The Scottish emigrants of Canada confronted economic, social and cultural challenges in their journey to their new country throughout the 18th and 19th century. A key issue that all Scots suffered was the aspect of leaving family and friends behind for the search of healthier visions abroad. The Scot can be depicted to be ‘notoriously migratory people’ as a result of Scots emigrating from as early as the 17th century highlighted in the Darien Venture and still to present day. This essay will analyse vital aspects of the Scots emigration to Canada.
Fundamentally, throughout the 18th and 19th century, Scot emigrants in particular the highlands were driven away from Scotland due to economic and social disturbance. The economic and social disturbance concluded due to an increase in agricultural reformation and an influx of high household and equipment payments. This suffering joined with a preposition for freehold land grants in Canada enticed many Scots to emigrate. The mid-19th century depicted due to the highland clearances, an inadequate treatment and provisions received by the Scots due to landlords and agencies abusing the Scots faith by transferring a large quantity of Scots to Canada for minimum cost. The Scots suffered physically and socially due to not receiving adequate care when relocation from the Highlands. Furthermore, John Gordon was condemned for his allegedly brutal recruitment techniques used in gathering emigrants from his in South Uist and Barra. Alexander MacKenzie blatantly, supports the view that highland emigration was an ample clearance, incessant ‘tragedy of savage’ and any aspect of voluntary emigration was obliterated from the public mind.
Essentially, emigration in general was viewed to be an elucidation for poverty and congestion. Depression and unemployment was strong amongst Scotland after the First World War and this highlighted the appeal of emigration to Canada for the Scots. The Empire Settlement Act secured many subsidised passages for the 600 Hebrideans voyage to Canada from Lochboisdale and Stornoway in April 1923. The scots utilised their skills for agriculture or heavy industries to attain economic growth and enhanced status. Rural Scots were attracted to Canada as a result of the prospect of independent owning of land. The Scots were facing eradication of farming probabilities in Scotland and this is why economically and for health reasons Scots emigrated to Canada. The Scots were encouraged to emigrate due to the enticement of purchasing a farm for the equivalent of a year’s rent in Scotland. Socially and culturally this appealed to the Scots as they make roots in Canada without facing eviction and could bequeath their property to their children. The scots were receiving an opportunity to create roots in Canada, therefore, beneficially in all aspects.
Areas such as Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire was known to assist Scots financially due to approximately 35 emigration societies distributing care and network advice to aid them in their journey. The Aberdeen Ladies’ Union (1883-1914) was a small organisation that aimed to achieve Canada’s incessant command for household servants. Furthermore, they supported readdressing the imbalance of gender in both Scotland and Canada in terms of healthier employment opportunities for both male and female. Additionally, they offered supervised passages for Scots whom may hesitate to emigrate with reassurance and comfort. Therefore, it can be conveyed that the scots were supported socially and due to there being networks established it helped reassure Scots their emigration decisions were supported. Furthermore, close family members and friends were instrumental in persuading Scots to emigrate as they often correspond with details of their journey through the creation of letters. This correspondence offered encouragement and occasionally advice for family members and friends in aid of them crossing the Atlantic Ocean. In addition, those who did receive support from family members or friends were aided in their decision generally by the persuasion of newspaper advertisements or paid agents from recruitment campaigns. Agents were placed in various location throughout the British Isles to aid and persuade the public to emigrate. In particular, agents were established in Glasgow from 1869, North East Scotland from 1907 and North of Scotland from 1923. The support provided through the recruitment agencies did not only benefit the people whom emigrated but established a secure employment status for the agents employed by the recruitment companies. Therefore, the support impacted all socially in their journey to Canada.
Ethnic deliberations often moulded settlement patterns. “We’ll take Scotland with us, a kingdom of mind” highlighted that the emigrants brought ‘ethnic anchors’ to Canada and as a result, permitted the Scots to assimilate fond memories and foundations of Scotland into their home – Canada. Highlanders with their fondness for community established built up Gaelic speaking areas for their countrymen in areas such as Glengarry, Cape Breton Island and the prairie colonies of Benbecula. This establishment created a ‘home from home’ feeling for all emigrants and allowed them to present who they were and as a result the majority of their identity remained intact. Furthermore, the Gaelic language a clear icon of the Scottish identity was kept alive throughout the emigration, in order to attain the Scottish identity . In addition, emigrants from across Scotland reproduced key principles of their hometowns. They key principles could be from architecture, institutions of their place of birth, hierarchies and place names. This introduction of principles from Scotland evolved certain areas of Canada into relics of Scotland and comforted the Scottish emigrants as well as evolving Canada socially and culturally.
Undeniably, there was opposition and challenges in the Scots creating keepsakes from their birthplace. The progression of Gaelic became questionable as a result of the perception that English was the language of progress. Arguably a loss of identity is depicted with negative perception of the Scots of Pictou, Nova Scotia in 1859. The Scots were displayed to be a ‘canting, covenanting, oat-eating, money-griping tribe of second – hand Scotch Presbyterians’ . The identity the Scots hoped to attain was displeasing to fellow emigrants and the native of Canada. Therefore, it can be deemed that Scots suffered emotionally and culturally due to renowned attributes being classed as irritable and isolated them from growing in terms of family and financially. The desire to keep Gaelic alive in Canada can be viewed to be of a hindrance. The fight for Gaelic to strive would prevent emigrants from socialising with the Canadians. Furthermore, this highlights the Scots were not well perceived due to their desire to hold on firmly to what they have left of their home – Scotland.
Unquestionably, the Scots faced economic, social and culturally challenges as a result of immigrating to Canada. Scots faced the decision of emigration due to many reasons. The reformation of agricultural in Scotland left Scots in poverty and stress regarding their finance and stability. The increase of high rent payment with poverty and unemployment growing, raised concerns over income and if they could afford to provide for their household and family. These economical concerns resulted emigration in becoming a ‘push factor’ for Scots in the hope for healthier prospects abroad. Encouragement from family, friends, neighbour and the support from recruitment agencies influenced the Scots to emigrate as there was the social support and reassurance. The subsidised passage fares was popular in aiding the Scots journey to Canada and various other parts of the worlds as it eradicated the fear of finance concerns. Furthermore, due to the subsidised fares, families were not limited on how many family members could immigrate to an extent which in turn, supported families socially and portrayed emigration to be an exciting prospect. It is apparent that there is fundamental signs of Scotland’s heritage in Canada and this supports the claim that there was a cultural awareness of Scots in Canada. However, due to the Scots holding onto their identity many did not evolve into the native groups and as a result earned the identity of a shrewd and hardworking person. They were viewed to be an isolated demographic due to wanting to progress with their identity they knew from Scotland but as a result, there is a clear sign of Scotland in Canada. Therefore, the Scottish emigrants of Canada confronted economic, social and cultural challenges in their journey to their new country throughout the 18th and 19th century.
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