Synopses & Reviews
The Irish Famine of 1845-49 was a major modern catastrophe. The return of the potato blight in 1846 triggered a huge exodus of destitute Irish seeking refuge in British towns and 1847 witnessed an unprecedented inflow of Irish refugees into Britain. This book examines the scale of that refugee immigration, the conditions under which the refugees were carried to Britain, the relief operations mounted, the horrors of the typhus epidemic in Liverpool, Glasgow, Manchester, South Wales and the North-East, and the financial cost to the British ratepayers.
Synopsis
The appearance of the potato blight in Ireland in August 1845 was the beginning of a nightmare during which an estimated one million died. Over the period 1845-51, hundreds of thousands left Ireland, principally for North America and Britain. This book examines the experiences of those Famine Irish who sought refuge in Britain during 1847, the worst year of the Famine, and the relief operations launched in the host towns.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 282-285) and index.
Table of Contents
Preface and Acknowledgements - List of Figures and Tables - List of Appendices - Glossary of Abbreviations used in the text - Introduction - The Urban Environment and Pre-famine Irish Settlements - Escape - Arrival - Liverpool and the Irish Fever - Glasgow, South Wales and the Irish Fever - Survival and Dispersal - Removal - The Cost of the Famine Immigration - Postscript - Bibliography - Index