Migration And Empire Issue 2

Question 1

Catholic Irish

Answer 1

• Upon migrating to Scotland, Catholic Irish immigrants usually all settled in the areas nearest to where they landed, such as the Gorbals in Glasgow.

• These areas were already impoverished, and as the arriving Irish were already poor, they didn’t have the means to move elsewhere.

Question 2

Irish Protestants

Answer 2

• Irish Protestants were more highly educated than their Catholic counterparts, and so had more opportunity for employment in Scotland in industries like weaving.

• Their skills were highly sought after, and Scottish companies like Bairds even advertised these jobs in Belfast and offered skilled Irish workers not only employment but a home and schooling for their children as well.

Question 3

Lithuanians

Answer 3

• Their skills were highly sought after, and Scottish companies like Bairds even advertised these jobs in Belfast and offered skilled Irish workers not only employment but a home and schooling for their children as well.

• They were quite poor on their arrival, so settled in poor areas like Coatsbridge where they could also gain employment in developing heavy industries like coal mining.

Question 4

Jews

Answer 4

• Jews migrated mostly after 1881 in order to escape persecution in eastern Europe. On arrival, they usually settled in Glasgow, Dundee or Edinburgh.

• They often settled near to each other in areas where accommodation was cheap, and so that they could speak their native Yiddish with others while settling in Scotland.

Question 5

Italians

Answer 5

• Italians began migrating to Scotland in larger numbers in the late 1800s, especially after America changed its ‘open door’ policy, which stopped many Italians migrating there.

• In Scotland, they then established themselves in catering, in particular establishing cafes for the sale of ice cream and fish and chips.

Question 6

Irish catholic cont

Answer 6

•Scots often reacted poorly to Irish Catholics, mainly down to their clear difference of religion.

•Protestant ministers often published anti- Catholic pamphlets, such as one titled “The Menace of the Irish race to our Scottish nationality” which were supported by publications like The Scottish Protestant

Question 7

Protestant Irish

Answer 7

•Scots usually reacted positively to Irish Protestants due to their shared religion.

•Irish Protestants were more warmly welcomed into the workplace, and the establishment of Orange Orders was well tolerated by Scots

Question 8

Lithuanians continued

Answer 8

• Upon migrating to Scotland, Lithuanians often faced negative reactions from Scots, especially those who worked in the mines alongside Lithuanians.

• Lithuanians were seen as being willing to accept lower wages, and were sometimes used as strike breakers by mine owners.