside of London in
Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol. It is estimated there may be
300,000 Greek Cypriot’s born in Cyprus or of Cypriot Ancestry living
in the UK.
The first generation of Cypriots were involved in the catering trade as
kitchen staff and waiters in the hotels and restaurants by the late 60’s
some realised their dreams and owned restaurants and cafés. Some
were tailors who then became involved in the ladies garment industry
who were followed by their mothers, wives and sister’s who became
machinists. Most of the dress factories in the 60’s and 70’s were
owned by the Greek Cypriots.
Today the second generation through the
hard work of their parents and grandparents
have had the chance to have a further
education and have gone into professions,
medical, teaching, law, accountancy and
media to name a few. We have Greek
Cypriots who have advanced into politics, a
minister, councillor’s. Some who have made it
into the world of music, sport media and the
arts you will read about these people in this
book. We have in the UK three newspapers a
radio station, a cable TV Station, churches in
every major town, a Cypriot football league
consisting of about thirty teams and now
several school age football teams that play in
English leagues.
It’s a future to look forward to...
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