Drawing on a wide range of documentary and oral sources, including interviews with refugees, this book explores the responses in Manchester to those threatened by the rise of Fascism in Europe. By exploring the responses of particular segments of Manchester society, from Jewish communal organisations and the Zionist movement to the Christian churches, pacifist organisations and private charities, it offers a critical analysis of the factors which facilitated and limited the work of rescue and their effect on the lives of the seven or eight thousand refugees Spanish, Italian, German, Austrian and Czech who arrived in Manchester between 1933 and 1940.

Bill Williams is an Honorary Fellow of the Centre for Jewish Studies, University of Manchester

Preface1. Introduction: Jewish refugees in Manchester2. Speak no evil: Manchester Jewry and refugees, 1933373. Displaced scholars: Refugees at the University of Manchester4. Refugees and Eccles cakes: Refugee industrialists in the Manchester region5. Something ought to be done: Manchester Quakers and refugees, 1933-376. The forgotten refugees: Manchester and the Basque children of 19377. The work of succouring refugees is going forward: The Manchester Jewish Refugees Committee 1939408. Serious concern: The Manchester Quakers and refugees, 1938-409. Our remaining comrades in Czechoslovakia: The Manchester branch of the KPD10. Not because they are Jews: The Catholic Church in Salford and refugees11. Inspired idealism: Rabbi Dr. Solomon Schonfeld and Manchester12. The Harris House girls: Girls from the kindertransporte in Southport13. A haven of safety: Refugees and the Manchester womens lodge of Bnai Brith14. Outposts of Jewish Palestine: Young Zionist refugees in Manchester15. The most difficult boys to handle: Refugees at the Stockport hostel, 1939-4016. By the grace of the almighty: Refugees and the Manchester yeshiva17. From slavery and persecution to freedom and kindness: Refugees at the Manchester Home for the Jewish Aged18. Bright young refugees: Refugees and schools in the Manchester region19. Humanitarianism of the greatest value: Manchester Rotarians and refugees20. The saved and the trapped: Refugees and those they left behind21. The Dutch orphans: War refugees in Manchester22. Pacifism and rescue: The case of Lionel Cowan23. Conclusion: The victims of fascism and the liberal cityBibliographyIndex