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While some Italian immigrants were wealthy, the vast majority were from poor families in villages in southern Italy. On arrival they settled in many large cities such as Manchester where they lived similar lives to Irish migrants, with whole families working in the textile mills or men employed in road building. Here and in other cities such as Glasgow and London’s ‘Little Italy’, Italians also started up businesses in a new street food - ice cream. Some family businesses did extremely well.

There were also many German immigrants in the 19th century. Many bakeries were German-run and the ‘full English’ breakfast was in fact a German import. Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert was German and close ties between the countries encouraged many Germans to come as students and stay as engineers, designers and businessmen.

Although Italian, German and other European immigrants did experience some hostility, this was far less than that experienced by the Irish or the Lascars.