Contribution of Immigrants to Scottish Society, economy and culture
Industry (irish)
The Irish contributed massively to industrial developments and infrastructure in Scotland through their role in the building of roads and railways.
Sport (Irish)
Irish Immigration had a lasting impact on Scottish sporting life on football in particular. In 1909 the Dundee Hibernian was founded.
Education (Irish)
Irish immigration had a lasting cultural impact on Scottish society reflected in the creation of separate Catholic schools across most major urban centres in Scotland.
Politics (Irish)
Irish immigrants and their descendants had an impact on Scottish politics. The Irish were important in the Scottish trade union movement and the development of the labour party.
Sectarianism (Irish)
A negative effect of Irish immigration was the presence of sectarian rivalries between Catholic Irish Protestant Irish and scots.
Working conditions (Lithuainins)
Lithuanians joined the Scottish miners in brining about improved working conditions through trade union activity.
Mining (Lithuianins)
Lithuanian immigration contributed to the economic development of Scotland mainly through employment in the coal industry.
Clothing (Jews)
Jewish immigrants made an important contribution to the tailoring trade and helped produce affordable, quality clothing, especially mens suits.
Business (Jews)
Glasgow Jewish immigrants helped to develop the commercial life of Scotland. Jews settled in central Glasgow, typically settling up small businesses.
Diet (Italilans)
Long before introducing pizza and pasta to the Scots, Italians made a lasting impact on the Scots diet.
Cafe Culture (Italians)
Italian families contributed to the growing leisure industry. The Nardini family developed what was to become the largest café in Britain in Largs.
Fashion (Italians)
Italians influenced fashion trends. For example, in the Late 1920s the college of Italian Hairdressers was set up in Glasgow.
IMPACT of Empire on Scotland
Raw materials
The Empire provided raw materials for Scottish factories. For example, the raw material for jute factories came from the Indian province of Bengal.
Wealth
The Empire enabled some firms and individuals to make great commercial fortunes from exports. Examples, Sir Charles tenant (chemicals).
Housing
Many wealthy Scots invested their profits at home by building mansions in the suburbs. Broughty Ferry near Dundee is an example of the display of wealth created by the jute industry.
Language
From India, ‘Bungalow’ means a house in the bengal style (a single storey with a sloping roof). Other words that originate from that Empire are ‘avatar’, ‘loot’ and ‘pyjamas’.
Martial Tradition
Empire encouraged the Scottish martial tradition. Scottish martial tradition. Scottish soldiers, often from the highland, were used to helped create the identity and reputation of the Scots as brave soldiers.
Employment
Empire provided many middle-class Scots with successful careers especially in India, as civil servants, doctors and as soldiers.
Investment
Empire created investment opportunities for Scots. For example, by the 1880s 40% of all Australian borrowing was from Scotland. The Scots also invested heavily in India and total Scottish foreign investment stood at £500m by 1914.
Trade slumps
The Empire left Scotland vulnerable to international trade slumps due to the importance of commerce with the empire. For example, after WW1 there was a world economic downturn and Scotland was heavily affected.
Low wages
Scots firms paid low wages in an attempt to make their goods competitive in the Empire. The low-wage economy encouraged in Scotland by the export market led to considerable poverty for many workers.
Exports
The empire provided a ready made market for goods manufactured in Scotland. Scotland exported to the Empire in great quantities, for example the North British Locomotive Workers in Glasgow produced a quarter of the locomotives used in New Zealand as well as exporting large numbers of engines to Canada and India.
