Joshua Bennett
Harland and Wolff was once the dominant employer of Belfast's Protestant population, and the company had a reputation for driving out its Catholic employees in the late 1800s. By the 20th century, the company was known for only employing Protestants, and in 1920, Catholics and socialists were violently expelled from the company, marking the start of large-scale sectarian violence in the city. However, some sources suggest that Catholics were employed by Harland and Wolff but only in the most dangerous and lowest-paying jobs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Catholic workers in 1912 | 3,000 |
| Treatment of Catholic workers | Employed only in the most dangerous and lowest-paid jobs |
| Catholic workers' job security | Harland and Wolff drove away Catholic employees in the late 1800s |
| Catholic workers' safety | Catholic workers were subjected to violence and discrimination |
| Catholic workers' job roles | Catholics were employed in "rough labour" such as "lifting and hefting" work |
| Catholic workers' political leanings | Catholics were deemed "disloyal" and were violently expelled from the company during the civil unrest in 1920 |
| Company's stance on sectarian violence | The firm's management turned a blind eye to militant sectarianism |
| Union's stance on sectarian violence | Trade unions failed to force a change in attitude and protect Catholic workers |
| Company's reputation | Harland and Wolff had a reputation for only employing Protestants |
| Impact of sectarian violence | The economic depression in Belfast in the mid-1920s left few job opportunities for expelled Catholic workers |
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What You'll Learn
Harland and Wolff's Catholic workers were employed for the most dangerous jobs
Harland and Wolff was once the dominant employer of Belfast's Protestant population. By the 20th century, the company had a reputation for only employing Protestants, and Catholics faced massive discrimination in Belfast during this time. In the early days, the trade guilds kept themselves Protestant by closing apprenticeships to Catholics.
However, some sources indicate that Harland and Wolff did employ some Catholics, but they were only employed in the most dangerous jobs, which were also the lowest-paid. These jobs were considered rough labour and involved "lifting and hefting" work. The accident records from the early years are said to show a higher number of Irish surnames among the injured and dead.
There is also evidence of violence and riots targeting Catholic workers at Harland and Wolff. In 1886, an estimated 1,000 shipwrights attacked and drove away Catholic navvies. In 1920, Catholics and socialists were violently expelled from the company, with hundreds of apprentices marching into the yard and ordering Catholics out. This sparked three days of civil unrest in the city that resulted in more than a dozen deaths.
The unequal employment of Catholics and Protestants at Harland and Wolff was partly due to the company's habit of employing relatives of existing workers, creating and maintaining a Protestant majority. Additionally, trade unions failed to force a change in attitudes and protect Catholic workers.
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Catholic workers were expelled from the company in 1920
Harland and Wolff (H&W) was a company with a dominant Protestant workforce. While some sources claim that the company did not employ Catholics, others suggest that Catholics were employed but only for the most dangerous and lowest-paid jobs. H&W's habit of employing relatives of existing workers contributed to the growing number of Protestants in the workforce.
On July 21, 1920, at a time of heightened tension following the murder of a policeman by the Irish Republican Army, notices appeared in the H&W shipyards, calling on the predominantly Protestant workforce to drive out "disloyal" workers. Hundreds of apprentices marched into the yard and violently expelled Catholics and socialists, kicking them and pelting them with rivets. This incident sparked three days of civil unrest in Belfast, resulting in more than a dozen deaths. The violence extended beyond H&W, with Catholic workers expelled from other major Belfast businesses.
The expulsion of Catholics from H&W was not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of sectarian violence and discrimination in Belfast during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. H&W's workers were heavily unionized and actively participated in sectarian pogroms, reflecting the bitter divisions within the city. The company's management turned a blind eye to militant sectarianism, and the union response to these incidents was inadequate.
The economic depression that hit Belfast in the mid-1920s made it difficult for expelled Catholic workers to regain their jobs, and the city was engulfed in sectarian violence during the summer months. The expulsion of Catholics from H&W and other businesses contributed to the political and religious divisions in Belfast and the creation of a six-county state.
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Catholic workers were a minority at Harland and Wolff
Harland and Wolff was the dominant employer of Belfast's Protestant population. By the 20th century, the company had driven out its Catholic employees and gained a reputation for only employing Protestants. The trade guilds kept apprenticeship programmes closed to Catholics, and trade unions failed to force a change in this attitude. Catholics were employed but only in the most dangerous jobs with the lowest pay.
In 1920, Harland and Wolff violently expelled Catholic and socialist workers from the company. This was part of a broader wave of sectarian violence that engulfed Belfast. Hundreds of apprentices and rivet boys marched into the yard, kicking and beating Catholic workers, and pelting them with rivets. Some were forced to swim for their lives. This was the start of three days of civil unrest in the city, resulting in more than a dozen deaths.
Despite this violent history, some sources suggest that Harland and Wolff did employ some Catholics. One source notes that their father, who was Catholic, served an apprenticeship at Harland and Wolff as a fitter during the building of the Titanic. Another source claims that their father and grandfather, who worked at Harland and Wolff for 92 years between them, had Catholic friends at the company. They also note that the number of Catholic workers in 1912 has been estimated at around 3,000, a minority but a significant number.
The unequal employment of Catholics and Protestants at Harland and Wolff was partly due to the company's habit of employing relatives of existing workers. Once the Protestant majority was created, it was hard to reduce.
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Catholics faced massive discrimination in Belfast
Harland and Wolff's workforce was heavily unionized and well-paid by local standards, and they were enthusiastic participants in every major sectarian pogrom in the 19th and 20th centuries. The company's history of discrimination against Catholics is often ignored in favor of Titanic-themed nostalgia.
Catholics were employed at Harland and Wolff, but only in the most dangerous and lowest-paid jobs. They were also subjected to violent attacks by their Protestant colleagues. In 1886, an estimated 1000 shipwrights attacked and drove away Catholic navvies. In 1920, Catholics and socialists were violently expelled from the company, with some being kicked, beaten, and pelted with rivets. This was the start of three days of civil unrest in Belfast that resulted in more than a dozen deaths. Catholic workers were also expelled from other major Belfast businesses, and very few ever got their jobs back.
The discrimination against Catholics in Belfast was not limited to Harland and Wolff. During the period of the home rule question, Protestants dominated the city's economy and used their economic power to secure partition, despite being a small majority over Catholics in the province.
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Harland and Wolff's workforce was heavily unionised
The unionisation of Harland and Wolff's workforce was not always a force for positive change. In the 1960s and 1970s, trade union members who were also members of loyalist murder gangs organised strikes along with reactionary forces in Irish politics. The firm's management turned a blind eye to the militant sectarianism of its unionised workforce.
The unionisation of Harland and Wolff's workforce was also influenced by the company's political allegiances. The company's founder, Edward Harland, opposed Home Rule for Ireland, fearing it would harm business prospects. Harland and Wolff's yard in East Belfast, a predominantly Protestant area, became a symbol of Ulster Unionism. The company's unionised workers reflected the political attitudes of the broader Protestant community, which felt threatened by the quest for independence in the South of Ireland.
The union response to the potential job losses at Harland and Wolff in recent years has been criticised as abysmal. Harland and Wolff's workforce has a history of militant sectarianism and participation in sectarian violence, which must be addressed in any plans for the company's future.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Harland and Wolff did employ Catholics, but they were a minority. In 1912, the number of Catholic workers was estimated to be around 3,000. Catholics were often relegated to rough labour and the most dangerous, low-paying jobs. Harland and Wolff had a reputation for only employing Protestants, and in 1920, Catholic workers were violently expelled from the company.
Catholics faced massive discrimination at Harland and Wolff. They were often employed only for rough labour and the most dangerous, low-paying jobs. In 1886, around 1000 shipwrights attacked and drove away Catholic navvies. In 1920, notices appeared in the shipyards calling on Protestant workers to drive out "disloyal" workers, resulting in violent attacks on Catholics and their expulsion from the company.
The treatment of Catholics at Harland and Wolff contributed to the bitter divisions in Belfast and acted as a barrier to working-class solidarity. It also fueled sectarian violence and played a role in the creation of the six-county state. The company's violent sectarian past must be addressed in any plans for its future.
Yes, there are accounts of Protestant workers defending their Catholic colleagues against outsiders. Additionally, some people shared stories of their Catholic and Protestant relatives working at Harland and Wolff, indicating that friendships and mutual respect did exist between Catholics and Protestants within the company.
