of the twentieth century
The voices and experiences of thousands of emigrants who left Scotland and Ireland in the twentieth century will be recorded for the first time in an innovative historical project by researchers from Aberdeen and Belfast.
Around one and half million people left Scotland, while one million left Ireland, in search of a better life and to escape the economic uncertainty that both societies experienced during most of the twentieth century. Most of the Irish during this period went to England, but others travelled to the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. England was also an important destination for Scottish emigrants, but many too settled in faraway places. It is the stories of these ordinary people that Dr Angela McCarthy and Dr Enda Delaney wish to record.
Dr McCarthy, of Aberdeen’s internationally renowned AHRB Centre for Irish and Scottish Studies, and Dr Delaney, of Queen’s University’s School of Modern History, are appealing to emigrants, or anyone with relatives or friends who left Ireland and Scotland after 1921, to provide on loan any materials that chart the experiences of emigrants. These could include emigrants’ letters, diaries, photographs or tape recordings, items that often remain in boxes in attics. All the materials will be returned in perfect condition.
Two such examples, which they have already gathered, reveal the feelings of a Scots woman and an Irish woman who left their respective homes during the 1920s:
‘The children and I kept well on our long Voyage and for Peter he simply enjoyed it and for Poor wee Bridie she was fairly made up with her time of it and also the rest of the children enjoyed it for there was still something new every day that occoupied there time and kept them in fun but I was beginning to think the time long myself. No doubt its a long Journey six weeks and a day night and day and had nothing to do only sit about that left the time to seem longer. From to much work to no work abal kilt [about killed] me.’ (Brigid Dawson, Wanganui, New Zealand to her sister in Armagh, 1924. Courtesy of Joan Leonard).
‘Now the night we left Freemantle we had rather a bad toss about. I consider it would have been rounding that cape Mary used to warn me of and no doubt it proved Cape Catastrophe right enough. There was seas coming right in. Broke a big door and a seat and so on. I were glad I were in bed at the time supposed to be not too well but no wonder she plunged and rolled and creaked and groaned in it dreadful but for a mercy it did not last long only a few hours. In fact I heard some went as far as put their lifebelts on but that was surely very silly too in such a sea. We are having it lovely and smoothe now again and every one seems to be up and doing again.’ (Shipboard Diary of Annabella Sinclair, 1929. Courtesy of Orkney Archives, D1/118).
Dr McCarthy said: ‘This is a very exciting and original project that involves recording the real life experiences of emigrants who left Ireland and Scotland since 1921. It is about real people with fascinating stories to tell. Only with this type of research will the ‘distant voices’ of emigrants be preserved for future generations and we are therefore urging people to come forward with materials.’
The project is for three years, leading to the publication of a book in 2006.
Further information is available from: Dr Angela McCarthy, Arts and Humanities Research Board’s Centre for Irish and Scottish Studies, University of Aberdeen, on: (01224) 274243 or email: a.mccarthy@abdn.ac.uk, or Dr Enda Delaney, School of Modern History, Queen’s University Belfast, on: (028) 90335101, or email: E.Delaney@qub.ac.uk
Issued by Public Relations Office, External Relations, University of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen. Tel: 01224 272014 Fax: 01224 272086.
University Press Office on telephone +44 (0)1224-272960 or email a.begg@abdn.ac.uk.