Belarusians in the United Kingdom
Encyclopedia
The Belarusian disapora in the United Kingdom is composed of Belarusian migrants and British-born people of Belarusian ancestry in the United Kingdom
. The 2001 UK Census recorded 1,154 Belarusian-born people living in the UK, while one historian estimates that 5,000 Belarusians live in the UK.
. According to estimates, in total around 10 to 12 thousand Belarusians arrived in the UK after the war. A significant portion of them later emigrated to other countries.
There have been Belarusian community centres in London
, Manchester
and Bradford
as well as several religious centres. The Belarusian St. Cyril of Turau Boys' School was active in London in the 1960s and 1970s. The Anglo-Belarusian Society was founded in 1954 to promote contacts between the Belarusian diaspora and the British establishment.
There are several Belarusian organisations in the UK, including the Association of Belarusians in Great Britain
, the Anglo-Belarusian Society and the Professional Union of Belarusians in Britain. There is a Belarusian Religious and Cultural Centre in Northern Finchley
that includes the Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The 2001 UK Census recorded 1,154 Belarusian-born people living in the UK, while one historian estimates that 5,000 Belarusians live in the UK.
History
According to researcher Natallia Hardzijenka, the first significant wave of immigration from Belarus to the UK took place in late 19th to early 20th century. Another significant wave came after the Second World War. It was largely composed of former Belarusian military personnel of the Polish Anders ArmyAnders Army
The Anders Army was the informal yet common name of the Polish Armed Forces in the East in the period 1941-1942, in recognition of its commander Władysław Anders...
. According to estimates, in total around 10 to 12 thousand Belarusians arrived in the UK after the war. A significant portion of them later emigrated to other countries.
Community
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
as well as several religious centres. The Belarusian St. Cyril of Turau Boys' School was active in London in the 1960s and 1970s. The Anglo-Belarusian Society was founded in 1954 to promote contacts between the Belarusian diaspora and the British establishment.
There are several Belarusian organisations in the UK, including the Association of Belarusians in Great Britain
Association of Belarusians in Great Britain
The Association of Belarusians in Great Britain is an organisation in the United Kingdom uniting members of the Belarusian diaspora.After the end of World War II, several thousands ethnic Belarusians landed in Britain. Most of these people were former soldiers of the Polish Anders Army.In 1946 the...
, the Anglo-Belarusian Society and the Professional Union of Belarusians in Britain. There is a Belarusian Religious and Cultural Centre in Northern Finchley
Finchley
Finchley is a district in Barnet in north London, England. Finchley is on high ground, about north of Charing Cross. It formed an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, becoming a municipal borough in 1933, and has formed part of Greater London since 1965...
that includes the Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum
Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum
Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum in London, England, is the only library outside Belarus to collect exclusively in the field of Belarusian studies and its collection is the most comprehensive in this field in Western Europe. The library is an independent institution owned by a...
.