The Impact of the First World War on Migrant Lithuanians in Scotland, c. 1917-1921

Abstract

Under the 1917 Anglo-Russian Military Convention, adult males among the 8000 Lithuanians settled in Scotland were called into the British and Russian armies. Families left without breadwinners organised and pressed the government for financial support. The government agreed to give such families destitute aliens' grant which was paid locally but was reclaimable from the Treasury. For parish councils in areas of concentrated Lithuanian settlement, administrating the grant represented a heavy financial burden. Post-war the Treasury sought to end its financial commitment to supporting aliens' dependents and in 1920 a repatriation programme was introduced which saw hundreds of dependents depart Britain.