大象传媒

Manchester has a tradition of being a melting pot of different cultures because of trade links developed through the cotton trade. The outbreak of war in August 1914 meant these links were stretched and in some cases severed.

One group of businessmen from the Ottoman Empire fought vociferously to be treated not as enemies of Britain but as friends. When war was declared in November 1914 by the Turks on Britain, some Ottoman citizens were interned. But a group of 13 Jews from Baghdad and Aleppo petitioned the Home Office to remove tight restrictions on their travel that meant they could only travel five miles from their homes, which was harming their businesses.

This petition in May 1915 was refused and the businessmen remained under police observation and restrictions. A second petition was successful two years later. Its success was largely down to the allies conquering Baghdad in March 1917, meaning the businessmen were no longer seen as enemies but had become subjects of the British Crown.

Location: Didsbury, Manchester
Image shows Etty Leon house in Didsbury