1. Black Elizabethans

Available for 29 days

Historian Justin Champion goes in search of Britain's multicultural past and pieces together a picture of society during the Elizabethan era. From criminals and migrants to prostitutes and people regarded as mad scientists, he examines the life and times of some of Elizabeth I's more unusual subjects. Piecing together evidence from dusty archives, diaries, court records and murder pamphlets, Justin paints an intriguing picture of the darker side of Elizabethan life. "Her Majestie understanding that there are of late divers blackmoores brought into this realme, of which kinde of people there are already here too many." Justin kicks off by examining the little known world of the non-white Elizabethan. How did the presence of Moorish, Black and Asian immigrants in London contribute to a veritable melting-pot of cultures and influences? Delving beneath the surface of Elizabethan society, we discover who these people were, what their daily life was like, their contribution to British life and what prejudices and problems they faced. Producer: Sarah Taylor First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2003.