STATISTICS: IRISH IMMIGRATION 1930s
This information is from the National Archives of Scotland.
It gives a statistical account of passenger numbers coming to Scotland from
Ireland.
The following primary sources are to be given out as a pack to small groups of students. The students’ role is to provide a short presentation on their findings.
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2009
MIGRATION AND EMPIRE (H, HISTORY) 1

STATISTICS: IRISH IMMIGRATION 1930s
National Archives of Scotland (HH1/564)
This is a letter dated 9th March 1932
BOARD OF TRADE
GREAT GEORGE STREET
SS.W.1.
S.411.32.
9th March, 1932
Dear Stewart,
In reply to your letter of 5th March, I enclose a statement showing the number of passengers carried between ports in the Irish Free State and ports in Scotland, as recorded in the returns furnished to the Board of Trade, in each of the years 1930 and 1931.
Yours sincerely
A. W. Flux
F.O. Stewart, Esq.
Passenger movement between ports in Scotland and ports in the Irish Free
State, 1930 and 1931.
Year Number of passengers leaving ports in
Scotland for ports in the
Irish Free State
Number of passengers arriving at ports in
Scotland from ports in the Irish Free State
1930
1931
21,239
21,322
22,252
21,328
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STATISTICS: IRISH IMMIGRATION 1930s
National Archives of Scotland (HH1/564)
This is a letter dated 24th February 1932
Home Office
Whitehall, S.W. 1.
432707/90.
24th February, 1932
Dear Vincent,
You wrote to me on the 26th November on the subject of Irish Immigration and the repatriation of migrants, arising out of the Report of the Committee of the Economic Advisory Council on Empire Migration.
A memorandum was prepared by this Departmen t and submitted to the
Committee on Empire migration in January, 1931, and as you know Mr.
Clynes wrote fully to the Prime Minister on this subject on the 13th August last.
The Home Secretary has considered the matter but he does not think he can add any further general observations to what has been said in the
Departmental memorandum and the letter of his predecessor to the Prime
Minister. Some further statistical information, however, has now been prepared and I enclose a copy of a table showing the prop ortion of convicted prisoners received into prisons in England and Wales who are Irish born. It will be seen that from 1911 to 1930 the percentage of Irish born prisoners had varied between a minimum of 5.6% in 1911 and a maximum of 6.6% in 1921.
Since 1923 the percentage has only once exceeded 6, viz: 6.06% in 1927.
The proportion is high compared with the proportion of Irish born persons to the whole population of England and Wales which was in 1901, 1.311%; in
1911, 1.04%; and in 1921, 0.963%.
Some information as to movements of population has been obtained from the
Board of Trade returns of passenger movements from and to the United
Kingdom and the Irish Free State (IFS) published in the Board of Trade
Journal of the 5th and 12th of March, 1931. The fo llowing figures are taken from these returns:
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STATISTICS: IRISH IMMIGRATION 1930s
1928
1929
1930
Passengers from
UK to IFS
350,718
363,531
= 363,135
Passengers from
IFS. to UK
362,292
375,605
= 371,819
Balance to UK
11.574
12.074
8,684
= subject to revision
These figures include traffic between the Isle of Man and the Irish Free State but not traffic over the Northern Ireland border.
The balance needs correction, however, since many persons travel to and from the Irish Free State via the United Kingdom.
The number of British emigrants from and immigrants into the Irish Free
State who travelled to or from non -European countries via the United
Kingdom were:
Emigrants from IFS
Emigrants into IFS to UK
Balance of emigrants
1929
1930
5,555
4,172
1,145
1,421
4,410
2,751
After deduction of these figures, it appears that the United Kingdom received a balance inward of passengers from the Irish Free State as follows:
1929 12,174 – 4,410 = 7,664
1930 8,684 – 2,571 = 5,933
It is understood that some further information will be available w hen the census returns for 1931 are fully tabulated, including, as regards Scotland, information as to the length of residence of Irish -born persons.
A copy of this letter is being sent to the Scottish Office and the Dominions
Office.
Yours sincerely
H.G. Vincent, Esq., C.V.O.
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© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2009

STATISTICS: IRISH IMMIGRATION 1930s
Look at all the statistics available in these government papers.
In your group discuss the numbers of Irish immigrants who were coming to
Britain during the 1920s and 1930s.
Additionally there are figures for immigr ants returning to Ireland. What conclusions can be drawn from them?
What impact do you think this had on Scottish society?
© Learning and Teaching Scotland 2009
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