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Irene Stewart was just one of 250,000 Belgian refugees who fled their homes to seek refuge in Britain during World War One. This was the largest refugee movement in British history.

They arrived at Folkestone and most then moved on to other areas of the country. Support for the refugees was mainly provided by charities and there was a high degree of public sympathy and willingness to help them.

Charlotte and her baby Irene were two of the first refugees to arrive in Malvern in 1915. Belgian refugees were also cared for at Hergest near Kington and at Hagley. The pair had crossed the channel on a coal boat and they would have stood out from the other refugees. Irene was mixed race, her father was a Belgian Congolese soldier who had been killed in the first months of conflict.

Charlotte struggled to find work so at first she and her baby lived in the Belgian hostel before moving to the local workhouse. She then left Malvern for Swansea, leaving Irene to be adopted by a local couple, the Bishops.

Irene鈥檚 son Stewart has traced his mother鈥檚 story with help from Faith Renger from Malvern Museum and historians across the world. Although he has found many answers he still has many questions, most notably how did a Belgian Congolese soldier and a maid from rural Herefordshire first meet and fall in love?

Location: Malvern, Herefordshire WR14 3HB
Image of the baby refugee Irene, who was adopted by local Malvern couple The Bishops
Photograph courtesy of Stuart Dove

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