Immigrants contributions to Scottish society

Question 1

Religion

Answer 1

Irish immigrants brought with them the religious conflicts that they maintained in Ireland between Catholics and Protestant peoples. Catholic immigrants set up football teams like Celtic and Hibs, which have brought national pride to sporting, but have also created lasting and influential rivalries with their Protestant counterparts, Rangers and Hearts, respectively.

Question 2

Leisure industry

Answer 2

Italians introduced an alcohol-free alternative to pubs with their cafés, which were very popular amongst Scots. There introduced places for people to drink and socialise without the involvement of alcohol.

Question 3

Fashion

Answer 3

Italians influenced Scottish fashions through their hairdressing, with the College of Italian Hairdressers being established in Glasgow in 1928. Italians helped provide a service that had previously been difficult to access and changed the fashions of Scotland.

Question 4

Politics

Answer 4

John Wheatley, an Irish immigrant who moved to Scotland at seven years old, went on to be a part of the first ever Labour government, serving as the health minister. Immigrants aided in shaping the modern political landscape.

Question 5

Trade unions

Answer 5

Irish and Lithuanian immigrant particularly became involved in these, setting up groups like the Glasgow cotton spinners association. These groups campaigned to ensure workers gt better conditions and better pay.

Question 6

Changing the shape of worship

Answer 6

Due to the influence of foreign immigrants, Catholic Churches and Jewish Synagogues grew in numbers, particularly within cities. This helped normalise the sight of other religious buildings to Scots, who were previously only familiar with Presbyterian churches.

Question 7

Marriage

Answer 7

Many immigrants chose to marry within their own communities but in some cases, like the Irish where there was an uneven number of male and female immigrants, marriages between Scots and immigrants occurred. Immigrants languages and traditions were likely to be passed down to the children born from these inter marriages.

Question 8

Population size

Answer 8

Huge numbers of Scots were emigrating away to countries like Canada and Australia during the 19th and 20th centuries, but the number of immigrants arriving from other countries kept the population size relatively stable. Without immigrants, the drop in population would have surely caused labour shortages, which would have drastically impacted Scottish society.