English Associationalism in the British Empire: Yorkshire societies in New Zealand before the First World War

Abstract

The rise of the Yorkshire societies in New Zealand coincided with the maturation of the British Dominions. Emerging as modern nations in their own right, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Canada were conscious of the need to consolidate selected cultural influences to inform the development of distinctive national identities. Given the fact that the English in New Zealand were the single largest British immigrant group, there seemed to be little need to assert or celebrate ‘Englishness’ and this was in stark contrast to the Scots whose widespread associational culture has been well-documented. Importantly, however, the emergence of Yorkshire, as opposed to English, societies reveals the crossroads of the immigrant experience: the dual identity. Asserting the importance of Yorkshire, its working-class culture and its people, as an important and defining facet of British success became very important at a time when immense social and economic changes were sweeping across Britain. The rise of Yorkshire societies abroad illuminates the desire for a greater recognition of the role played by the north in Britain's development at home and abroad. By examining the prevalence of Yorkshire societies in New Zealand, their membership, aims and activities, this article sheds new light on regional loyalties within English immigrant communities and their connection to Britain's imperial authority.