Italians in Scotland
Italian immigrants to Scotland during the late 19th and early 20th centuries constituted a significant portion of the country’s newcomers, making up just less than 20 percent of the total influx of Italian immigrants to the United Kingdom during that period. Seeking better economic opportunities and escaping poverty, Italians settled in various Scottish cities and towns, establishing communities that retained their cultural distinctiveness. They brought with them their traditions, language, and culinary expertise and channelled these into their entrepreneurial ventures. Italian-owned cafes, restaurants, and ice cream parlours became fixtures in Scottish towns and cities, contributing to the diversity of the gastronomic landscape.
Yet Italian immigrants faced challenges and discrimination in their new homeland. Scottish society was underpinned by division and sectarianism between Protestants and Catholics, and Italians were inserted into these religious tensions. In the 1930s, the rise of fascism, while fostering a newfound fortified sense of national Italian identity, simultaneously vilified Italians as political and social enemies. The Second World War critically amplified these existing prejudices towards Italians. Following Italy’s declaration of war on the 10th of June 1940, this xenophobia led to anti-Italian riots, vandalism of businesses, and, even greater social ostracism. The British government, fearing potential espionage or sabotage by enemy sympathisers, immediately implemented measures to control and monitor Italian immigrants and their descendants.
The British government took the step of interning and deporting a significant number of Italian nationals, as well as some Scottish-born Italians. No assessments of any individual Italian’s loyalties were conducted prior to arrest, leading to the forced removal, internment and deportation of numerous Italians politically opposed to fascism as well as numerous ‘ordinary’ Italians with long residence in Scotland.
On July 2nd 1940, the SS Arandora Star, a ship deporting Italians internees, Germans and Austrian Jewish refugees and Prisoners of War from Scotland to Canada, was torpedoed by a German U-Boat off the northwest coast of Ireland. This attack claimed the lives of around 805 men, of which 442 were Italian. This painful chapter in Italian Scottish history deeply affected families across Scotland and has since left an enduring memory of wartime suffering. The commemoration of these losses is strongly upheld by Italian communities in Scotland, as demonstrated by the Italian Cloister Garden and Arandora Star Memorial at St Andrew’s Catholic Cathedral in Glasgow.
In the decades following World War II, the lingering effects and memories of discrimination, conflict and loss, continued to permeate the Italian Scottish community. However, with the extension of electoral rights by Italy to Italians living abroad, and the UK’s entry into the EU, Italian Scots were more able to openly embrace their Italian heritage and identity. Notable figures like Eduardo Paolozzi, Rolando Ugolini, Richard Demarco, Peter Capaldi, Lewis Capaldi, Nicola Benedetti, Paolo Nutini, Jack Vettriano, Armando Iannucci, Ann Marie Di Mambro, and Tom Conti highlight the profound and successful impact that Scots Italians have had on Scotland’s cultural landscape.
The Italian Scottish identity is ever evolving, shaped by a multitude of influences spanning from the rise of nationalism in the early 20th century Europe, to the global upheaval of two world wars, as well as shifts in domestic Italian politics and changes in European political and economic topography. These pivotal events and forces have left far-reaching imprints on local and individual experiences. The concept of altreitaliae carries particular significance here, reflecting the existence of ‘other Italys’ beyond national borders.
Against the backdrop of Italian migration to Scotland, these images offer a contextual lens through which to understand the challenges, resilience, and contributions of Italian immigrants to their adopted homeland. From everyday moments to significant cultural milestones, each photograph offers a glimpse into the rich tapestry of Italian life in Scotland, inviting visitors to engage with and reflect on the diverse transnational narratives woven into the fabric of Scottish society.