John Alban talk 2 August – Belgian Refugees and Swansea’s Belgian Community

Swansea Central Library, Saturday 2 August, 2pm.

As the First World War began, Britain suddenly received the largest movement of refugees in its history as 250,000 French and Belgians arrived fleeing the advancing Germans. Many refugees came to Swansea where they united with a pre-existing community of Belgian metal workers and lived in exile. Dr John Alban, Honorary Senior Lecturer, School of History at the University of East Anglia and former Norfolk County Archivist, explores the role the Belgians played in Swansea, and how they symbolised the conflict which began 100 years ago.

 

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