Catch up TV
Series 1: The First Black Brummies
Poet Sue Brown looks at what life was like in the postwar years for Birmingham’s Caribbean community. Sue, whose parents came to Britain in the 50s from Jamaica, meets people who remember and experienced the hostile environment that faced many of the early migrants. She explores her home city to discover the cultural significance of local black churches, music and the rise of Rastafarianism. She also meets legendary singer Jimmy Cliff to discuss his hit song Many Rivers to Cross. Cliff and others have written about the challenges faced by many early ‘settlers’. Sue recalls how migration literally divided families, including her own, and meant people lived thousands of miles apart.
Source: BBC 4
Most recent episodes of A Very British History
A Very British History
Series 2: The British Chinese
British-born Chinese vlogger Shu Lin explores the history of the Chinese community in the UK from the 1950s through to the present day. With film and TV archive, and first-hand ...
13-12-2022
BBC 4
A Very British History
Series 1: Romany Gypsies
Welcome to Gypsy Land! writer, Damian Le Bas, invites us to join him as he explores a pivotal decade in the lives of Romany people. In the 1960s many were forced to abandon thei ...
08-11-2022
BBC 4
A Very British History
Series 1: Ugandan Asians
Food writer Meera Sodha tells the story of the 1972 refugee crisis, when thousands of Asian people arrived in Britain after being expelled from Uganda by dictator Idi Amin. Meer ...
07-11-2022
BBC 4
A Very British History
Series 1: The Jews Of Leeds
Film-maker Simon Glass explores his family history and tells the story of the Yorkshire Jews in the early 20th century. Thousands of migrants arrived by boat on the east coast o ...
06-11-2022
BBC 4
A Very British History
Series 2: Whatever Happened To The Boat People?
Therapist Rachel Nguyen tells the story of the Vietnamese Boat People who came to Britain in the 70s and 80s. British-born Rachel, whose parents fled post-war Vietnam, discovers ...
12-09-2022
BBC 4
A Very British History
Series 2: British Bangladeshis
Dr Aminul Hoque tells the story of the thousands of Bangladeshi families who settled in the UK in the 1970s and 1980s. Their arrival brought new foods, traditions, and workers f ...
05-09-2022
BBC 4
A Very British History
Series 1: The First Black Brummies
Poet Sue Brown looks at what life was like in the postwar years for Birmingham’s Caribbean community. Sue, whose parents came to Britain in the 50s from Jamaica, meets peo ...
02-08-2022
BBC 4
A Very British History
Series 2: Birmingham Irish I Am
Musician Angela Moran, whose grandparents were amongst thousands of Irish to move to Britain’s second city in the 1950s, tells the story of the Birmingham Irish through th ...
12-07-2022
BBC 4
Most popular episodes of A Very British History
A Very British History
Series 2: Whatever Happened To The Boat People?
Therapist Rachel Nguyen tells the story of the Vietnamese Boat People who came to Britain in the 70s and 80s. British-born Rachel, whose parents fled post-war Vietnam, discovers ...
12-09-2022
BBC 4
A Very British History
Series 2: Birmingham Irish I Am
Musician Angela Moran, whose grandparents were amongst thousands of Irish to move to Britain’s second city in the 1950s, tells the story of the Birmingham Irish through th ...
12-07-2022
BBC 4
A Very British History
Series 2: The British Chinese
British-born Chinese vlogger Shu Lin explores the history of the Chinese community in the UK from the 1950s through to the present day. With film and TV archive, and first-hand ...
13-12-2022
BBC 4
A Very British History
Series 1: Ugandan Asians
Food writer Meera Sodha tells the story of the 1972 refugee crisis, when thousands of Asian people arrived in Britain after being expelled from Uganda by dictator Idi Amin. Meer ...
07-11-2022
BBC 4
A Very British History
Series 1: Romany Gypsies
Welcome to Gypsy Land! writer, Damian Le Bas, invites us to join him as he explores a pivotal decade in the lives of Romany people. In the 1960s many were forced to abandon thei ...
08-11-2022
BBC 4
A Very British History
Series 2: British Bangladeshis
Dr Aminul Hoque tells the story of the thousands of Bangladeshi families who settled in the UK in the 1970s and 1980s. Their arrival brought new foods, traditions, and workers f ...
05-09-2022
BBC 4
A Very British History
Series 1: The Jews Of Leeds
Film-maker Simon Glass explores his family history and tells the story of the Yorkshire Jews in the early 20th century. Thousands of migrants arrived by boat on the east coast o ...
06-11-2022
BBC 4
A Very British History
Series 1: The First Black Brummies
Poet Sue Brown looks at what life was like in the postwar years for Birmingham’s Caribbean community. Sue, whose parents came to Britain in the 50s from Jamaica, meets peo ...
02-08-2022
BBC 4