Englishness and Empire 1939-1965

264 Pages·2005·1.107 MB·English

by  Wendy Webster

ENGLISHNESS AND EMPIRE 1939–1965
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Englishness
and Empire
1939–1965
WENDY WEBSTER
1
3
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Acknowledgements
This study owes a great debt to the Arts and Humanities Research Board.
Their Research Leave award in 2001–2 enabled me to undertake much of
the work on which the book is based. My involvement with this research
dates back to 2000, and some of the material in the book was originally
published elsewhere. Material in Chapters 5 and 6 appeared in an essay
‘‘‘There’ll Always Be an England’’: Representations of Colonial Wars and
Immigration, 1948–1968’, Journal of British Studies, 40 (October 2001),
557–84. Material in Chapter 3 appeared in an essay ‘Reconstructing
Boundaries: Gender, War and Empire in British Cinema, 1945–50’, His-
torical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, 23 (March 2003), 43–57.
Material in Chapters 3 and 5 appeared in an essay ‘Domesticating the
Frontier: Gender, Empire and Adventure Landscapes in British Cinema,
1945–59’, Genderand History, 15 (April 2003), 85–107.
In writing this book, I have incurred two further large debts. The book
beganwhenIreadBillSchwarz’smemorablecommentontheconventional
historiography of decolonization—that it presented a ‘stunning lack of
curiosity’ about its impact on the metropolis. I am heavily indebted not
only to Bill’s work on the end of empire, but also to the support and
encouragement he has given throughout the writing of the book, and his
invaluable comments. My second great debt is to Mike Paris, who gener-
ously shared his vast knowledge of film, loaned me countless videos, and
read several chapters in draft. Without his encouragement I would never
have embarked on this project.
I have benefited from a number of Conferences—at the Universities of
Calgary, Central Lancashire, Glamorgan, London, Leipzig, Manchester,
Melbourne, Rouen, and Toronto. I would like to thank the British Acad-
emy for funding my attendances at Calgary and Melbourne, and all those
whoorganizedtheseConferences,especiallyHarrietJonesforalltheannual
eventsattheInstituteofContemporaryBritishHistory.Peoplefromwhose
ideas and comments Iparticularly benefited include Alison Blunt, Barbara
Bush, Kathy Castle, Shani d’Cruze, Peter Hansen, Clare Midgley, Katy
Pickles, John Ramsden, Myra Rutherbridge, and Stuart Ward. I am espe-
cially grateful to Stuart Ward, who, despite the demands of a new job in
Copenhagen, read chapters in draft.
The Department of Historical and Critical Studies at the University of
Central Lancashire was a very good place to be while researching and
writing the book. Its ethos of generosity and co-operation owed a great
viii Acknowledgements
deal to Joe Pope, Head of Department until his retirement in 2003. I am
indebtedtoJoe’sencouragementofallresearchactivity,includingmyown.
Like Joe, my colleagues in history made their combination of generosity,
wisdom, and wit seem effortless.
Finally,Ihavetothankmyfamilyfortheirforbearanceduringmymany
mental absences from contemporary life—often quite prolonged. Rick
watched many films on empire and the Second World War without com-
plaining. Anna, glazing over whenever the word ‘empire’ was mentioned,
helped me to keep things in some perspective. This book is for her.
Contents
1. Introduction 1
2. The People’s Empire and the People’s War 19
3. The Post-War People’s Empire 55
4. Coronation Britain 92
5. Colonial Wars 119
6. Immigration 149
7. Elegies for Empire: The Romance of Manliness 182
Epilogue 218
Bibliography 223
Index 245