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Belgian Refugees Ww1

ColinB

ColinB

gone but not forgotten
I've had a request for help in finding information regarding Belgian Refugees in Birmingham.
During WW1, some 4,000 refugees were moved to Birmingham during the war through schemes organised by The Belgium War Refugees Fund, in Birmingham, Mrs Barrow Cadbury and Herbert Austin were major contributers, they found accommodation and work at their factories for the refugees until they returned to Belgium after the Germans retreated.
I have found a register in the Birmingham Archives regarding Belgium refugees un-fortunately this is not accessible until September.
He's looking for details regarding their life in Birmingham, what status they held and what they would have done whilst they were in Birmingham, as his English is not good he asked me to post this request on his behalf.

Colin
 
In the 60s there was a old lady who was a Belgium refugee living in a house on Trinity rd just before the Rat Pan pub it was my Gran that told me of her status maybe not much use to you but just of interest?
 
Has the person who is looking for information contacted Cadbury's? I have been told they have a brilliant archive and are very helpful. I am sure a lot of the refugees would have worked at Cadbury's. Might be worth an email?
 
I've been told the archive which was company run is now done by volunteers, and I'm awaiting a reply from them.

Colin
 
I suppose that is because of it being sold to Kraft :upset: I hope you hear from them soon and they are able to help. What a pain it is that the Library archives are unavailable - and for such a long time too!
 
I'm looking to connect with someone who may be researching Belgian Refugees in Birmingham during WW1 - my own research involves the Belgians who came to North East Wales, and I've just discovered that two families moved to Birmingham from Rhyl in February 1915. I understand that there is a register in the Birmingham Archives, but work makes it difficult for me to get there to check.

As I understand they moved to Birmingham in order to take up work in Ordnance Factories, I'd also be very interested if anyone knows the locations of these.

I'm really pleased to find a Birmingham link, as although I'm from North Wales, I lived in Bearwood for a time so have a real fondness for the city.

(There's a link to my research on my profile, if anyone is interested!)
 
IMG_1521.jpg
Antoni Vitti said:
I'm looking to connect with someone who may be researching Belgian Refugees in Birmingham during WW1 - my own research involves the Belgians who came to North East Wales, and I've just discovered that two families moved to Birmingham from Rhyl in February 1915. I understand that there is a register in the Birmingham Archives, but work makes it difficult for me to get there to check.

As I understand they moved to Birmingham in order to take up work in Ordnance Factories, I'd also be very interested if anyone knows the locations of these.

I'm really pleased to find a Birmingham link, as although I'm from North Wales, I lived in Bearwood for a time so have a real fondness for the city.

(There's a link to my research on my profile, if anyone is interested!)
Click to expand...

There are a lot of references to Belgian Refugees in the Newspaper Archives around that time, but I can't see any link with ordinance or munitions. I'm not sure that, given the suspicions that were held, they would be employed on such work?

There is of course Kynoch works, but other factories such as Elkington were taken over for the war effort. For interest there is a clip from March 1915 for the accommodation in Aston.
 
Refugees most certainly worked in munitions factories - in my area (at Sandycroft and Rhuddlan) to a small extent, but in Birtley 3,500, Letchworth 2,000 and East Twickenham 6,000 Belgians worked in the factories. In Birtley (North East) a whole village was built - Elisabethville - to accommodate them.

Thank you for the names Kynoch and Elkington, which will be really useful when I find the two families.
 
Antoni Vitti said:
Refugees most certainly worked in munitions factories - in my area (at Sandycroft and Rhuddlan) to a small extent, but in Birtley 3,500, Letchworth 2,000 and East Twickenham 6,000 Belgians worked in the factories. In Birtley (North East) a whole village was built - Elisabethville - to accommodate them.

Thank you for the names Kynoch and Elkington, which will be really useful when I find the two families.
Click to expand...

Thanks, just found a reference in 1916 thanking the Trade Unions of the munition firms for their help in training the Belgian guests!
 
IMG_1524.jpg The MP comment from Birmingham Daily Post November 1916. Pity the attitude to the Trade Unions changed after the war.
 
This family eventually all left Prestatyn for Birmingham:

The Briatte Family – who, it appears, stayed at “Beach House”, moved on to find employment in Birmingham. They wrote to the committee:

+

+

20th of March, 1915
Dear Mademoiselle,
I take upon myself, on behalf of all the Briatte family, to write to you, so that you may be so kind as to act as our interpreter to the committee, in order to thank them for the kind attentions that we have received during our stay in Prestatyn. We thank also your family, Madame Williams and her family, Dr. Smith, Monsieur le Curé, and Monsieur and Madame Aurrecoechea and their family for their kind treatment. We thank all the members of the committee and the inhabitants of Prestatyn, for we can truly say that everyone has been very good to us, and that we shall never forget it. From all our hearts we say “thank you”, for we have been very fortunate in meeting such kind people to relieve our distress. Very many thanks, ladies and gentlemen.
Thanks also from our wives and children, for we shall possess an unforgettable remembrance.
With sincerest thanks from all the family,
“Briatte”
 
Hi Everyone, I'm new to this forum but hope to contribute good information. My Grandmother and her sisters were among the Belgian refugees living in Birmingham in WWI. I have been researching their stay as they didn't discuss it while they were alive. Here is what I know so far.
Sisters Irma, Sylvie, Virginie, Aline & Rosa Froumy left Belgium Feb 1915 (I have a copy of the authorization to travel), not sure when they arrived in England and likely they were first near Twickenham (Pelabon Works ID card dated Oct2015). By Dec 1915 they were at Elim House, 54 Trinity Road, Birmingham (Christmas card). I have a photo of a large group of workers from the Southalls Charford Mill (undated) and a photo of a group attending a Suburban League Football game at Villa Park, Birmingham dated Feb 1918. Also an identity book dated Jun 1919. I believe all the sisters left England no later than end of 1919. Suggestions and guidance are warmly welcomed. With kind regards, Mia
 
Mia said:
Hi Everyone, I'm new to this forum but hope to contribute good information. My Grandmother and her sisters were among the Belgian refugees living in Birmingham in WWI. I have been researching their stay as they didn't discuss it while they were alive. Here is what I know so far.
Sisters Irma, Sylvie, Virginie, Aline & Rosa Froumy left Belgium Feb 1915 (I have a copy of the authorization to travel), not sure when they arrived in England and likely they were first near Twickenham (Pelabon Works ID card dated Oct2015). By Dec 1915 they were at Elim House, 54 Trinity Road, Birmingham (Christmas card). I have a photo of a large group of workers from the Southalls Charford Mill (undated) and a photo of a group attending a Suburban League Football game at Villa Park, Birmingham dated Feb 1918. Also an identity book dated Jun 1919. I believe all the sisters left England no later than end of 1919. Suggestions and guidance are warmly welcomed. With kind regards, Mia
Click to expand...

Interesting that Elim House is given as 54 Trinity Road, someone may be able to pinpoint the actual location? I see that the Pelabon Works in Twickernham was a roller rink converted to a grenade factory, and Trinity Road would be an ideal location for work at Kynoch.
 
Thank you Antoni and Pedrocut, I am in touch with Helen Baker (I will be in London at the end of the month for the unveiling of the memorial in E. Twickenham). I just found your forum the other day so I'm late to this site :) Kind regards, Mia
 
I found this document on display in the Passchendaele Museum this week. It appears to belong to a Belgian refugee from the Great War who fetched up in Stourbridge. 94 Charlotte Street was the address of the Belgian Consulate at the time.DSCN5674.JPG
 
Looking at this thread I notice many comments here and in the Charlotte Street thread about the consulate but none to with these exhibits.
There is nothing to link them all to one particular person but that it not important. The phrase book need little comment, however the billeting authorisation does mention people. It seems to be in a ladies name? maybe the wife or relative of a soldier, Vinck Maria (Mary Finch)? The soldier mentioned is Piet De Meyer. The authorisation and agreement is for 15/- (fifteen shilling in old money ) per month and was for the address in Enville Street, Stourbridge. Those who know Stourbridge will know that this road goes west from the town centre to Stourton and Enville. The date is before the end of WW1 being in April of 1918.
The other documents was probably handed to all young Belgian combatants who were Catholic and from the Diocese of Brugge (Bruges). Its was principally for West Flemish (WestVlaamsche) schoolchildren who were leaving school and was a catechism question and answer booklet. However, it is also a sub script mentioning those leaving the Fatherland. Noticeably it was printed in 1917 by printers on Paris.
 
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