British immigration control procedures and Jewish refugees 1933-1942.

Abstract

This thesis is an historical account of the British government's regulation of the immigration to the United Kingdom of Jewish refugees in flight from Nazi persecution. The focus of the study is the administration of immigration controls, with particular emphasis on the groups of refugees for whom entry was possible and the conditions subject to which they were admitted. The administrative process is also examined in the context of policy. The results of the government's efforts to control the influx are set against policy goals, in order to assess both the extent to which the quest for control was successful, and the extent to which it led to unintended consequences. The relationship between policy and procedure is thus a key theme of this study. The bulk of the thesis is concerned with policy-making and administration within government, and is based on documents in the Public Record Office(PRO). Other sources used include private papers of ministers and officials, records of Jewish organisations, archives of refugee committees and interviews, listed in the bibliography. The material largely concerns the work of Whitehall departments, interdepartmental relations and activities at Cabinet-level. Home Office policy and practice are covered in particular detail. The contributions of other government departments, particularly the Foreign Office, the Ministry of Labour and the Treasury, are also discussed. Another important topic is the policy-making and administrative role of nongovernmental organisations, especially refugee committees. The introduction is followed by a chapter outlining the legal and administrative history of immigration control since 1905. succeeding chapters deal chronologically with the British response to the immigration of Jewish refugees from 1933 to 1942. The conclusion discusses whether British policy was humanitarian or self-interested. Two appendixes contain brief biographical notes on persons relevant to the thesis and a list of Home Secretaries and Home Office Permanent Under Secretaries.