MIGRATION OF SCOTS PUSH
Decline of Cottage Industries
Small industires in villages were severely impacted by growth of large factores in towns and cities. Workers in traditional crafts such as tailors and shoemakers could not compete with factories.
Hours
Life working on land meant long hours from dawn til dusk and also on holiday days like christmas or new years.
Overpopulation
Population in rual towns in the lowlands wa rising 10% per decade. This put pressure on food supplies and forced many to migrate/emigrate.
Decline in the herring industry
When the russian revolution brought an end to the large East European export trade in herring, the men of the North East who worked on trawlers and the women who workerd as frish gutters lost thier jobs.
Sub-divison of land
Sub-divison and Sub-letting led to smaller and smaller farm holdings which were unable to support a familiy.
Living conditions
Highland black houses did not develop at the same rate as lowland housing conditions were damp, dark and smoky and black houses were commonly shared with livestock. Poor conditions contributed to ill health and disease such as typhoid.
Highland clearances
Sheep farming and deer hunting was more profitable for landowners than rent from crofters who were evicted from thier
MIGRATION OF SCOTS PULL
Bright lights
Cities provided a more vivid social life - young people were attracted to cinemas, theatre and dances.
Wages
Urban areas provided higher wages than rural areas. An industrial town worker could earn up to 50% more than an agricultural labourer.
Transport
It was easy to get to Glasgow from the west highlands by boarding one of the steamboats which by the 1830’s and 1840’s were sailing regularly to the most imporant places on the west coast.
Varitation of work
There was a bigger varity of work on offer for people to earn more money. For example Clyde shipyards, Edinburgh textiles. Police, railways.
Transport for lowland scots
There were very good transport lines from Glasgow to London like steamships such as the Anchor Line.
EMIGRATION OF SCOTS PUSH
(All the reasons for push for migration)
Industrial decline
Post WW1, traditional heavy industries in Scotland such as coal mining and jute struggled which led to mass unemployment.
EMIGRATION FOR SCOTS PULL
Climate
Countires overseas offered a pleasant climate which contrasted with the cold and wet weather endured in Scotland.
Promise of riches
Some scots were attracted to emigrate becuase of investment of opportunities. Other scots were encouraged to emigrate in search of gold.
Newspapers
Newspapers in scotland publishd articles in support of emigration to the USA, Australia and New Zealand.
Landloard Assistance
In the highlands some landowners tunred to emigration as a means of removing people from thier estates and paid the costs of travel abroad.
Charities and Societies
Scots were encouraged to emigrate due to help offered by charities and societies. The highland and Islands Emigration Socity raised money to leave Scotland for Australia and Canada.
Free Land
Scots were known as good farmers and some countires, such as Canda offered free land to Scots emigrants.
