Scotland in the FirstDrummond World War

REFUGEES WELCOME HERE Caring for Belgian in Scotland during the First World War

Jacqueline Jenkinson uncovers the fascinating story of how Scotland, and Glasgow in particular, responded to the influx during the First World War of Belgian refugees, thousands of whom came to Britain in order to escape German occupation of their homeland.

ermany’s invasion were killed in unprovoked attacks, Refugees leaving when secretary of the local of Belgium on 4 in many cases in mass executions, Belgium (c.1917-19) government board Herbert Samuel August 1914 was by German troops. announced that all in swiftly followed by The first arrivals to Britain came Britain would be entitled to the Britain’s declaration within days of the outbreak of same relief as native Britons. The Gof war against to defend the war in August and were those number of refugees arriving in Belgian neutrality. Belgian civilians who made their way individually, Britain increased dramatically in began a move to the coast and escaping the first German October 1914 after the surrender towards the borders with advances. In September, the of the garrison city of Antwerp and neutral seeking British government followed the to German troops following a refuge from the German military lead of the Belgian government, week-long siege. This was followed assault. Civilians fled their homes which announced that all by the rapid fall of the port of under real threat of violence – over foreigners would be given the Ostend. German occupation of the 5,500 Belgian civilians of all ages same assistance as native Belgians, whole Belgian coastline led to the

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for work and resettlement purposes so that Scotland had new arrivals of Belgian refugees in all the war years. The day after the fall of Ostend, Thursday 15 October, Glasgow lord provost Thomas Dunlop held a meeting with Glasgow corporation magistrates who constituted the wartime committee for the relief of distress at which it was agreed to ‘accommodate temporarily and feed about 3,000 refugees.’ This group of refugees – half of them straight from – came to Glasgow by train on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October. They were received and registered by staff at the Mitchell Library and at St Andrew’s halls. The city’s magistrates quickly became a formal committee involved with fund-raising as well as the administration of relief efforts for Belgian refugees arriving in Scotland. Magistrate Alexander Walker became the full-time treasurer and honorary secretary of the Glasgow corporation Belgian committee. In the same way that Belgian refugees were distributed around Britain, the refugees who came to Glasgow were also dispersed. Within days, refugees were settled in the homes of local families and in hotels, hostels and grand houses in Glasgow and in towns and villages around west and central Scotland such main outflow of refugees to France, Belgian & Allies Glasgow’s response as Paisley, Rutherglen, Hamilton, the Netherlands and Britain. Aid League poster: During the course of the First Dumbarton, Helensburgh, Crieff, In the first weeks of the war ‘Will you help these World War, Glasgow received and Perth and to villages the exhibition arenas of sufferers from the close to 19,000 civilian refugees. such as Strahaven, Slammanan Alexandra Palace and Earls Court, war to start a new This was around eight percent and Aberfoyle. workhouses and hotels had been home. Help is better of the 240,000 refugees who set up as receiving and dispersal than sympathy’ came to Britain. The main body Links with wider Scotland centres for Belgian refugees by the (published in 1915 of Belgian refugee arrivals in A difficulty for those running charitable War Refugees Committee, by Avenue Press, Britain came in the period from the Glasgow corporation Belgian reliant on public support for London) October 1914 to mid-1915, refugee committee was that what was seen as a just cause to although others came later in many parts of Scotland had been help innocent victims of German the war, often via refugee camps designated wartime ‘prohibited wartime aggression; however, the in the Netherlands and France. areas’ which meant that no ‘aliens’ numbers of arrivals was so great by The arrival of refugees peaked in could be settled in such areas October that the local government the first three months of 1915. due to military considerations, board decided on immediate There was a steady outflow of in particular fear of a German and direct dispersal of refugees. men of military age going back to invasion from mainland Europe. Liverpool, and Glasgow Belgium and adults called up for For Scotland this meant the whole were key areas for dispersal for war work in Belgian factories set of the east coast was designated refugees arriving via Dover, up in France, however refugees as a prohibited area for aliens, Folkestone and Hull. were moved around the Britain hence Scotland’s three other main

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cities of Edinburgh, Aberdeen and monthly subscriptions were also gave £5. Meanwhile trades unions Dundee could not house Belgian pledged from individual Scots donated large regular sums, for refugees. To overcome this difficulty around the country. example the Lanarkshire miners’ the committee held regular mass Assistance in kind came from county union gave two amounts meetings to solicit financial support church congregations and clergy. of £180 and £87 in December from representatives of Scotland’s The Roman Catholic church 1915, while the national union local authorities and members of took the lead among Christian of Scottish mineworkers in the many local Scottish refugee denominations in support of the Dunfermline gave over £130 a relief committees. predominantly Catholic Belgian month earlier. For example, in early 1915 refugees. Catholic clergy and The Glasgow corporation Glasgow corporation was asked their parishioners in Glasgow committee also followed the by central government to find and the surrounding area conventional charitable route homes for a further 5,000 refugees. housed hundreds of refugees. St by setting up a volunteer ladies’ In response, the corporation Patrick’s, Dumbarton (under the committee which organised regular committee called a meeting of auspices of father Hugh Kelly) fund-raising events including flag over 200 local authorities and accommodated 200 refugees and days, music and sporting festivals local Belgian refugee committees at St Mirin’s, Paisley, Belgian and sales of lace work made by at Glasgow city chambers. priest Father Alphonsus Ooghe refugees. There was also a scheme Dundee’s lord provost Sir William acted as an interpreter and took introduced in March 1915 for Don pledged that his city would in another 200 refugees. It is Scottish school children to give do all it could and had already likely fathers Kelly and Ooghe regular weekly donations via a raised £20,000. As a result of worked in collaboration in The Refugee by little pledge card to increase funds. this meeting, numerous refugee support of Belgian refugees since Norah Neilson Gray By May, over £1,700 was raised homes and hostels were opened in they were known to each other, (1882-1931) through the collection card scheme Glasgow and financially supported having both worked in parishes by donation from east coast areas. in Dumbarton and Paisley. In Dundee, Edinburgh and Aberdeen Glasgow the convents of Notre and smaller towns such as Wick Dame, the Little Helpers and the and Dunfermline paid for the rent, Little Sisters of the Poor and the furnishing and upkeep and for the convent at Dalbeth also provided costs of feeding and clothing the accommodation to refugees. refugees accommodated in these Support was also given by other hostels situated in Glasgow. Christian denominations, for The Glasgow corporation example two church of Scotland Belgian refugee committee also and three salvation army homes printed annual calls for donations in Glasgow housed refugees. from across Scotland. These yearly Episcopalian, congregationalist and appeals for funds and in kind help baptist congregations also made were publicised in the regional financial donations to the Glasgow press. For example, an appeal corporation Belgian refugee from the Glasgow corporation committee. In central Scotland, committee to assist ‘in money three church of Scotland and united or in kind’ to the townsfolk of free church presbyteries (Bathgate, , a prohibited area Linlithgow and Falkirk) formed which could house no refugees, the churches’ refugee committee, was printed in the local press on with the intention of preparing 20 February 1915. houses for refugees. By March Another successful fund-raising 1916 the committee had provided effort was to send committee seventeen houses occupied by 60 members around the country from Belgian refugees in the village of the borders to the Highlands – Slammanann (around five miles over 70 locations were visited per from Falkirk). By war’s end they year – to address public meetings had accommodated 83 refugees at and solicit funds from individual Slamannan and 64 in Cumbernauld. subscribers. These initiatives There were also regular attracted donations ranging from donations by companies, including £1,000 from Glasgow trades Scottish banks, which placed house in June 1916 to five guineas collection sheets in their branches, given by the trout anglers club of from university students, Edinburgh in November 1915, including St Andrews students’ to 7d given by ‘little Chrissie union, and from gentry such as Kelly’ at Christmas 1914. Regular the duchess of Sutherland, who

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including donations amounting Departure of first to almost £100 from the pupils at contingent of schools in Aberdeenshire, Ayrshire Scottish Belgian and Edinburgh. These activities Refugees to helped meet the Glasgow corporation Belgium on SS committee’s estimated running costs Khyber from Hull, of £1,000 per week (£87,000 in 16 December 1918 today’s values when the mid-point war year of 1916 is selected). Substantial funds were raised at all levels of society in Scotland to support Belgian refugees. By the end of the war the Glasgow corporation committee had raised £208,000 (the equivalent of £12.3 m today) and expended £193,000 (£11.4 m). A further £170,000 (£10 m) was raised around the rest of Scotland via the hundreds in England and , while in invasion of their neutral homeland of local Belgian committees which Ireland these arrangements were was a moral, just cause. supported refugees settled in their conducted by the Irish LGB. areas, although any shortfall in However, the Scottish LGB Who were the refugees? their funding arrangements was which had devolved control over Glasgow was the only sizeable offset by the Glasgow committee poor law and health matters did reception area outside England in much the same way as the local not play an equivalent role; that with close to 20,000 refugees government board did for local responsibility was taken by the (eight per cent of Britain’s Belgian refugee committees in Glasgow corporation committee. Belgian refugee population). England and Wales. The Glasgow/Scottish response 4,500 (two per cent) lived in was different to elsewhere in Wales and 3,000 (1.25 per How this differs from part because of the municipal cent) in Ireland, while around elsewhere pride of Glasgow corporation 210,000 (around 88 per cent) The Glasgow and wider Scottish and the wider population living of all Belgian refugees settled response is unique in that, as in the ‘second city of empire’, in England. The government just indicated, all the costs of who felt a sense of obligation created a centralised system for supporting and housing the to make a national contribution registering Belgian refugees in refugees living in Scotland to the war effort. Also, Glasgow November 1914 and it is from were raised by donation corporation was used to working this registration process that the within Scotland. Elsewhere autonomously and had pioneered figure of around 240,000 refugees in Britain funding came from many local welfare reforms living in Britain is obtained. The central government via the since the late 19th century to Glasgow corporation Belgian local government board (LGB) try to tackle the impure water refugee committee maintained which made payments to cover supply, the overcrowding, and registration records which survive all the costs of the central the poor standards of housing for in part for 1914 and early 1915 war refugees committee and Glasgow’s citizens. in Glasgow city archives and have its local committees. The war Glasgow corporation proved been digitised, allowing some refugees committee was the adept at harnessing nationwide analysis to be made of the general largest charitable organisation Scottish support for its efforts make-up of the Scottish Belgian providing housing and support via national appeals, local visits refugee population. for Belgian refugees. Its activities and an unremitting drive for The Glasgow registers recorded and workforce were taken over subscriptions running in parallel 8,238 refugees in 1914/15. Of by the local government board with a programme of one-off these, there were 4,515 males as numbers of Belgian refugees events. This activity was combined and 3,708 females (there were coming to Britain increased by with the pride felt by fundraisers fifteen incomplete records). autumn 1914. throughout the Scottish There were 2,209 children aged In December 1914 the LGB population that they were able to under sixteen, with roughly formally acknowledged the support Belgian refugees without equal numbers of girls and boys. Glasgow corporation Belgian looking to central government Refugees’ ages on arrival ranged refugee committee as the Scottish for assistance. Overarching this from one to 86, with an average advisory committee. This too was the belief (a common factor age of 26. The majority of refugees was a unique arrangement. By around Britain) that supporting were single, 4,609 (however this this time the LGB was directly the Belgian refugees who fled to includes children), 3,391 were responsible for Belgian relief Britain following the German married, and a further 170 were

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children were also placed at some of Glasgow’s most prestigious private schools, including Allan Glen’s, Glasgow high school for girls and Hutchesons’ grammar. Other towns made similar education arrangements, in Paisley the Roman Catholic community set up a school for Belgian children and at Notre Dame school in Dumbarton a temporary teacher was hired in October 1914 on a salary of £4 a month to teach Belgian children. Not all the friendly interest in Belgian refugees was of the practical kind. Artist Norah Neilson Gray (1882-1931), one of the ‘Glasgow girls’ and a wartime nurse in the voluntary aid detachment who served in France during the war, painted a sympathetic portrait, The Belgian Refugee, of an anonymous adult male refugee who fled to Scotland from Liège which is held in Glasgow’s Burrell Collection. A survey of press reporting suggests that the surge of sympathy among the general public for the plight of ‘Poor little Belgium’ and the refugees settled in Scotland was widowed. Most refugees who corporation committee’s work was Calderwood Castle, largely maintained throughout the settled in Scotland came from complicated when people who had home to Belgian war. Positive press coverage was predominantly urban areas. accepted responsibility of caring refugees supported aided by government guidance to The three most common for families ‘became tired of their by the town of prevent negative or inflammatory occupations among refugees on guests and handed them back’. Dunfermline newspaper reporting through so- arrival in Scotland were clerk Schooling for Belgian refugee called ‘D’ notices. The first was (95 male and nineteen female), children was swiftly arranged Belgian regimental issued in July 1916 and instructed fitter and labourer. The Glasgow following the increase in arrivals from band on a Glasgow the press not to print any stories registers also recorded significant mid-October 1914. The Glasgow visit outside about Belgian refugees evading numbers of skilled workers among corporation school board made Kirkcaldy Belgian either work or military service. A the refugees including turners, its first enquiry into arrangements Home, 1918 second D notice in October 1916 engineers and cabinet-makers. for Belgian refugee children on Fisherman and farmer were also 10 November 1914 and within among the most common male six weeks reported all Belgian occupations. The most common children were now being employment type recorded by schooled, with the majority in Belgian women on arrival in voluntary schools (privately- Scotland was in domestic service. funded Catholic schools which There were also 32 nuns, eight were not supported from priests and two pastors. the rates). Belgian refugee parents were also able to Welcoming refugees request places at local (non- Belgian refugees in Scotland denominational) publicly- were warmly received and well funded board schools treated. For example, a group of through written application. 250 refugees was given a hearty The Glasgow school breakfast, a formal reception board further resolved and a pipe band welcome on that no fees were to their arrival in Glasgow on 5 be charged for Belgian January 1915. However, the children and that where same report which recorded possible books were to this event wryly noted that the be provided. Belgian

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prevented any reporting of trials permission to erect new houses involving Belgian refugees. Before Housing to accommodate the Belgian that point newspaper accounts While some Belgian homes refugees. Baillie Smith for the did include reference to Belgian and hostels were maintained committee replied that they had refugees who had broken the law. throughout the war, there was received no information that their For example, in February a move towards the settlement policy had caused any citizen to 1916 Joseph Jolly, aged fifteen, of refugees into private be turned down for a house or put was sentenced to three years accommodation as their stay out of a house to accommodate in Wellington reformatory in became long term. For Belgians refugees. By summer 1916 the Penicuik, Midlothian for stealing in employment, paying rent was a committee reported that Belgian a number of table covers from sign of independence. However, refugees were housed in over 400 his employer at a large wholesale concerns were raised within the properties around Glasgow; by warehouse in Glasgow. A member broader Glasgow corporation and 1917 this had risen to 700 homes. of the Glasgow Belgian refugees in the press that Belgian refugee committee attended the trial and occupation of private housing was Employment gave a statement on behalf of Jolly’s having a negative effect on local Early trade union and wider local father who was in court, to say that access to housing. This was first concerns about the possibility that he supported the decision for his raised in May 1915 when baillie Belgian refugees could become a son to be sent to a reformatory. Mason of the refugee committee replacement labour force under- A third D notice in May 1918 reported to the corporation that cutting local workers was quickly instructed the press not to print about 230 houses had been given addressed. On 23 October 1914 stories describing the Belgian over to Belgian refugees and stated baillie McMillan, addressing refugees as ‘aliens’ at a time of he was unaware of any complaints a meeting of the full Glasgow mounting xenophobia to enemy about the scarcity of houses being corporation, noted that the foreign nationals. accentuated by the provision for Belgian refugee committee would refugees, noting all the houses be careful not to put refugees in Local Concerns about taken over had been empty. trades where there were men of Belgian Refugees In January 1916 independent ‘our own’ idle. Alongside this broad support for labour party leader John Wheatley, The following day LGB refugees, three areas for concern who was also a Glasgow councilor, secretary Herbert Samuel set up were voiced during the time of the questioned whether the Belgian Glasgow’s Mitchell the Hatch committee following Belgian refugees’ stay. These were refugee committee housing policy Library, where the pressure from trade unions over housing shortages; the perceived was removing ‘good’ housing first mass arrival this potential threat to wages. threat to wage levels from this new from local residents and asked of Belgiums was The Hatch committee reported in reserve army of labour; and the whether the committee had registered and December 1914. The government question of military enlistment. approached the government for welcomed accepted its recommendation that

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Three main contingents of refugees numbering 2,846 left Scotland in December 1918 and January 1919. A further group quit Scotland in March 1919. Returning refugees were allowed to retain their bed, bedding and small furnishings up to a weight limit of 300 pounds. All were given a pair of boots and a set of warm underclothing for the winter departures. By April 1919 the corporation committee reported only 480 refugees remained in Scotland. Few Belgian refugees stayed on permanently after the war, with Scottish census figures showing only a small increase in Belgian residents from 137 in 1911 to 194 in 1921. A meeting was held in April 1919 to formally signal the end of the work of the Glasgow corporation Belgian refugee committee. Herbert Samuel, former president of the local government board and home Belgians should only be employed Belgian refugees I) over conscription and in March secretary, attended on behalf of the at the same rates of pay as native prepare to leave 1915 Belgian males aged eighteen government. Samuel recognised Britons and that refugees were Ostend in a trawler to 25 were called up. In January the unique role that Glasgow and only to be employed via labour on 16 October1914 1916 this was extended to Belgian Scotland as a whole had played in exchanges. A general meeting males aged eighteen to 41 (although supporting Belgian refugees: of Glasgow corporation had this was not yet compulsory) to Scotland, he said was distinguished already been informed by baillie mirror the expanded British call- from the rest of the Mason of the corporation refugee up arrangements. In July 1916 in respect that they had been able to committee that Belgian refugees the Belgian government imposed defray the charges of maintaining in employment ‘located all over compulsory conscription on all the Belgian refugees without any the country’ were getting ‘trade males aged eighteen to 41 to tie in subsistence from the government. union rates of wages.’ with new British arrangements. On In 1920 the official government the back of such arrangements the Report on the Work undertaken Military service government ‘D’ notice of July 1916 by the British government in the Public unease about the presence mentioned above was passed to reception and care of the Belgian of adult males among the refugees prevent news stories being published refugees put it more simply: was first addressed in November about Belgian refugees evading ‘Scotland took a very prominent 1914 when the LGB gave the military service. part in the reception and care of Glasgow corporation Belgian the refugees.’ refugee committee powers to ‘deal Repatriation and the end of Those who gave their services with certain difficulties that had support for refugees as organisers of Belgian refugee arisen’ regarding the presence of Once war was ended, central relief in Scotland were rewarded men of military age in Glasgow. A government acted swiftly to bring with official recognition in Britain notice produced by the committee to an end the economic costs and Belgium. Glasgow city calling on Belgian males aged entailed in supporting Belgians assessor Alex Walker, secretary eighteen to 30 in Scotland to with the implementation of a and treasurer of the corporation volunteer for active service in the repatriation programme utilising refugee committee, was awarded Belgian army prompted fifteen plans in place since 1917. The the CBE. Belgian honours were men to report for enrollment on Glasgow corporation committee’s given to refugee committee the first day. remit over Belgian refugees in members around the country As time went on the recruitment Scotland extended to repatriation, including Paisley, Perth and Wick. process was formalised. The British albeit many refugees from around Four ladies’ committee members government opened negotiations Britain headed for London at the of the Glasgow corporation with the Belgian end of the war hoping to leave Belgian refugee committee, (under the control of king Albert more quickly via the capital. all wives of magistrates on the

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of Paisley which was reproduced Mrs Alexander registered in October 1914. on 17 April 1915 in the Paisley and Walker, Mrs When war ended Belgian Renfrewshire Gazette: Thomas Irwin; Mrs wartime refugees overwhelmingly James Stewart left Scotland willingly to We shall never forget how we have and Mrs Thomas return to their liberated, war- been welcomed here. The proverbial McMillan of the torn homeland. Their five-year Scottish hospitality has not lost its Ladies Committee presence in Scotland, which had old reputation … We ask them to of the Glasgow provoked massive press interest believe that we are not ungrateful Corporation Belgian and occupied so much local and that we shall never forget them. Refugee Committee. Glasgow and national Scottish We shall tell our children that the From the Glasgow charitable fund-raising effort, people of the British Isles came to Corporation journal, was quickly forgotten. At a time the help of their parents in distress the Baillie, Glasgow when incoming refugees are during this monstrous war. City Archives given a more mixed reception by government and the general There was a financial legacy as a public, the history of the wartime result of the fund-raising activities support for Belgian refugees in in support of Belgian refugees Scotland is worth remembering. around Scotland. Treasurer Alexander Walker reported in Dr Jacqueline Jenkinson is senior April 1919 that the committee had lecturer in History at the University committee, were awarded the raised £208,000 and expended of Stirling. She has published widely MBE in 1920 in recognition of £193,000 with the accounts yet on the history of minority populations their work. The women were to be closed. In January 1920, in Britain during the First World War identified by their husbands’ following a few months of final including articles and book chapters on names in press coverage. accounting and in keeping with Lithuanians, and colonial black and Alexander Walker’s wife was joined the humanitarian motivations south Asian peoples, as well as Belgian in receiving this honour by Mrs which led to the substantial refugees. Her monograph on the 1919 Thomas Irwin, Mrs James Stewart donations from across Scotland seaport riots, Black 1919: Riots, and Mrs Thomas McMillan. in support of Belgian refugees, Racism and Resistance in Imperial £5,000 was given to the Scottish Britain, was published in 2009 by Conclusion branch of the save the children Liverpool University Press. Tangible indications of the First fund, £500 to the Serbian refugee World War Belgian refugee fund, £2,000 was donated to the presence are minimal. Trees Anglo-Belgian union and £500 were planted in various places to the Belgian orphan fund. in Scotland by grateful Belgian A further £5,000 was given to refugees in gratitude to their Scottish hospitals and charities. FURTHER hosts, none of which appears to Six major hospitals in Glasgow READING have survived, although there were given £500 each and are photographs of the plaque £500 each was given to the lord German Atrocities: A History of Denial, J. Horne and A. dedicating the ‘Belgian tree’ provosts of Aberdeen, Dundee Kramer (New Haven, CT, 2001) planted in Queen’s park in and Edinburgh to pass on to their Glasgow in 1917. local hospitals. A further £6,500 ‘British responses to Belgian refugees during the First World Hospital records show a similar was dispersed over the next War’, special edition of Immigrants & Minorities: tree was planted near the Victoria few months, mainly in smaller Historical Studies in Ethnicity, Migration and Diaspora, infirmary where injured Belgian amounts to hospitals the length 34:2 (2016), ed. J. Jenkinson, 101-231 soldiers were treated in autumn and breadth of Scotland. Plans for 1914. In April 1915 over 500 a memorial ‘to commemorate the ‘Belgian Refugees in Britain during the First World War’, Belgian refugees then living in advent of the Belgian refugees in Immigrants & Minorities 18:1 (1999), T. Kushner, 1-28 Paisley attended a similar tree Scotland’ reached a design stage planting ceremony at Barshaw but were not taken forward by the Refugees in an Age of Genocide: Global, National and Local park, in celebration of the birthday Glasgow committee. Perspectives during the Twentieth Century, T. Kushner and of king . A longer lasting legacy of the K. Knox (London, 1999) During a speech, the convener of presence of Belgian refugees in the ceremony, Camille Berck, a the city is provided via the Belgian A Kingdom United? Popular Responses to the Outbreak widowed 62-year-old hotel keeper refugee registration records of the First World War in Britain and Ireland, C. Pennell, from Liège who appears in the held in Glasgow city archives (Oxford, 2012) Glasgow Belgian refugees’ register situated in the Mitchell library, alongside his two daughters, the same building where the first ‘A Wave on our Shores’: The Exile and Resettlement of Therese and Anna aged 38 and 37, mass arrivals of Belgian refugees Refugees from the Western Front’, Contemporary European gave a message to the whole people in Scotland were received and History 16:4 (2007), P. Purseigle, 427-44.

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