Italians of Bedford

This is the story of many men and women who chased the dream of a new life, travelling across a very long road.

This is the story of many men and women who chased the dream of a new life, travelling across a very long road.

During the 50s in Italy, especially the regions of the south did not have easy times; the WWII raised the unemployment level in the all country, causing a tragic economic crisis upon the poorer regions of the south.

The Italian government alarmed by such situation, tried to solve the problem. Many Italians from the hot regions of the south have decided that the best thing to do was to emigrate where they could find what they couldn’t achieve at home,

a job and a house, very elementary humans rights.

Since then the Italian diaspora continued toward the Americas and Nord Europe.

The aim of this story in fact is to portray such people who took part at the huge migration, in this case in England, exactly in Bedford (Bedfordshire).

Not only Italy traversed hard times, in fact also the city of Bedford had serious difficulties regarding the shortage of labor workers.

The Bedfordshire has been very famous for its industrial area, precisely for its brick factories that are said have reconstructed the whole London after the heavy WWII bombings. In fact, many people avoided these jobs in the brick factories, as it was extremely hard and tiring, this situation caused an urgent need of labor.

In order to solve this crisis, the British government within the accord of the Italian government, sent in Italy the representatives of Bedford’s brick companies to recruit about 800 young and robust men from the south regions of Sicily and Campania, giving them a 4 year contract in Bedford’s brick factories.

Bedford’s Italian community is now fully integrated with British culture, and with its 3 generations, has now more then 20.000 Italians, a number that is now sadly reducing.

I was honored to tell the stories of these Italians, who travelled along an extremely hard road, chasing their dreams and aspirations, always bringing fundamental values such Family and Respect.