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Lithuanians in Lanarkshire |
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The Lithuanian community suffered further decline in Scotland throughout the inter-war period as the depression forced many to move on, and the rebuilding schemes of the 1930s knocked down the old miner's "raws" and Lithuanian families were moved to new estates, where they were separated from other members of the community.
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However, the years following the Second World War provided a new influx of immigrants. The storms of the war in Europe had stranded many people far from their native lands, with little or no documentation to prove their identity. These new settlers were known as Displaced Persons, or DPs for short, and, of the 100,875 DPs granted permission to settle in Britain, 5,372 were Lithuanian. Although most of these new arrivals chose to stay in England, several hundred came north, to settle in the Lithuanian heartland around Bellshill.
These new arrivals were to have a profound impact in maintaining the Lithuanian culture and heritage here. Together with some of the original families, by 1950 they had raised enough money to buy an old Episcopal church, which became the Scottish Lithuanian Institute. The Institute enabled the Lithuanians to meet up, hold dances and interact as a community again. Choirs and a folk-dancing group were established, a scout group kept young people involved, and a boys football team was sponsored, playing in the Lithuanian national colours of yellow, green and red. The Institute moved in 1979 and changed its name to the Scots Lithuanian Club, where it still acts as the focal point of the community, although the choirs, dancers and scouts are now defunct.
Today, the Lithuanian community in Scotland is not in good health. Most members are now third or fourth generation and as a consequence view themselves as Scots rather than Lithuanians. The Lithuanian language class run in the club now has only two members and as the number of Lithuanian speakers dwindles there is a real fear that all traces of a community which has been established for over a century will be lost. The line of Lithuanian priests, paid for by the St Casimir Society, continued until this year when Father Joseph MacAndrew was forced to retire through ill-health. As Father MacAndrew puts it: "When I started here there were 200 people coming to Lithuanian Mass, now we're down to about 30. I may well be the last of the Lithuanian priests, we have applied for a replacement, but whether another comes, we'll just have to wait and see."
With the Lithuanian Club celebrating its 25th anniversary next year there is a real sense among the members of the community that, unless the younger generations take an interest in their Lithuanian heritage, the community in Scotland will have assimilated itself out of existence.
Your comments
1 Zoe Owsnett from Eastbourne, East Sussex - 2 February 2004
"My Grandma was lithuanian. Ibelieve she was actually born in Scotland. Her original surname was Pazakausikus (i think this is the correct spelling), although it was changed to Mitchell. She often used to tell us stories of Granny Lisdas. She had 2 brothers,Frank and Matt, and 2 sisters Mary and Teresa. Her name was Annie. I know very little of her family history as she moved to the south with her husband Bob shortly after my mother Barbara was born in Bellshill in 1949. Unfortunately, all 3 of them passed away within 3weeks of each other in 1998 and it wasnt until they were gone that I realised how little knowledge I had of their history. I would dearly love to know more about these names. "
2 Jacob Leland from London - 14 November 2003
"This is a very interesting article which covered a side of history which is often overlooked, and is worthy of further investigation. I believe it to be very important for all immigrants to maintain cultural links with their homeland whilst still fully adapting to life in a new country. I think it is sad that the community is beginning to die out, but hopefully, as the article says,the younger generation will take an interest in their family history.
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