Glasgow Langside

The hostel was formerly the Gertrude Jacobson Orphanage, which opened in 1913. It was home to a group of the Boys in 1946, who moved there from Cardross.

THE LANGSIDE STORY

The hostel was situated on the south side of the city in Sinclair drive. The building had been demolished.

Living space was crowded, as Harry Olmer recalls. "I was in a room with 6 other boys with only a chair between each bed."

They were advised to learn a trade and Olmer studied dental mechanics. In the evenings they attended classes, studying English, maths, German and Polish amongst other subjects. They spent their free time at the nearby cinema or at the Tarbut Hebrew club.

The Scottish Jewish Archives Centre in Glasgow (www.sjac.org.uk) has a large collection of material about Jewish refugees in Scotland before, during and after the Second World War. 

The Boys

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The Staff

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Olmer remembers the cook Julie Mahrer fondly. She was Austrian, came to England before the war. Moved with the Boys from Cardross. She later worked at the Primrose Club.