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Little Belgium in Lymm, Oughtrington Hall: The Henry Ford Archive

Throughout almost the whole of the First World War, Oughtrington Hall, (now part of Lymm High School) was home to a colony of Belgium Refugees who had fled to England along with 250,000 others to escape the German invasion. The colony was funded entirely by Henry Ford, the motor car magnate.

Until recently, little was known about the group beyond the fact of their existence. Now you have a glimpse into their lives from a unique archive of photographs and letters. Here, they detail the story of how and why the Belgians came to Lymm and how Henry Ford got involved.

Thank you to the Henry Ford and where you can browse and learn more about their archival collections at www.thehenryford.org

Items in this collection

A Belgian man checking the post box at Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

Bathroom, Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

Bedroom for Belgian Refugees, Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

Bedroom, Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

Belgian ladies cleaning the floor, Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

Belgian refugees at Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

Belgian school children at Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

Belgian Shoemaker, Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

Chapel Altar, Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

Chapel, Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

Child with nursemaid, Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

Children's Bedroom, Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

Covered tennis court, Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

Cutting wood, Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

Dining Room, Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

Entrance hall, Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

Kitchen, Oughtrington Hall. circa 1915 — Default Images

Nursery for the Belgian children, Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

Oughtrington Hall and the Belgian Refugees

Oughtrington Hall Financial Statement, April 30, 1915 — Default Images

Oughtrington Hall, Lymm in Cheshire, England, circa 1915 — Default Images

Oughtrington Hall, Operating as a World War I Belgian Refugee Center in Cheshire, England, circa 1915 — Default Images

People's Sitting Room, looking through the doorway into the Smoking Room, Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

School for Belgian Refugee Children, Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

School for Belgian Refugees, Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

Servants' dining hall, Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

Stables at Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

Staircase, Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

The Laundry at Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

The Piggery. Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images

The Sewing Room, Oughtrington Hall, circa 1915 — Default Images