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In 1915, a Belgian diamond merchant called Jacque Kryn, his brother George and a colleague, Raoul Lahy, fled their native country and arrived in Letchworth.

Local stories suggest that Jaques鈥� pockets were filled with diamonds. Whether or not that鈥檚 true; he used some of his wealth to help set up a munitions factory in the town, which made millions of shells during the course of the war.

By the end of 1916, around 2000 Belgians were living in Letchworth. To meet their housing needs, new properties were built in the Westbury Area which became known as 鈥渓ittle Belgium鈥�.

After the war, many of the refugees returned home but a tribute to them remains in Letchworth鈥檚 Howard Park. The Curator of The Garden City Collection, Victoria Axell, examines the artefacts they hold, that tell the story.

Location: Letchworth, Hertfordshire SG6 1BE
Image: Belgian refugees working in the factory produced millions of shells over the course of the way. Photograph courtesy of The Garden City Collection, Letchworth Garden City

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