Seaford Museum
GUESTS OF THE NATION
Dr Sally White of Seaford Museum, has researched a little-known part of the First World War. Here, she offers a glimpse into the past. Some years ago, I became interested in the work done by civilian volunteers during the First World War. During my research I was staggered to learn that, in 1914, about 1 in 16 of the Belgian population left their country. Vast numbers went to France or the Netherlands, where many were housed in redundant greenhouses. A quarter of a million made their way across the Channel to the United Kingdom. A few managed to bring money with them, but most were destitute and needed huge amounts of support. The government was not enthusiastic about letting them
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come to this country and for some time refused to spend anything on their support, saying that the work and fund-raising should be done by volunteers. Thousands of committees were set up nationwide to welcome the refugees, house them and, eventually, to help them support themselves. Caring for them was complicated by the fact that some Belgians spoke French while others spoke Flemish, and the two groups were not keen on co-operating with each other. Like most counties, Sussex welcomed a number of groups of refugees. Communities of all sizes were eager to commit to welcoming refugees and worked hard to provide for their needs. However, once people realised that the War was not going to be over by Christmas and that most of the refugees were not only staying but needed on-going support, things became more difficult. There were groups of refugees from a number of other countries who also needed help, and tens of thousands of charities raising money for every imaginable cause including collecting cigarettes for soldiers. Belgian refugees became less ‘fashionable’ and raising sufficient money for their care was not easy, even after the government realised it had to help with some expenses. Over time there was resentment when some refugees refused to take jobs or, if they did work, did not see why their pay should go towards their expenses. There was also anger at the young Belgian men who refused to join the Belgian Army when British men were fighting and dying over there. What nobody seems to have considered was the depth of trauma that some of them had suffered, and quite a few really needed specialised care. At the end of the War the vast majority of refugees were keen to go back to Belgium but a number married and settled here.
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Dr Sally White is delivering a talk entitled Guests of the Nation at 2.30pm on 11th November at the Little Theatre in Steyne Road, Seaford. Admission on the door is £5, £3 for Museum members. Photos from top: Belgian regugees Ostend; Belgian refugees near Ghent.
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