1) The document discusses England's trade and migration before 1560, focusing on an investigation of the early 16th century. 2) Wool and woollen cloth dominated England's trade, though other industries employed foreign craftsmen as well, such as Flemish weavers invited in the 14th century. 3) Students research primary sources on taxes levied on foreign migrants from the 15th-16th centuries to understand the main trades and role of migrants, finding textiles dominant but also other crafts like metalworking employing immigrants.

1. The England’s Immigrants Project
Teacher Scholar Scheme 2016
How far was England a nation of traders and
migrants before 1560?
Lesson 1

2. ‘ …there dwell men from most of
the nations of Europe, employed in
various mercantile arts; such
especially as regard the working of
iron and other metals, added to that
they execute with surprising skill the
weaving of woollen cloths and rich
embroidered tapestry.’
Nicander Nicius, commenting on his visit to London in 1545.
Now, and in the past, we live in a nation of
traders and migrants….

3. What is the relationship between trade and migration?
On your mini whiteboards, create a diagram using images or
symbols only which suggests what the relationship might be.

4. Investigation 1: What was the state of
England’s trade in the early 16th
century?
WOOL !

5. Investigation 1: What was the state of
England’s trade in the early 16th
century?
• The wool and woollen cloth industries dominated England’s
trade. They were very important for employment and for
customs revenue.
• In medieval times England was known as a producer of raw wool
but by the 16th
century England had become a major cloth
producer. England produced a rough broadcloth.
• The textile industry was a cottage industry ie women spun the
yarn and men wove the cloth in their homes or small
workshops.
• The main producing areas were East Anglia, Western Yorkshire
and the West Country.

6. Investigation 1: What was the state of
England’s trade in the early 16th
century?
• The Merchant Adventurers, leading merchants based in London,
controlled the sale of woollen cloth.
• Most English wool and woollen cloth was exported to the
Netherlands through the port of Antwerp.
• Woollen cloth exports boomed in the early 16th
century but started
to decline from the 1540s.
• Wool was so important that the Lord Speaker in the House of Lords
still sits on a woolsack.
• Between the 1450s and 1550s exports roughly trebled.

7. Investigation 1: What was the state of
England’s trade in the early 16th
century?
• Read over Worksheet 1A.
• Create a tweet which sums up why the wool
and woollen cloth trade was so important to
England at this time.

8. Investigation 1: What was the state of
England’s trade in the early 16th
century?
The wool and woollen cloth industries led to strong ties with other
countries:
• Many foreign merchants worked in London
• English merchants frequently travelled abroad
• Foreign craftsmen came to England. Flemish weavers had been
invited into England as early as the 14th
century

9. BUT wool is not the whole story...
You are going to conduct your own research into what other trades
and crafts were being pursued in England and the role of foreign
migrants in them.
You will be using a database that has collected together evidence of
‘aliens’ or foreigners living and working in England.

10. Investigation 2: What were the main trades
and the role of migrants in them the early
16th
century?
The database uses these two main kinds of evidence:
• Alien Subsidies (1440-1483) These were taxes imposed on
foreigners living in England in order to raise money or because of
security at a time of international tension. The Tudor subsidy of
1523 also recorded immigrants by levying a double rate of tax for
foreigners.
• Denization roll: These are lists of people who applied for a letter
of denization – a bit like a certificate of citizenship today.

11. Letter of denization issued to Godfrey van Upstall, born in
Brabant in 1393.
What difficulties might there be in
working with documents like this?

12. Investigation 2: What were the main trades
and the role of migrants in them the early
16th
century?
Team 1: Alien subsidy 1483
Team 2: Tudor subsidy 1523
Team 3: Westminster Denization Roll 1545
• Read Worksheet 1B carefully.
• Do all four tasks –divide them between your team.
• Record your key findings on Worksheet 1B.

13. Investigation 2: What were the main trades
and the role of migrants in them the early
16th
century?
• Form into new groups with representatives from the three different
research teams.
• Share your ideas and complete Worksheet 1C- the overview chart.
• Prepare to feedback to the class.

14. Investigation 2: What were the main trades
and the role of migrants in them the early
16th
century?
Summing up
Use this class discussion to fill in section 1 of Worksheet 1D with the
main points.
• While textiles was by far the most important industry, what other
trades and crafts were significant?
• What role was played in these by migrants?
• What was the economic and social status of migrants in England at
this time?

15. Follow up and homework
Investigation 3: How did trade and
migration affect Tudor society?
• Use the further reading provided to find about the so-called
‘Evil May Day Riots’ of 1517.
• Come up with 3-4 suggestions in answer to the question
above using this reading.