The Brits Are Among Us!
THE BRITISH HAVE ALWAYS been peripatetic peoples. After all, virtually all of the tribes who inhabit Great Britain today were in-migrants to the island at one time in history or prehistory. Not content to abide in their green and pleasant land, the Brits came over and colonized the United States and Canada. And went to the other side of the globe to colonize Australia and New Zealand. There are British colonists in the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar and in a dozen other outposts of former empire around the world.
Today, as at no point in almost 100 years, Brits are again taking trunk and carpet bag and resettling across the globe. For the last decade, the Scottish ophthalmologist, Welsh teacher and English lorry driver have all learned their pensions will go further in Spain than in Britain. The Mediterranean coast of Spain and enclaves in France’s Dordogne country have become virtually British retirement colonies. Meanwhile, North America and Down Under remain the former crown colonies most attractive to relocating Brits.
Paul Revere’s famous 1775 cry would be tardy if it came today. The British are here! In fact, there are nearly 700,000 British expatriates residing in the United States today. Not surprisingly, our resident British population is concentrated where the sun shines, in Florida and California, for instance. There is a large British community in New York City, however, and active enclaves frequent British pubs from Boston to Dallas. I’ve several British friends at my own local here in Leesburg. Not surprisingly, British Heritage numbers thousands of British expats among our regular and enthusiastic readers.
