Skip to Main Content

100 Immigrants Who Made Britain Great

Inspiring Stories of Talented People

Foreword by Bonnie Greer / Illustrated by Naomi Kenyon
Published by Canbury Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

Beautifully-illustrated and written, this lively, engaging book celebrates the lives of talented individuals who came to the UK and built a sparkling new life here.

From Hans Holbein to Marie Tussaud, Mary Seacole to Mo Farah, find out the real stories of people recognizable to children and adults alike, and other quieter individuals, who have shaped our lives from business to food to medicine.

Discover how:
• Refugee Michael Marks founded Marks & Spencer
• Banker Charles Yerkes built the London Underground
• Scientist Ernst Chain developed life-saving penicillin
• Activist Claudia Jones launched the Notting Hill Carnival

Each individual is celebrated with an original illustration and a short biography. Many showed grit to make their mark on Britain after fleeing persecution or war abroad. All achieved their success through talent and hard work.

100 Immigrants Who Made Britain Great is a stirring gift for any teenager curious about how modern Britain came into being.

Many of them arrived in Britain penniless, knowing little or no English. They succeeded through their hard work and ingenuity – and their legacies shape society. Without Michael Marks, we wouldn’t have Marks & Spencer. Without Stelios Haji-Ioannou, holidaymakers would not have jetted abroad on easyJet. Without Ludwig Guttmann, there would be no Paralympics.

Without so many others featured in this book, the United Kingdom would be drastically different and immeasurably poorer.

Each entry contains an original illustration and a profile of each individual and their incredible achievements.

This book is an ideal accompaniment to Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, 100 Great Black Britons and Amazing Muslims Who Changed the World. Tying in with Black History Month, this book is a great source of inspiring stories around immigration all year round.

Here are the inspirational individuals featured in 100 Immigrants Who Made Britain Great:
Ade Adepitan, athlete and TV presenter
Alan Yau, restaurateur
Alec Issigonis, car designer
Alek Wek, model
Alf Dubs, politician
András Schiff, pianist and conductor
Anish Kapoor, sculptor
Anna Freud, psychoanalyst
Arthur Wharton, footballer
Barbara Cooper, RAF officer
Bernard Katz, physician
Bushra Nasir, headteacher
Carlos Acosta, ballet dancer
Caroline Herschel, astronomer
Charles Kao, physicist and engineer
Charles Yerkes, financier
Charlotte Auerbach, geneticist
Claudia Jones, journalist and activist
Claus Moser, statistician
Connie Mark, campaigner
Deborah Doniach, immunologist
Dennis Gabor, physicist and engineer
Dietrich Küchemann, engineer
Doreen Lawrence, campaigner
Edith Bülbring, scientist
Emma Orczy, novelist and playwright
Erich Reich, entrepreneur
Ernst Chain, scientist
Ernst Gombrich, author
Eugène Rimmel, perfumer
Fanny Eaton, model
Freddie Mercury, pop singer
George Frideric Handel, composer
George Weidenfeld, publisher
Gina Miller, entrepreneur and activist
Graeme Hick, cricketer
Hans Holbein, painter
Hans Krebs, scientist
Harry Gordon Selfridge, retailer
Henry Wellcome, scientist
Ida Copeland, politician
Ida Freund, academic
Ira Aldridge, actor and playwright
Iris Murdoch, novelist
Isaiah Berlin, philosopher
Jacob Epstein, sculptor
Jimi Hendrix, musician
Joan Armatrading, musician
Johanna Weber, engineer
John Barnes, footballer
John Edmonstone, footballer
Joseph Conrad, author
Joseph Rotblat, physicist
Judith Kerr, author
Karan Bilimoria, entrepreneur
Karel Kuttelwascher, fighter pilot
Krystyna Skarbek, wartime spy
Kylie Minogue, pop singer
Lew Grade, broadcaster
Lucian Freud, painter
Ludwig Goldscheider, publisher
Ludwig Guttmann, neurologist
Magdi Yacoub, heart surgeon
Malala Yousafzai, campaigner
Marc Isambard Brunel, engineer
Margaret Busby, publisher and editor
Marie Tussaud, entrepreneur
Mary Prince, campaigner
Mary Seacole, nurse
Maureen Dunlop de Popp, pilot
Michael Marks, retailer
Mo Farah, athlete
Mona Hatoum, artist
Montague Burton, retailer
Moses Montefiore, banker
Nasser Hussain, cricketer
Oscar Nemon, scupltor
Parveen Kumar, doctor
Peter Porter, poet
Prince Albert, royal consort
Raheem Sterling, footballer
Richard Rogers, architect
Sake Dean Mahomed, surgeon
Shanta Pathak, entrepreneur
Sislin Fay Allen, police officer
Solly Zuckerman, military adviser
Stelios Haji-Ioannou, entrepreneur
Steve Shirley, entrepreneur
Stuart Hall, academic
TS Eliot, poet
Tessa Sanderson, athlete
Trevor McDonald, newscaster
Valerie Amos, lawyer and politician
Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, biologist
Vera Atkins, wartime spy
Violette Szabo, wartime spy
William Butement, scientist
Yasmin Qureshi, politician and barrister
Yvonne Thompson, entrepreneur
Zaha Hadid, architect

The introduction is by Bonnie Greer, the Chicago-born playwright and cultural commentator.

Buy the book to see what she says about the contribution of immigrants to the UK

About The Authors

About The Illustrator

Product Details

  • Publisher: Canbury Press (September 12, 2024)
  • Length: 208 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781914487460

Browse Related Books

Raves and Reviews

'This is such a lovely book, not only have I learnt so much about some very brave and determined people, this topic is so important to talk about. I plan on reading a story every week to my class when we return this week. The stories are a page long so it will be easy to fit into our very packed school day! Really looking forward to reading this to my class and the importance discussions that will come from this.' Ellie (@missg_primaryteacher)

'This is such a lovely book, not only have I learnt so much about some very brave and determined people, this topic is so important to talk about. I plan on reading a story every week to my class when we return this week. The stories are a page long so it will be easy to fit into our very packed school day! Really looking forward to reading this to my class and the importance discussions that will come from this.' Ellie (@missg_primaryteacher)

'A truly inspiring book that is timely, powerful and an absolute must have on every bookshelf! The best way to tackle racial divides is through education and this book is extraordinary at doing that! This book is of course an outstanding classroom tool. It aligns beautifully with teaching about multiculturalism, diversity, and the importance of immigration in shaping modern societies. Highly recommended!' Sara (@inclusive_childrens_books)

Resources and Downloads

High Resolution Images