Departures podcast episodes 7&9: 400 years of emigration from Britain
The third and final set of audio recordings from the Migration Museum to complement their resource pack Departures - understanding emigration for GCSE.
Episode 7 - The left behind wives of Cornwall
As the once-thriving mining industry in 19th-century Cornwall went into decline, thousands of men left each year to find better paid jobs abroad.
Mukti Jain Campion speaks to Dr Lesley Trotter, author of The Married Widows of Cornwall, to find out how these 'left behind' wives survived and why their stories are so important to understand the full story of migration. Amanda Drake also shares a poignant letter sent by her 19th-century ancestor which gives a glimpse of the heartbreak and struggle that many such wives had to endure.
Episode 8 - Deported children
This episode contains personal accounts that may be unsuitable for GCSE students, so it isn't included here. However, it can be downloaded from the Migration Museum audio outputs page.
Episode 9 - Brits abroad today
Britain continues to be a major source of emigrants in the 21st century – not something we often hear about. So why do people leave the UK now and which countries do they choose to settle in? And how is emigration today affected by Britain’s colonial past?
Mukti Jain Campion talks to sociologist Professor Michaela Benson of Lancaster University, who studies modern British emigration, and hears from a range of British people currently living abroad.
You can find more resources on migration, identity and belonging with Lesson Up, five free interactive lessons from the Migration Museum.
