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Looking Back: Temporal and Spatial Connections of Post-War Migration and Displacement Through the Eyes of the Toronto Telegram

War Guests, (Im)migrants, and Refugees

Introduction

During the selection phase of this archive, I noted the varying language used by Telegram staff in describing the people in their photographs. The terms that repeatedly appeared were "War Guest", "immigrant" or "migrant", and "refugee". What was interesting about the use of these specific terms was the patterns I found in the photo's subjects faces.

War Guests

In additional research, I was not able to come across a formal definition for "war guest", but in using the word, "guest," it can be inferred that those who were called War Guests were only staying in whatever location, temporarily. In recalling her memories of the Second World War, Ruth Barton Tassara explained that it was disrespectful to call the war guests "evacuees", despite that being what they were. She said in coming to Canada, it felt as though her and her sister, Anne, were going on a holiday, and the Canadian children she attended school with affectionately called Britain, "Mother Country."

(Im)migrants

Immigrant, noun, a person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country.

Migrant, noun, a person who moves from one place to another, especially in order to find work or better living conditions.

Refugees

Refugee, noun, a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.

Oxford English Dictionary, s.v., "immigrant (n.)," accessed April 29, 2018.
Oxford English Dictionary, s.v., "migrant (n.)," accessed April 29, 2018.
Oxford English Dictionary, s.v., "refugee (n.)," accessed April 29, 2018.
Tassara, Ruth Barton. "Britain at War: 'War Guests' in Canada." The Telegraph. February 18, 2009.

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John Gomm, centre, was seen away by Teddy Hill, left, and Bill Leak
Argentinians en route to Vancouver (1/3)
Refugees from Poland "Jewish refugees from Poland wait at the railway station at Nachod, Czechoslovakia, on the frontier between that country and Poland. From Nachod they will be taken to Bratislava and from there proceed to Unrra camps in the United States zone of Austria. At a reception centre at Nachod, Polish jews crossing the frontier receive supplementary food and medical attention from the American Joint Distribution Committee." (Caption on back)
New Canadians from Italy and Greece get a warm, affectionate greeting to Toronto
Two fathers carry their sons in almost identical manner "118 Italian people, mostly elderly grandparents arrived Sunday affternoon. It is the second such group in two weeks. Two fathers carry their sons in almost identical manner. The tired youngsters, with their parents had been waiting since 9 am because the flight had originally been scheduled to arrive at 10 am. On left is Louis Tonon and his son, Claude, age 2 1/2. On right is Frank Francone and his son Vito, age 2." (Caption on back)
Statistics from World Refugee Year "Waiting for food--Refugee children wait for food at an emergency feeding station established by the government at Lavrion, Greece. These children, Greek refugees from Romania are typical of millions of refugees around the world. An estimated 20,000 live in 100 European refugee camps. Another 100,000 are outside the camps; there are 1,000,000 Chinese refugees in Hong Kong and another million displaced Arabs. The United Nations, in an effort to call attention to the problem an in hope of solving much of it, has sponsored World Refugee Year, which ends in June. The Canadian government has agreed to sponsor 100 tuberculosis refugees and their families from Europe. Such TB patients would not normally be permitted entry into Canada." (Picture attached not shown)
Argentinians en route to Vancouver (3/3)