More Than A Bundle Story

Amongst those who travelled abroad to meet the labour needs of Western Europe were many who travelled from Turkey and Cyprus to work in textile factories. They were faced with a foreign environment, no language, different lifestyles, cultures, and traditions. The working conditions were difficult, and they shared houses with up to 8 to 10 strangers. The aim was to work for a few years to save enough money then return back home to buy a house, some land or a shop. For some the going back home syndrome had started before they had even arrived to the UK. The reality was our families had started to spread their roots and the hundreds and thousands of migrants who did not know each other united and were bound by the same fate.

So, if you are the child of migrant parents who worked at clothing factories anytime between the 50s up till the 90s then it’s very likely you too spent a fair amount of your evenings sitting at the kitchen table turning jacket pockets. Most of our weekends were spent at an Amca (Uncle) or Teyze’s (Aunts) house listening to the rolling dice of tavla, the ringing of stirring teacups and endless stories of bundles.

On this page we share more than bundle stories told by the people themselves, collated by their now grown-up children and curated by me. The daughter of Turkish migrants who said they’ll return once my sister was 7, but only achieved this dream after 40 years.