Moving Home: Yemeni Women in Sheffield

Story: Nikky Wilson

The story of how Yemeni men came to Sheffield in the 1950s and ’60s to work in the steel industry is one that has been documented as part of the city’s history of industrial development. Less well known is the story of their wives – the women who were left back at home in Yemen for many years before finally moving to join their husbands in Britain and how they have adapted since their arrival. To find out about their experiences, I recently went to talk to women attending classes at the Yemeni Community Centre on Burngreave Road.

A particular feature of the history of the Yemeni community in Sheffield is how much time elapsed between the arrival of the men and their families: what is called ‘the myth of return’ – the idea that they would go back home – was very strong and so for many years the men lived and worked here, returning home to visit their families every few years. A handful of women arrived at the end of the 1960s but most came in the 1980s, beginning new lives in Sheffield. But it was a difficult process adapting to their new surroundings.

“We knew very little about Sheffield or Burngreave before we came,” Munzala Abdullah told me. “Our husbands’ lives revolved around their work so, even though they had been here for a long time, they couldn’t actually tell us much about the place. So it was a bit of a shock to us. I found the cold and the dark winter days really hard. All the housework was really tiring because we didn’t have washing machines or hoovers. And there was no indoor bathroom. We never had much money because we always saved a large portion of my husband’s salary to send home to our families in Yemen.”

“It was very lonely too,” added Zara Kassim. “There were very few of us and we were mostly at home alone. In the beginning we couldn’t even do the shopping by ourselves as we couldn’t speak English: our husbands had to take us. But we did find that people were friendly and helpful. I remember someone offering to push a pram up the hill for me!”

Several decades later Munzala, Zara and many others feel happy and settled in Burngreave. “It’s clean and green here, we have a good standard of living and our children are well educated. Plus we feel a lot more independent than when we first came!” said Munzala. “I was the happiest person in the world when I got permission to remain here with my husband and my children!” said Zarah. “Life was such a struggle in Yemen so I really appreciate the good things here. But I still show respect for my own culture and religion through prayer and fasting.”

Another recent benefit for the women has been the chance to learn for the first time in their lives. “I didn’t go to school back in Yemen so I was illiterate,” Munzala told me. “Being able to read and write in English means that I can help my children with school work and just generally be much more independent in my daily life: I can catch a bus, go shopping and visit friends all on my own. I wish I could have started English classes a long time ago but, for now, I just want to go on learning!”

Anesar, their teacher added, “Although I had to convince them that you can start learning at any age, I think all the women really enjoy classes now. It has given them real confidence and a belief in themselves. It has transformed their lives and I am really proud of them!”

Thanks to the women from the ESOL classes at the Yemeni Community Centre and to Anesar Shaibi for sharing stories of their arrival in Burngreave with me.