Baltic people in the United Kingdom

Infobox Ethnic group
group = Baltic British


caption =
Notable Britons of Baltic origin:
Lembit Öpik
poptime = Estimates vary
250,000 - 420,000
Lithuanians 200,000 [ [http://www.londoniete.lt/content_57.html Lithuanians in the UK] ]
Latvians 30,000 - 200,000 [ [http://latvianabroad.blogspot.com/2007/09/latvians-in-ireland-and-uk-numbers-part.html Latvians in the UK] ]
Estonians 14,000 [ [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=GB Estonian speakers in the UK] ]
Between 0.4% and 0.7% of the UK's population
popplace = London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow
langs = English, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, some Russian.
rels = Christianity, Orthodox, Judaism
related-c = Baltic peopleBaltic people in the United Kingdom are those born or raised/resident in the UK who are of Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian origin.

History, population and settlement

In the early 20th century, many Latvian and Lithuanian refugees began to settle in Glasgow and at its height in the 1950s, there were around 10,000 in the Glasgow area. [cite web| url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1692714,00.html| title=Lithuanians in Glasgow|date=2006-01-23| author=The Guardian| accessdate=2007-07-09]
During the first period of Estonian independence in the inter-war years, Great Britain, and, especially, London, became a magnet for many young people from Estonia wishing to learn English. This was made easier by a bi-lateral agreement drawn up by the British (Agreement A), which allowed foreigners to live with English families and get board and lodging in return for housekeeping duties. After the initial influx, the number of immigrants gradually reduced as people were more able to find work and, as a result, they gravitated to a few towns and cities, in particular London, Leicester and Bradford, with smaller communities in and around Bolton, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Nottingham, Bournemouth and some north of the border in Scotland [cite web| url=http://www.estonia.gov.uk/estonian_community_in_uk| title=The Estonian community in the UK|date=2008| author=UK Estonian Embassy| accessdate=2008-09-17]

Notable people with Baltic connections

Lithuanian British people
* Sacha Baron Cohen
* Herbert Beerbohm Tree
* Max Beerbohm
* Matt Busby
* John Gielgud
* Domino Harvey
* Phill Jupitus
* Billy McNeill
* Johnny Ramensky
* Carol Reed
* Oliver Reed

Latvian British people
* Gustav Holst
* Adam Legzdins
* David Suchet
* John Suchet
* Augusts Vilis Abakuks

Estonian British people
* Lembit Öpik

References

Bibliography

* Burrell, Kathy and Panayi, Panikos: "Histories and Memories: Latvians and Their History in Britain" [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=KK0GR2ZrVL4C&pg=PA89&lpg=PA89&dq=%22Lithuanians+in+Britain%22&source=web&ots=oZbl4pS0tc&sig=S_XsRo2Mg6xOywx_JJZYt3Ryo8s&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result]
* Budriuniene, Jolonta: "Regeneration of the Lithuanian Emigrant Press: Fifteen Years' Experience" [http://www.kirmus.ee/baltic_archives_abroad_2006/kogumik/eng/Budriuniene_eng.pdf]

External links

* [http://www.hyperbia.co.uk/baltic.html The Baltic Music information centre UK]
* [http://www.abdn.ac.uk/~pol206/ukbalt.htm UK Baltic Study Group]
* [http://www.estonians.co.uk/ Association of Estonians in Great Britain]
* [http://bradfordeestikodu.blogspot.com/ Bradford Eesti Kodu Club]
* [http://www.dbljs.org Great Britain Lithuanian Youth Association]
* [http://www.labrit.co.uk/index.htm Latvians in Britain]
* [http://www.lnpl.org.uk/ Latvian National Council]
* [http://www.dvmaja.com/straumeni_hous.html Straumeni manor Latvian cultural centre]
* [http://www.labrit.co.uk/koris.html London Lativian Choir]
* [http://www.dvmaja.com/2.htm Latvian Welfare Fund]
* [http://www.latvians.co.uk/ Latvians in London]
* [http://www.draudze.org.uk/majas.htm United London Latvian Church]