Migration &
Empire,
1830-1939
Immigrants in Scotland -
Lithuanians

In today’s class I am learning to:
• Describe the experiences of Lithuanian
immigrants in Scotland
• Explain why some Scots supported or
opposed Lithuanian immigration
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Lithuanian migration has often received less
attention than other immigrant groups, but there
was still a significant population in Scotland.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Reasons for
moving
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Russia’s actions forced
Lithuanians to migrate.
The Russian Empire used
Russiafication. This meant
that countries under their
control (including
Lithuania) had to speak
Russian and could not
follow their own customs,
such as religious beliefs.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Religious discrimination
also forced many
Lithuanians to leave their
home, including moving to
Scotland.
Catholic Lithuanians were
oppressed by the Russian
Orthodox Church, and
Lithuanian Jews faced
attacks too.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Some Lithuanians also fled
to Scotland to avoid being
forced to become soldiers
in the Russian Army.
Others moved to escape
the extreme poverty in
their country, including
having to pay very high
taxes to the Russian
Empire.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

For most Lithuanians, the
aim was to live in the USA.
Scotland was a temporary
home to allow them to
earn enough money to
pay for their US fare.
It is even claimed that on
arrival in Scotland some
Lithuanians believed they
were in the USA.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Where they
lived
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

There were two groups of
Lithuanian immigrant, and
this influenced the places
to which they moved, and
often the jobs in which
they worked.
Jewish Lithuanians tended
to move to Glasgow but
Catholic Lithuanians lived
in other areas.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

The largest group of
Lithuanian immigrants
were Catholic.
They moved to areas with
mine work, such as West
Lothian and Ayrshire.
Others went to North
Ayrshire to work in the
smelting industry, or steel
works in Lanarkshire.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Bellshill in Lanarkshire was
a particular magnet for
Lithuanian immigrants.
Around 5000-6000
Lithuanians lived in the
area – giving it the
nickname ‘Little
Lithuania’. They were
attracted by nearby mines
and steel works.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

The Lithuanian community
in Scotland grew until
World War One.
At this point Lithuanian
men were forced to join
the British or Russian
armies, and this led to
many of them leaving
Scotland, reducing the
community’s visibility.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Employment
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Jewish immigrants from
Lithuania went to cities
such as Edinburgh and, in
particular, Glasgow.
In these places they
worked in the tailoring
industry, or set up
businesses selling tobacco
or working as hawkers and
peddlers.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Most Lithuanian
immigrants were Catholic
and they moved to areas
with heavy industry such
as mines and metal works.
Some Scottish companies
– such as Bairds and
Dixons – actively recruited
in Lithuania to attract
employees.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Mine work was not limited
just to male Lithuanian
immigrants; many women
also found work in the
mines too.
Some Lithuanians – who
had been farmers in their
homeland – also found
work on Scottish farms,
especially at harvest time.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Housing
conditions
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Jewish Lithuanian
immigrants tended to live
in poor quality housing in
places like Glasgow, in
particular the Gorbals.
Here they faced the same
problems as others in
these areas, including
overcrowding and poor
sanitation.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Catholic Lithuanians
mainly lived in poor areas
near to their work, such as
the mines of Ayrshire or
metal works in
Lanarkshire.
They also had to live in
poor quality and
overcrowded homes as a
result of this.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Miners and metal workers
often lived in purpose-built
single-storey cottages.
These were usually one- or
two-roomed homes. Like
single ends, they did not
have indoor toilets.
Shift workers often shared
beds, with one using them
whilst the other worked.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Personal
identity
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

One of the main reasons
that Lithuanians came to
Scotland was to avoid the
Russification policy, which
forced them give up their
personal identity.
As a result of this it was
important that once in
Scotland they continued to
celebrate their heritage.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Lithuanian communities in
Scotland continued to
speak their native
language.
In addition they set up
newspapers, which not
only helped them read in
their language but also to
find out information about
life in Lithuania.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Lithuanian businesses
were also established in
Scotland, which brought
more money into the
community.
Insurance companies
were set up and other
Lithuanians opened shops,
which other immigrants
were encouraged to use.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Catholic Lithuanians
attended Catholic
churches, and were often
buried in Catholic
cemeteries in Glasgow and
Edinburgh.
Jewish Lithuanians helped
open synagogues and
were also buried in Jewish
cemeteries.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Lithuanian social groups
were established, letting
the immigrant group to
socialise at events such as
concerts and dances.
Marriage and birth
ceremonies amongst
Lithuanians were also
conducted in line with
traditions at home.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Other social groups for
Lithuanians included
youth clubs, football
teams, choirs and scout
groups.
Lithuanian immigrants
also continued to practice
their religious beliefs,
which was Catholicism for
most of them.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Relations with
Scots
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Lithuanians made up only
a small proportion of
Scotland’s population;
they also living in only a
small number of areas
across the country.
Whilst this limited the
discrimination they faced,
it did not stop it
happening.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

To help them better
integrate, some
immigrants changed their
surnames to reflect
Scottish names, for
example, Bernotaitis
became Brown.
However some names
were changed by officials
without agreement.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

However many
Lithuanians still faced
criticism from Scots.
Many Lithuanians worked
in mines, often being used
by employers as strike
breakers. This resulted in
them facing anger from
Scottish mine workers
whose jobs they took.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Other Scots felt angry that
the immigrant Lithuanians
would sometimes work for
lower wages that Scots.
This led to a fear that
Scots would lose their
jobs, or that all average
wages would be reduced
as a result of this, again
creating resentment.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Trade unions launched
campaigns against the
immigrant workers, even
describing them as “an
evil” in Scottish society.
Some politicians also
campaigned against their
presence, saying Scots did
not want to accept the
“paupers of Europe”.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Eventually though many
Lithuanians improved
relations by becoming
involved in campaigns to
improve workplace
conditions.
This included setting up
trade unions or
supporting strike action
taken by the Scots.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Like other immigrant
groups, the Lithuanians
that came to Scotland
were often very poor, or
they were trying to save
money for the US journey.
This meant they lived in
poorer areas, causing
anger if they were seen to
add to overcrowding.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Lithuanians also suffered
(in the same way as other
immigrants) from negative
stereotypes.
The poverty faced by
Lithuanians created an
idea that they were drunk,
dirty or diseased, leading
to some Scots opposing
their migration.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Another problem was that
the majority of Lithuanian
immigrants were Catholic.
This brought them into
conflict with many
Protestant Scots,
especially when the
Lithuanians held their
religious services, spoken
in Lithuanian.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Even though many had
integrated into Scotland,
many Lithuanian families
were forced to leave.
After World War One the
British government
withdrew financial
support for Lithuanian
women and children,
forcing them to go home.
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

The British government
wanted the Lithuanians to
leave because:
• They did want to pay
the economic cost of
supporting the
Lithuanians
• They worried
Lithuanians might
support Communism
Immigrants in Scotland - Lithuanians

Immigrants in Scotland – Lithuanians
Lithuanian
people
Reasons for
moving
Relations
with Scots
Personal
identity
Employment
Housing

Immigrants in Scotland – Lithuanians
Lithuanian
people
Reasons for
moving
Personal
identity
Employment
Housing

Immigrants in Scotland – Lithuanians
Lithuanian
people
Personal
identity
Employment
Housing