Migration and Empire

Immigration to Scotland 1830 – 1939Why did people move to Scotland?

Starter• Imagine you are a foreigner looking to

emigrate now, what features would draw you to present day Scotland?

• Think about what we have covered so far and some of your own General knowledge (Dates etc.), can you make an educated guess as to who might have migrated to Scotland in the years 1830 – 1939?

• Discuss as a group and note down responses

What you should know

• To Be successful in this section you must be able to:– Explain why different groups of immigrants

decided to settle in Scotland– Describe where different groups of immigrants

settled in Scotland

This section

• We will focus on the emigration into Scotland of the following groups– Irish (both Catholic and Protestant)– Jews– The Italians– Lithuanians

Why did the Irish choose Scotland? Scotland was easy to reach

• The Clyde side area of Scotland is near to the northern part of Ireland, it took very little time to cross over

• Crossings were cheap• The abundance of ports across Scotland made

travel from further afield easier too

Why choose Scotland? Scotland needed workers

• Nineteenth century Scotland offered all sorts of job opportunities– Coal Miners– Domestic Staff– Farm labourers– Builders– Men needed to build roads and railways– Mill workers

Why did the Irish migrate?

What do you think

• Look through the reasons for Irish poverty. Which would you choose as the most important reason?

• Why?

Potato Blight

• A huge influx of Irish immigrants arrived in Scotland during the Great Famine of the 1840s.

• The potato blight ruined the crops and left the farmers impoverished and starving. Many looked to gain opportunities overseas. Many left for America and Canada. Those who were too poor to do this arrived on Scottish shores.

Impact of the Blight• Statistics from the Census:

– Irish-born population of Scotland (see table below)– During 1848 the average weekly inflow of Irish into Glasgow was

estimated at over 1000, and the figure for January to April of that year was put at 42,860.

– Between 1841 and 1851 the Irish population of Scotland increased by 90 per cent. The census figures, however, underestimate the total strength of the Irish community in Scotland. They record only those people who were Irish-born because the children of Irish immigrants born in Scotland were classified as Scottish.

Irish settlement patterns• Due to a severe lack of money many migrants settled

where they disembarked, generally the west of Scotland. • In the 1840s, counties in the south-west saw an influx of

Irish immigrants (for example, Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire).

• Some went east to Dundee. A large female community was established there – many working in the jute factories.

• The capital, Edinburgh, was not as attractive. (By 1851, a mere 6.5 per cent of its population were Irish).

• The majority of Irish immigrants settled in the industrial west – in and around Glasgow.

• Study the above picture1. In what ways were the reasons for Irish migration similar to the reasons

for Scottish emigration?2. How fully does the picture show the reasons for Irish migration to

Scotland?3. Organise the reasons for Irish migration into PUSH and PULL factors

Patterns of settlement activities

• Collect a hand out from Mrs Bryson• Complete all tasks

What happened to the Irish who stayed behind?

• Over 1 million people starved to death or died from dreadful diseases like cholera caused by the crisis

• Many lost their land; they could not pay rent so they were evicted– Between 1847 and 1852 there were over 90,000 evictions

• The British government were slow to act on the crisis – eventually they offered manual labour to the very poor

• A workhouse system was implemented but conditions were miserable and there simply was not enough provision for the numbers of poor.

The Jewish migration to Scotland

• Large numbers of Jewish people came to Scotland between 1880 and 1914

• It is estimated that there were 300 Jews in Glasgow in 1883. This figure was set to rise significantly in the coming years.

• With the influx of immigrants increasing, Scotland witnessed an increase in its ‘foreign’ population after 1881. This trend continued in the approach to the First World War.

• Most of this new group of immigrants were Russian Jews fleeing poverty and persecution in their native land.

Expansion

• In 1881, there were 225 Russians in Scotland, which constituted 3.5% of the total foreign population of Scotland.

• By 1901 the Russian (overwhelmingly Jewish) population was 6102, or 24.7% of the total foreign population.

• In Glasgow, the rise was even more dramatic. The number of Russian Jews relative to other foreigners increased to 45.9% from 19.1% in 1881.

Patterns of settlement• The main area of settlement was the Gorbals in

Glasgow. • There were estimated to be 6500 Jews living in

the Gorbals in 1901 and 18 years later there were 9000. The Gorbals was attractive because of its cheap accommodation.

• However, once roots had been established and individuals began to prosper there was a movement towards Pollokshields. (affluent area)

Lithuanian immigrants

• Lithuanian immigrants began entering Scotland from the early 1890s.

• The majority were agricultural workers who had been pushed off the land by poverty due to the agricultural depression.

• It is unfair to conclude that many were fleeing the Tsar’s regime, many were fleeing from poverty.

• Of the Lithuanians who settled in Scotland, many were on route to America but were persuaded by industrial agents to come and work in the mines and steelworks.

• An example of this is the creation of a small Lithuanian community in the west of Scotland, particularly in Coatbridge where some 5000 to 6000 immigrants lived and worked.

Lithuanian assimilation• The newcomers were received with hostility and suspicion by

the local mining community. • The Lanarkshire Miners' Union offered to support any strikes

against the Lithuanian presence in the area. • People were suspicious of the Lithuanians because they were

seen to undercut wages. Furthermore, many were unhappy with their Catholic religion.

• There were cultural differences too – many perceived the Lithuanians to be drunkards and therefore acting inappropriately.

• The situation did improve as the Lithuanian miners joined with their fellow Scots in fighting to improve conditions in the mining industry. They also won respect from locals for their community spirit.

• Very soon, the Lithuanians had their own clergy, two newspapers, insurance societies, shops and other recreational groups.

Reasons for Italian Immigration

• Many Italians arrived on Scotland’s shores in the 1890s.

• They came to escape drought, famine and particularly poverty. They saw Scotland as place where they could achieve a better life.

• However it was the First World War that brought a sizeable population of Italians, over 4000, to Scotland.

• Glasgow quickly became the third largest community of Italians in the UK.

Why did Italians decide to immigrate to Scotland?

• Some Italians saw Scotland as a stop gap on route to America but more Italians came once American immigration policy changed.

• The main reasons Italians sought a new life was as a direct result of poor economic conditions in Italy. Poverty was rife and living conditions were harsh, with famine and droughts.

• Italy had a mainly agricultural economy that was experiencing severe hardships.

• Many Italian men left to earn a living and sent money back home to their relatives.

ACTIVITY

• Copy and complete the following table using all your notes and the handouts – try to be detailed!

Nationality Main reasons for migration

Areas in which they settled

Irish

Lithuanian

Italian

Jewish

How Useful – 5 marksSOURCE A is an official report produced by Britain in 1836.

• The rate of wages which the Irish obtain in Great Britain is almost invariably higher than that which they could obtain in their own country. Moreover the employment is more constant…they are able to obtain payment on a greater number of days of the year. There is more chance of getting employment for women and children in the manufacturing towns. In most parts of Ireland the highest wages of a common labourer are a shilling a day. In spring 1834 labourers’ wages in Edinburgh were nine shillings a week

• How useful is Source A for investigating the reasons for Irish immigration to Scotland?

• Remember to look at author, content, date and limitations!