Becoming English in the Workplace

Upon arrival in Britain, many Jews entered a relatively narrow range of jobs, including the garment trade or boot and shoe industries, in which nearly 40 per cent of Jewish immigrants had worked before emigrating. ¹ Records from the JBG, the press and parliamentary investigations offer a picture of women’s changing experience in the labour market. Over time, Jewish women experienced improved working conditions and entered a wider range of occupations. Especially as women found employment beyond the East End, work contributed to their acculturation through new friendships, increased access to the consumer market and greater self-sufficiency.