A Welcome in the Hills: Refugees in Cumberland in the 1930s and 1940s

About

Join Rob David at Muncaster Castle on Tuesday 25 August for a fascinating talk on a little-known aspect of Cumbrian history.

This illustrated lecture examines the lives of refugees who came to Cumberland from Spain, Czechoslovakia, Austria and Germany during the 1930s and 1940s, and the welcome they received in the county. The talk includes the story of the Basque children who came to the north of the county in 1937, the Czechs who fled from Hitler's occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1938 and 1939 and lived in hostels at Caldbeck and near Keswick, the Jewish refugees who fled Austria and Germany in the 1930s and lived in many communities in west Cumberland, including on the Muncaster estate, and other refugees from a number of European countries who were invited to establish industries in the various depressed towns along the coast in order to boost employment opportunities. The significant role of a number of determined individuals who led the county's response, mainly women, is highlighted.