Exploring the story of a Belgian Refugee in Cornwall, UK

Discover the forgotten story of Jacobus Leopoldus Van Welssenaer, a Belgian refugee who found refuge in Hayle, Cornwall, during WW1.

Recently I received an interesting email from Discovering Belgium reader Sarah Snow. As a young child, she lived in Belgium with her expat British family and has always had a soft spot for the country. This extended to her mother, Margaret Woolcock, who now lives close to where she was born in Hayle, Cornwall.

While walking around the local churchyard of St Gothians Church in Hayle, Margaret noticed a gravestone bearing an unusual name: Jacobus Leopoldus Van Welssenaer. The stone recorded that he was a Belgian refugee who died on 4 July 1915.

Margaret wondered: What was this Belgian doing in Cornwall? Was he a refugee from the First World War? Did he have family here? Sarah asked me if I could uncover the story behind the name. Never one to miss an intriguing First World War story, I started digging. Here’s what I found.

Belgian refugees in Britain

Scale of the exodus: When German forces invaded neutral Belgium in August 1914, an estimated 250,000 Belgians fled to Britain. This was the largest influx of refugees in British history. Most came via Ostend or other Channel ports to Folkestone and then on to London, where the War Refugees Committee coordinated accommodation across the country.

Warm reception – at first: Early newspaper reports celebrated the “heroic” Belgians and local councils and voluntary groups formed refugee committees to provide housing, allowances and employment. However, enthusiasm waned as the war dragged on, and attitudes varied from place to place.

Where they went: About one-third of refugees remained in London. Wales, Scotland and Ireland together hosted less than ten percent. Many refugees with private means arranged their own lodging, but most were billeted by local committees and supported by the British government. The presence of refugees left lasting traces in the form of commemorative plaques, tablets and completed work projects.

Cornwall’s role as a refuge

Cornwall may seem remote from the Western Front, yet several Cornish communities opened their doors to Belgian families.

Bodmin’s marble tablet: On a wall outside The Old Library Bodmin in Cornwall you can still see a white marble tablet erected by Belgian refugees thanking the mayor, council and inhabitants for their generosity during 1914-1915. The bilingual inscription speaks of “deep gratitude” for the hospitality they received.

Cornish workhouses: The official minutes of the Poor Law Union (an organisation of workhouses for the poor) in the village of St Columb Major in Cornwall, records that on 30 September 1915, the Board of Guardians was asked to admit a Belgian refugee to the workhouse; the committee promised to reimburse the cost. This tiny note reveals how formal welfare structures were used to help displaced families.

St Ives’s art colony: Art historian David Tovey notes that the town of St Ives in Cornwall welcomed about 99 Belgian refugees and around 62 remained into 1915. Local Resident Gussie Lindner played a key role in organising aid. The New Zealand artist Frances Hodgkins even painted a poignant portrait of refugee children in St Ives. She had been running her own watercolour painting school in Paris when World War I broke out in 1914. She relocated to St. Ives, where she found many displaced Belgian families living, and painted this work in response to their wretched plight.  

Refugees’ craftsmanship: In the Cornish parish of St Buryan, the restoration of the church’s rood screen after the war was partly carried out by a group of Belgian refugees, who carved the southern section. It’s a reminder that refugees sometimes contributed skilled labour to their host communities.

Cornwall’s response illustrates how small towns and villages engaged with the refugee crisis through committees, church involvement and even artistic collaborations.

Tracing the van Welsenaer family

The surname van Welsenaer has deep roots in Flanders. A Dutch article about the family notes that it originates from Kortrijk and that members held positions such as aldermen and bailiffs in the 15th-16th centuries. Over time, the family name developed multiple spellings: van Welseners, van Welseneers, Van Welssenaers, Vanwelsenaere, (Van) Welsenaere and others. These variants certainly complicated my genealogical research!

Who was Jacobus Leopoldus Van Welssenaer?

Genealogical databases indicate that Jacobus Leopoldus Van Welssenaer was born on 19 June 1874 in West Flanders – likely in Ostend – and married Josephina Carolina Schoolmeester there in 1899. They had at least four children. Two we have records for are Antonia Josephina (born 1899) and Gregorius Albertus (born 1900). Many van Welsenaer families in this region worked as fishermen, craftsmen or merchants, though specific details about Jacobus’s early life remain elusive. However, I discovered some interesting aspects of his later life.

Flight from war: When Germany invaded Belgium in August 1914, Jacobus, Josephina and their children fled among the thousands leaving the country. Most refugees travelled by fishing boat or steamer from Ostend to Folkestone and were then dispersed around Britain. Those without resources relied on local refugee committees for housing and allowances. Cornwall, with its industrial ports and need for labour, became a destination for some families.

Hayle and the Electric Works: Hayle, on Cornwall’s north coast, boasted a large power station known locally as the Electric Works. During the war this plant supplied electricity to munitions factories and coastal defences.

Belgian refugees were sometimes employed there as labourers. According to contemporary newspaper notices, on 4 July 1915 a tragic accident occurred at the Electric Works. A Belgian worker identified as “Jacobus Vanwelssenaers” was fatally injured while on duty. Jacobus’s gravestone in Hayle records 4 July 1915 as the date of his death – matching the newspaper reports. Here are the newspaper reports from the time (source: British Newspaper Archive):

The account of his tragic death is harrowing, and must have been so for Josephina and her children, left alone in a foreign country with no husband and probably with no source of income.

Aftermath: It is likely that Jacobus’s death certificate was registered in the Redruth district. He was then buried in the churchyard of St Gothians Church in Hayle. His widow Josephina and their children would have depended on local refugee committees for support until they could return to Belgium after the war.

Closing thoughts

Margaret Woolcock’s discovery of a weathered gravestone led us to a long-forgotten story of displacement, labour and loss. Jacobus Leopoldus Van Welssenaer was one of many Belgians whose lives were upended by war. Tragically, he lost his life having had to flee from danger in his home country.

Seen through a modern lens, his story reminds us that refugees are not just passive recipients of charity. Today, refugees support local economies by increasing consumption, filling labour shortages, paying taxes, and even creating new businesses. When we include them economically, we restore dignity, build resilience, and help people become self-reliant. Welcoming those fleeing conflict, whether in 1915 or today, enriches communities and honours our shared humanity.

Thank you Sarah for sharing your mother’s story. If anyone has a similar story to share, or would like me to conduct some research, just drop me a line.

Also, if there are any Van Welssenaers out there, or anyone else who may be related to Jacobus and Josephina, let me know, as Margaret would love you to know that she is tending Jacobus’ grave.

Denzil Walton

I created Discovering Belgium in 2011 to share the country’s hidden stories, fascinating places, and remarkable people. Through articles, photography, and audio walks, I share discoveries that reveal Belgium beyond the obvious. Hope you enjoy this site.