Liverpool Communities - Polish

St Peter's ( The Polish Church )

There has been a Polish presence in Liverpool dating back to at least the 1830s, with a Polish identity card found from this period.With a 10,000-strong Polish community across Merseyside, it was conflict, oppression and instability in their homeland that gave rise to the first two 'waves' of immigration, at the end of the 19th century and during and after World War II. Merseyside Polonia worker Magdalena said: "Thousands of Polish and Lithuanians political and cultural elites emigrated, especially after the failure of several uprisings (November Uprising 1830-1831, Krakow uprising of 1846 and the January Uprising of 1863-1864). So by the later 1800s large numbers of Jewish people had come to Liverpool from the Russian Empire, which then included places like Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Liverpool was well placed to receive the many emigrants from the countries of north western Europe, such as the Scandinavians, Russians and Poles who crossed the North Sea to Hull by steamer and then travelled to Liverpool by train. There has since been a major influx of Polish people moving to the UK since Poland joined the EU in 2004, and Liverpool’s Polish community is the fastest growing in the city.

Merseyside Polonia has been a huge success in bringing together people of different cultural backgrounds and helping new Polish arrivals engage fully with Liverpool life. Gosia McKane, founder of Merseyside Polonia, has been awarded one of Poland’s highest honours – the Polish Civil State Award: the Silver Cross of Merit, established in 1923, to recognise services to the state. It is awarded to citizens who go beyond the call of duty in their work for the country and society as a whole. Gosia arrived in Liverpool from Poland in 2000 and set up the charitable organisation Merseyside Polonia in 2008 to develop positive relationships between the Polish Community and local residents. Monthly events at a range of venues in Kensington and the city centre across the city are opening up Poland’s heritage, history and culture for everyone, giving people the chance to enjoy Polish films, food, art, photo exhibitions and stories. Hundreds of people have attended the events, including Polonia’s hugely popular Christmas and Easter celebrations. As well as giving people the opportunity to get to know Liverpool’s Polish community better, the events serve as a platform to develop new ideas and projects, discuss community issues and share information about local services. In the aftermath of Brexit, hate crimes to non-UK nationals living in the UK were on the rise across the country with some shocking and disgusting attacks on foreign nationals including Polish people. However, in Liverpool, Polish communities have said they felt just as welcome after the Brexit vote and class Merseyside as an inclusive place for their countrymen.

Prime Minister of Poland and Commander-in-Chief General Wladyslaw Sikorski

  

The Polish School of Architecture was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of Poland and Commander-in-Chief, General Wladyslaw Sikorski in November 1942, although the school had actually been in operation from June 1941. Here staff and students worked on theoretical schemes such as for the rebuilding of a specified Polish village, along with designs for hospitals, blocks of flats, factories, town halls and the like.

Following on from the Polish Walking Heritage Tour, first held in September 2017, there is now a bus tour exploring the community's history. Taking in sites that have a connection to Poland, Merseyside Polonia worker Magdalena said: "We are planning to discover places related to Polish Pilots and squadrons who stationed in Liverpool during WWII. We will head over to the South of Liverpool as there used to be a Polish Community Club called Millennium". During these tours many people share stories about their parents who came to the UK after WWII, the White Eagle Club in Liverpool 8 and the Polish church. Alma de Cuba, one of Liverpool’s most vivid and vibrant social venues, was originally built in 1788 by Rev A.B MacDonald as St Peter's, serving as a Catholic place of worship until 1976. First opening on the 7th of September 1788, the church was set in a grassy and rural area, known today as the bustling Seel Street.  The architecture of the church followed a simplistic structure, with basic brickwork and few unique features. However, over the years the church was enlarged and fitted with beautiful features including stunning stained glass windows and a magnificent altar. During the Blitz of 1940-1941, St Peter's was notably damaged by bombs but was repaired in later years and went on to serve Liverpool's local Polish community and was fittingly renamed 'Our Lady of Czestochowa', earning the affectionate nickname 'the Polish Church'. 

There are many Polish Restaurants in Liverpool as Polish food is delicious and here you don't have to settle for the UK’s often lackluster menus. Everyone can still dine out and enjoy excellent Polish food in the city that is littered with fine Polish eateries and bakeries.

 

In Liverpool the exhibition, The Beatle's Story, has just launched a Polish-language version of its audio tours in view of a fast-growing number of visitors from Poland. May 2103 saw the arrival of a Polish warship to deliver the last foreign naval memorial for Liverpool Pier Head during the Battle of the Atlantic commemoration. A plaque will mark the contribution of Polish seamen who served on the side of Britain and the Allies in the Battle of the Atlantic. Pat Moran, Liverpool Retired Seafarers' Association chairman said, " Polish warships left their country's homeports to join the Allies and fight in the Battle of the Atlantic. There were also a very large number of Polish Merchant Navy seamen who headed in to Liverpool. Britain’s Allies such as Poland were vital to help our cause and their contribution is so easily over-looked."

see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2022/03/liverpool-communities-welsh.html