Unseen letters show how Glasgow helped JFK on road to White House Published duration 3 September 2019 Related Topics World War Two

image copyright Glasgow Museums and Libraries Collection image caption John F Kennedy (left), who would later be US president, met the Lord Provost on his visit to Glasgow following the Athenia sinking

Rarely-seen letters and telegrams have been shared to mark an extraordinary coup for a Scottish city.

Correspondence from a young John F Kennedy to the Lord Provost of Glasgow marked a visit which saw the future US president make his public speaking debut in a city hotel.

JFK was sent to visit American survivors of the sinking of the TSS Athenia.

The Govan-built ship was torpedoed by Germany on 3 September 1939.

On the 80th anniversary of the loss, Glasgow City Archives has released photographs of JFK on this visit.

Kennedy, who was 22 at the time, was sent from London to Glasgow by his father Joseph to represent the United States of America for the first time. Kennedy senior was the US Ambassador to Great Britain.

image copyright Glasgow Museums and Libraries Collection image caption John F Kennedy (second left) visited Glasgow in September 1939 to meet survivors of the Athenia sinking

War had just broken out with Nazi Germany, and the young Kennedy was dispatched on a special diplomatic mission to ensure there was no fallout after a U-boat torpedoed the passenger liner Athenia as it sailed from Glasgow to Montreal.

The sinking, one of the first hostile acts of the war, cost the lives of 117 people onboard - 28 of them American - and had heightened the chances that America would be dragged into the war.

Ambassador Joseph Kennedy, an American isolationist, was determined this would not happen and sent his son to turn on the charm and soothe the nerves of traumatised survivors who had been brought to the Art Deco Beresford Hotel in Glasgow's Sauchiehall Street as part of the relief effort.

Glasgow City Archives has released images, letters and newspaper clippings detailing the city's efforts to help.

The Athenia was outbound from Glasgow, Liverpool and Belfast to Montreal with more than 1,000 passengers on board, including about 300 Americans, when it was attacked.

More than 100 people were killed.

To mark the 80th anniversary of the sinking, Glasgow City Archives shared details of a disaster fund file set up to help the victims.

Included in the file are letters and telegrams of thanks from the young John F Kennedy, his father Joseph, and President Franklin Roosevelt to the city.

image caption Built in Glasgow: The TSS Athenia

image copyright Getty Images image caption Survivors of the TSS Athenia sinking were looked after in Glasgow

Glasgow Museums chairman Councillor David McDonald said: "Reading these telegrams and looking at the photographs is like stepping back in time.

"We can see from the warm language used just how grateful the US is to Glasgow."

'Heartfelt thanks'

The disaster fund was started by the Lord Provost of Glasgow Patrick Dollan, who invited Ambassador Kennedy to travel from London to Glasgow.

The ambassador sent his 22-year-old son John to represent him and reassure those affected that they would be safely transported back to the US and to gather first-hand information as to the actual circumstances of the attack.

JFK arrived in Glasgow on 7 September and was welcomed by Mr Dollan before they visited about 150 survivors in hospital and at local hotels.

image copyright Glasgow City Archives image caption Harvard student John F Kennedy made his first public address at the Beresford Hotel in Glasgow

John F Kennedy said at the time: "I have never seen people more grateful for all that has been done for them by Glasgow than those to whom I have spoken today."

A telegram addressed to Mr Dollan from Joseph Kennedy also stated: "May I on behalf of the President and people of the United States express heartfelt thanks to you and your citizens of Glasgow for this humane and generous action in aiding survivors of the Athenia disaster."

'Ordinary Glaswegians'

A letter from President Franklin Roosevelt said: "I wish you to know how deeply I and the American people appreciate the efficient, generous and humane manner in which Glasgow and its citizens came to the help of our fellow countrymen and women in their need."

The Athenia disaster relief fund file also contains letters from ordinary Glaswegians donating money and offering accommodation.

image copyright Getty Images image caption JFK at Harvard University the year before he arrived in Glasgow in 1939

image copyright Getty Images image caption JFK would continue in politics to become President of the United States

It records the amount raised by the appeal fund at various times and lists of donors.

More than £2,000 was raised in 24 hours, and almost £6,000 in total - the equivalent to more than £250,000 today - Glasgow Museums said.

Photographs of JFK arriving at the City Chambers and newspaper clippings from the visit are held in Glasgow's Special Collections, based at the Mitchell Library, and can be seen on request.