The History of Eastern European Settlement in London

London Becomes Poland's War Headquarters

In 1940, the exiled Polish president, prime minister and government – as well as more than 20,000 servicemen and women – transferred their operations to the city. It then became the headquarters of the government and military. 

The role of Polish airmen in the Battle of Britain is legendary and the beautiful Polish War Memorial at Northolt (A40 at the junction with A4180), where many of them were based, commemorates these and many other Poles who gave their lives in the war.

Post-War Polish London

After World War Two, many of these ex-service personnel stayed in London and set up home here, joined by others after the war. 

The communities in London settled in the west of the city (Hammersmith, Wandsworth, Westminster, Kensington, Ealing, Brent and Barnet) with Hammersmith, Ealing and Kensington retaining the most distinctive Polish flavour today.

Modern Polish Settlers in London

The 1980s saw a new wave of Polish people moving to London, during the unsettled period of transition and change in Eastern Europe. Many of this generation became entrepreneurs setting up new restaurants and shops as well as importing Polish goods from home.

Hungarian London

Of course, Poland was not the only East European country to experience upheaval during and after the Second World War. The events in Hungary in 1956 saw over 12,000 refugees from that country come to London to make the city their home.

Hungarians came to this country throughout the 20th century, mainly to escape oppressive regimes back home. While not settling in great numbers, Hungarian people have left an indelible and fascinating mark on the cultural landscape of the capital.

• Food expert Egon Ronay arrived in the UK after fleeing Hungary in 1956 and has gone on to become one of the country's most respected food writers. 
• Musician Béla Bartók has a statue outside South Kensington Tube station celebrating his long association with the city.
• Erno Goldfinger, designer of the Grade II listed Trellick Tower in Notting Hill, lived at 1-3 Willow Road in Hampstead (now a National Trust property open to the public). His neighbour, James Bond author Ian Fleming, disliked the design of Willow Road so much, he named one of his most famous villains after the architect. So movie history was made.
• Another maker of movie history is Hungarian-born Sir Alexander Korda, who was Britain's biggest movie mogul in the 1920s and 1930s.

There's really only one place to eat Hungarian in London and that's the Gay Hussar. An old-school restaurant, it never fails to deliver on taste and service.

The Hungarian Cultural Centre has a great programme of music, with a focus on young talent. It runs a film club alongside many other cultural events and is the perfect one-stop info spot for a taste of Hungarian culture.

Eastern European London: Did You Know?

• The London-based Polish government-in-exile was not dissolved until 1991, when Poland voted for its first freely elected president in over 50 years
• Polish airmen made up 303 Squadron of the RAF in World War II and were collectively responsible for the greatest tally of enemy planes downed during the Battle of Britain in 1940