The History of Chinese Communities in London

Limehouse Chinatown

After the British took over Hong Kong, a growing number of Chinese people from the British-run areas made their way to London, expanding the Limehouse Chinatown to become a vibrant part of the city.

London's Chinese and The Second World War

The bombing of London's East End in the Second World War, however, caused so much damage to this East End based community that it moved to central London, to the area south of Soho we now know as London's Chinatown.

During the war up to 10,000 Chinese sailors served in the British Merchant Navy, and once the war was over, these war veterans gravitated to London especially into the catering and laundry industries.

At the same time, British soldiers and sailors returning to London from war in the Far East, had developed a taste for Chinese food, so the restaurant sector boomed and our present-day Chinatown was established as a central part of London life.

London's Chinese History: The 60s

In the 1960s the Chinese community was swelled by a further wave of migration – primarily from British-run Hong Kong – adding to Chinatown's restaurants and businesses and expanding to new areas, such as Bayswater.

London's Chinese Community: Recently

Most recently the huge growth of the Chinese economy has led to large numbers of students from mainland China coming to London to study, as well as a rapidly increasing  presence of major Chinese businesses and business people whose companies are seeking to expand through offices or European headquarters in London. 

The Chinese community is one of the most rapidly growing in London and this is expected to continue in the coming decades. Chinese food, culture, art and lifestyles are enjoying a real boom in London as a result.

London's Chinese History: Did You Know? 

• According to legend, Chinese New Year celebrations involve fireworks and the use of the colour red in order to scare away the mythical monster Nian, who is scared of both.
• The Chinese serve noodles on birthdays, new year and other special occasions. They're served uncut because long noodles symbolise long life.
• It has been reported that some of the world's biggest multinationals and businesses – including Coca Cola, Proctor & Gamble, Hewlett-Packard and Ford Motors – make use of feng shui, the ancient Chinese practice of organising space in order to achieve harmony with the environment.
• The London Chinese Community Centre, located in the heart of Chinatown, offers classes in Cantonese Opera Singing.
  2nd Floor, 28-29 Gerrard Street, W1 Tel: +44 (0)20 7439 3822

Chinese Directory

• The London Chinatown Chinese Association website
• Chinatown Online - full of useful information
• chinese-network.net - building relationships with the community & the outside world 
• Chinese Community Centre - the site for the Chinese Community Centre in Gerrard Street