Stories from the South Asian Pioneers

Migration has played an important role in Coventry’s history for many years. During the later 1800s the city attracted labour from all over Britain to meet the needs of the cycle making industry. In the fi rst half of the 20th century the growth of the motor and engineering industries demanded large numbers of new workers. Most of these people were from other parts of the country, but in the 1920s and 1930s a few South Asians were starting to arrive. Their numbers increased quickly from the 1950s.

Most of the Asian migrants came from the Punjab. The other main communities were from Gujarat and the Sylhet region of Bangladesh. A few people also came from the North West Frontier province in Pakistan, Tamil Nadu in southern India and Sri Lanka. Most people arrived in the hope of earning some money and returning to their homeland. Many years later they are still living in Coventry and have made a major contribution to the city. This exhibition gives an insight into their experiences.

This exhibition is a result of a year long partnership project between The Herbert and the Asian Mental Health Access Project. The project is a development of previous work to record and celebrate the history of Coventry’s South Asian community. Through these activities we realised that many early migrants were passing away and taking their memories with them. We felt that it was important to record these stories before they were lost forever. The Coming to Coventry project has focused on the pioneers who arrived in the city from the 1940s to the 1960s.

During the project we spoke to over 60 people and collected more than 600 photographs and artefacts. This exhibition includes only a small selection but there are many more in the Coming to Coventry book on sale in The Herbert shop. The full collection will be kept at The Herbert and made available for public use.

The project website www.coming2coventry.org is always changing. In future we hope to develop it for interactive use and to work with schools on

this fascinating subject.

IntroductionComing to Coventry

Origins of the Coventry South Asian Community

India1 The Punjab State - Sikhs and Hindus5 Gujarat State - Hindus and Muslims

Pakistan2 Punjab Province - Punjabi Muslims3 Mirpur border area - Kashmiri and Mirpuri Muslims4 The North West Frontier Province - mostly Pathans

Bangladesh6 Sylhet - Bengali Muslims7 The maritime East Indian areas - Bengali Muslims

gMajor areas of immi rants to Britain

PAKISTAN

INDIA

Arabian Sea

Indian Ocean SRI LANKA

BURMA

Assam

Kashmir

Bay of Bengal

Delhi

Calcutta

Bombay

Madras

Karachi

Gujarat

BA

NG

LA

DE

SH

1

6

7

2

34

5

Chanan Singh (top row second right) travelled with friends from Coventry to meet Sardar Ajit Singh (uncle of Shaheed Bhagat Singh) when he visited Shepherd’s Bush, London, 1947

Passports belonging to Gurmid Kaur, Motasem Ali and Akbar Khan.

The Coming to Coventry book.

Coming to Coventry

Mohinder Singh and family outside Coventry Cathedral, 1962.

Coming to Coventry Arriving in Coventry

South Asian migrants arriving in Coventry from the 1940s to the 1960s came for various reasons. Some had lost their homes and land when India was partitioned in 1947. Some wanted to improve their education. The majority were looking for work and planned to return home with their savings as soon as possible.

Most people had not travelled before and the long sea journey or fl ight was an adventure. On arrival in Britain they faced new challenges. Only a few educated migrants spoke English and the language barrier made everyday tasks a struggle. It was hard to get used to the cold weather and winter clothes like coats, scarves and gloves.

Most early settlers were men, either single or with a wife and children left behind. People often joined fellow villagers already settled in Coventry who were able to give them some help. It was only as the men started to bring their families over that the community became established.

When we reached home there was no one here, my husband was sitting in the pub. When the taxi driver knocked on the door, we could not understand a word he was saying. Th e taxi driver suggested that there is a pub here and they must be in the pub. He went inside to look for my husband and asked around if anyone had a family coming from India. It was when my husband got back from the pub he let us in. Gurmid Kaur

Poem by Awtar Johal describing his journey to England by ship, and his fellow passengers who were heading to Coventry

It was very, very cold, not like now. 1962 was one of the worst winters, nearly four months of snow, nobody had central heating - people had coal fi res, certainly no central heating. It was only in the sitting room, and life was quite hard … I felt like going back! Anis Jamall

Everyone wanted to go abroad, make money, and improve their living conditions. Everyone who migrated here in the early days planned to only stay here for four or fi ve years to earn money and then return back to India. Th en the circumstances changed, people started calling their families and children over. Slowly, slowly, everyone started to settle here.Karam Singh

Professional photo of Gurmeet Kaur taken when she fi rst came to Coventry, 1959.

Nirmala Dhami (centre) at Heathrow airport meeting her future son-in-law for the fi rst time,1968.

Anis Jamall at Heathrow airport, 1968. He came to join his brother who was working as a doctor.

Mohan Lal in the Memorial Park shortly after his arrival in Coventry, 1951. He came to join his father Anant Ram who settled here in the 1930s.

Mohinder Johal took this picture on a visit to see the new Coventry Cathedral in 1963.

Sarwan Singh (second from right) in his home village in Nawanshahr just before he came to Coventry in 1954.

Passport photograph of Sumetra Dharmgir Gosai when she travelled from Gujarat to join her husband in Coventry, 1954.

Bharti Patel arriving in England aged 19, 1960s.

This article appeared in the Coventry Express in 1963. Many new arrivals had to cut their hair in order to get jobs.

Coming to Coventry

Akbar Khan on his day off outside his house on Arthur Street, 1958.

Gurbachan Singh (bottom left) and family, before his children came to Coventry, 1954.

Th ere was a lot of jam and bread. We passed our time eating a lot of this. We didn’t know how to make chapattis then. We ate jam for most of our meals. Th en slowly we learned how to make chapattis and daal ... Th en when our friends’ wives came over, we jumped with joy.Sadhu Singh Virk

People would get together and the children would play. Th e ladies would be knitting or sewing - they would make a lot of clothes for themselves with bits from the market. Th ey would bring wool and share patterns, share knitting needles and sometimes they would knit things together. Nishatro Kaur

Once there was a house on sale in the paper ... But the agent said to me, ‘Sorry, gentleman, I can’t sell this house to you’. I asked the reason. He said, ‘I’ve got no objections but the owner of the house does not want to sell to a black man’. I felt bad ... But in India, I had seen even worse discrimination than this. Lower caste people were treated in a very bad way.Ram Krishan Prashar

Coming to Coventry Home Life

The Khans in their family home on Broad Street, 1960s. Shiv Kaur in her back garden, Welford Place, around 1967. Sisters Gurjinder and Balvinder Brahach were born in Coventry in the 1960s.

Taraben Patel, Kashiben Patel and Sumetra Dharmgir Gosai outside the house they jointly owned, Rudge Road, 1959.

Gurmeet Kaur with her sister-in-law, 1960s.

Indian fashion has recently become popular on the high street, but this 1964 Coventry Express article notes it as a new trend.

Sohan Singh Cheema with family and neighbours in the back garden at Sparkbrook Street, around 1954.

The Johal sisters and neighbour playing out, Lewis Road, around 1963.

Nirmala Dhami and family, Paynes Lane, around 1961. Mrs Dhami passed her driving test in the Hillman Minx. Harminder Singh outside his family home, St George’s Road, 1960s.

This article on the poor living conditions of early migrants appeared in the Coventry Express in 1963.

New arrivals in Coventry often struggled to fi nd somewhere to live. There was a housing shortage and many landlords would not let properties to black or Asian people. A lot of migrants lived in houses owned by other Asians who had arrived several years earlier. Some households contained 20 single men renting beds on a shift system.

Most South Asians ended up in areas like Hillfi elds and Foleshill where housing was cheap but basic. Outdoor toilets were shared with neighbours. Many homes had no bathrooms and people used the public baths instead. It was a shock for migrants who had expected better living conditions in England.

At fi rst, it was hard to fi nd familiar food and people had to manage with whatthey could get. A few pioneers set up businesses to meet the demand for specialist foodstuffs. There was a similar situation with traditional clothing. As women arrived to join their husbands, the community was able to resume a more familiar way of life.

Coming to Coventry

Darshan Singh and Chanan Kaur Sandhu in a picture taken specially to send to relatives in India, 1957.

We had to work long hours until late. At 8am I saw my children off to school and then went to the shop and worked there until 9pm, as customers used to drop in until that time. Surjit Kaur Takhar

When I came here I started a job at the GEC. I came from Bangladesh and I got my education from there ... Language was the big hurdle in getting the jobs. People came from all parts of Bengal. Most of them were uneducated - they did not have any qualifi cations from back home.Mohammed Motasem Ali

I started with Jaguar in 1962 as a clerical worker ... In the factory side there were a lot of Asians working there. Th ere wasn’t anybody in the offi ce. People used to look at me strangely at the time … Sucha Singh Bains

Many young men went back to India to avoid National Service. Mohan Lal began his National Service in 1955 and met only one other Asian recruit during his training.

Mohinder Ghag (left) at the Courtaulds Club Christmas party, 1958. Many Coventry fi rms held social functions for workers and their families.

Mrs Lal–Sarin acted as an interpreter and later became the fi rst female, Indian magistrate in Britain.

The small Asian community in Coventry during the Second World War were involved in war production and experienced the Blitz.

The Taj Mahal, Curry Mahal and Himalaya were among the fi rst curry houses in Coventry. Mohammed Motasem Ali left GEC to open the Himalaya restaurant in The Precinct in 1966.

Mohammed Raham was a stores assistant at Dunlop who swapped his overalls for Pakistani national costume on special religious festivals.

Workers at Sterling Metals went on strike after Indians were redeployed to the Nuneaton factory in 1959.

Factory workers at Alfred Herbert, 1960. Asian people worked long hours as they were expected to send money home to their families in India.

Ram Piara used his time off from Courtaulds to start his own business. The opening of his new factory, Crabmill Lane, 1969.

Mohinder Johal and Bhajan Singh Atta (standing) enjoying a lunch break whilst working on the railway line between Rugby and Nuneaton, 1962.

Factory workers at Dunlop,1960s. Many educated people found themselves in manual jobs as their qualifi cations were not recognised.

Workers at GEC in the 1960s. It was one of the few places where Asian women worked outside the home or family-run businesses.

Coming to Coventry Working Life

As Britain recovered from the Second World War there was a labour shortage. Engineering fi rms in Coventry wanted workers, especially for the hard and dirty jobs that were diffi cult to fi ll. Many Asian men worked in foundries at Sterling Metals, Dunlop, Dunn and Alfred Herbert. Some people who spoke better English got easier factory jobs or worked in an offi ce. They still faced discrimination from employers, colleagues and the unions. Wages were low and a six or seven day week was often the only way to make a decent living. Some people boosted their income by starting a business which fi tted around their main job. Most of them sold Asian foodstuffs and clothing door to door or at community gatherings. In time they opened grocery stores, restaurants and small factories of their own.

A few Asian professionals, like teachers and dentists, enjoyed higher standards of living. Other people saw the benefi ts of education and encouraged their children to study hard and get good jobs.

Coming to Coventry

Mohan Lal with his regiment during his National Service, 1955.

Indian Workers‘ Association on May Day, 1940s

We used to talk against the English people. Th e leader was a Congress member. Th e British were against the Congress, so they made their own association which we called Mazdoor Sabha or Workers‘ Association. We didn’t call it Congress Association because, back in India, people who said they were Congress would get arrested, and we didn’t want that to happen in England so it was called the Workers’ Association. Ujagar Singh

Th ey [the IWA] used to have a meeting once a month, we used to go - I was a member. All the people were social and friendly. Th ey used to help men with problems, legal, social, etc. Babu Cheema used to help people, accompany them to the solicitors, etc. Nanta Ram used to help as well. I helped if I got time.Mahindar Singh

Yes, there was a small masjid (mosque). I think it was built in 1962 or ’63. Our Muslim community collected money and built the masjid. It was the fi rst masjid - it was not as big as it is now ... Our young children used to go there to help - they used to say, ‘Look, our masjid is being built’. Afterwards they collected more money and built a big place ... No doubt we have built many masjids all over the place but we have lost peace of mind. Fatima Begum

Visit to Coventry by Gandhi’s grandson to celebrate India’s Republic Day, 1963.

Ceremony to lay the foundation stone of Guru Nanak Prakash Gurdwara, 1965.

Mrs Pandit (Nehru’s sister) visits Coventry and is received by the Lord Mayor together with Indian guests, 1960s.

The Vicar of St Paul’s Church and a Pandit (a Hindu Priest) at Crabmill Lane, 1970s.

An Indian Workers’ Association meeting, Trinity Hall, Coventry, 1946.

Coventry members of the Indian Workers’ Association celebrate India’s Republic Day at the Craven Arms Hotel, 1965.

The Executive Committee of the Indian Workers’ Association, Coventry, 1945. Hajji Iqbal Khan (centre) presents a charity collection to the Lord Mayor, 1970s.

Visit by Prakash Singh Badal, Chief Minister of Punjab, to Guru Nanak Prakash Gurdwara, 1960s. Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the President of India, with the Lord Mayor of Coventry, 1963.

An Indian Workers’ Association meeting, Coventry, 1946.

Coming to Coventry Political & Cultural Activities

Migrants arriving in Coventry built a sense of community by getting involved in political and cultural activities. The Indian Workers‘ Association had begun in 1938 as a political group campaigning for Indian independence. When this was achieved it focused on fi ghting discrimination. Its members joined protests on immigration and employment issues and some were also active in the trade unions.

Educated members of the Indian Workers‘ Association helped people with literacy problems. Other private individuals did the same. They read and replied to personal and offi cial letters on behalf of people with more limited language skills. Acting as unoffi cial interpreters they also accompanied them to appointments with doctors, schools and other organisations.

Religion played a part in maintaining community identity. To begin with religious activities took place in homes or hired halls. Once people decided to settle in Coventry permanently they adapted buildings as places of worship. From the early 1960s they raised funds to construct new mosques and temples.

Coming to Coventry

Tajinder, Balvinder and Gurjinder Brachach, Welford Place, 1967.

The majority of Asian people arriving in Coventry came from the Muslim, Sikh and Hindu faiths. In the early years there were no places of worship and few people observed religious festivals. Most did not have a fi xed date and people were not sure when they fell. Many were working too hard to celebrate them anyway.

Like other religious ceremonies most weddings were originally held in private houses. Because the community was small they were modest affairs with home cooked food and few guests. Hired rooms in pubs and schools gradually became more popular venues until they were replaced by formal places of worship.

As religious festivals like Diwali became more generally celebrated, plays and other entertainments were organised to mark them. Musicians and dancers came from neighbouring towns to perform. Some Asian people shared festive celebrations at home with their English neighbours. They also became familiar with Christmas, bonfi re night and other events traditional in Britain.

Kuldeep and Berinder Dhami in India before moving to Coventry, 1955-56.

Girls at John Gulson School learning to sew. Taken from a 1963 Coventry Express article on integration in local schools.

Jitey Samra (third from left) with her cousins and grandfather Bir Singh Bassi who came to visit in the summer holidays,1968.

Ragini Gosai-Patel with her father outside the family shop, Queen Mary Road, 1965-66.

Five friends from Eagle Street, 1960. Back (left to right) Macken, Lehmber, Babu. Front (left to right) Balbinder and Kinderjit.

Kuldeep Dhami with friends from Frederick Bird School, Christmas, 1967.

Childhood friends Nishatro and Bindi, Oliver Street, 1954.

Alfred Herbert annual outing to Wicksteed Park, 1967. Outings and Christmas parties provided by their parents’ employers were the highlight of many children’s year.

John Gulson School had high numbers of Asian pupils and pioneered ways to integrate the new arrivals.

Kalbant Sandhu with a toy given by the family’s West Indian lodger.

A Coventry Express article from 1965. It describes the challenges faced by schools with Asian students who needed to learn English.

Coming to Coventry Childhood Memories

Th e fi rst time that my dad saw me, he tried to give me a hug or hold me but I didn’t want to know. I was crying and saying I wanted to go to my papa in India, which was my nana (grandfather) in India. I didn’t want to know him, he was very disappointed. We were met from the ship and brought down to Coventry to Oliver Street.Nishatro Kaur

School life was brilliant … We had school dinners as at this time my parents had a shop and couldn’t provide lunch at home … it was a shilling a day! … I think I was the only child at our school who enjoyed liver and onions! My favourite puddings were semolina or apple crumble and custard.Raj Gosai

It was to Tony’s house that I once disappeared to watch television as a fi ve or six year old, and my family sent out a search party to look for me – I think we got our own television (black and white of course) not long after that!Kuldeep Dhami

Coming to Coventry

Bhajan Singh Atta and workmates at the fair, Hearsall Common, 1958.

At the Savoy cinema, Radford Road. Seated (left to right), the Assistant High Commissioner of India, the actress Miss Sharma and Th e Lord and Lady Mayoress, about 1962-63.

The majority of Asian migrants came from the Muslim, Sikh and Hindu faiths. In the early years there were no places of worship and few people observed religious festivals. Most did not have a fi xed date and people were not sure when they fell due. Many were working too hard to celebrate them anyway.

Like other religious ceremonies most marriages were originally held in private houses. Because the community was small they were modest affairs with few guests. Hired rooms in pubs and schools gradually became more popular venues. Once people decided to settle in Coventry permanently they adapted buildings as places of worship. From the early 1960s they raised funds to construct new mosques and temples.

As religious festivals like Diwali became more generally celebrated, plays and musical entertainment were organised to mark them. Some Asians shared festivities at home with their English neighbours. They also became familiar with Christmas, bonfi re night and other events traditional in Britain.

It was a school, it was a big hall. Th ere wasn’t a gurdwara in Coventry at the time, so they got the holy book and did the ceremony here. My uncles had arranged it all. We had a lot of family, relations and friends here, so there were a lot of people. After the ceremony they had the reception in the pub close by in Red Lane. My husband had only brought seven people with him … He did a party when he got back.Surinder Kaur Sahota

I remember once, Christmas time, dad bought us a tape recorder - you know, one of these reel-to-reels … and we just thought it was incredible. … Th ere were times you’d come in after holidays and people would say, ‘What did you get for Christmas?’ and there wasn’t an awful lot you could say because you didn’t get anything for Christmas. But this year, when we said we got this, everybody went, ‘Wow!’ Sohan Singh Nagra

I did some research at Leamington library and got some English plays and picked some stuff from there. I had a friend with me who was very much interested and had his own ideas. Th e plays were for Asian people, they were done in Hindi … Th e plays were arranged twice a year, once on the Diwali celebrations, and at that time we used to have big audiences ... Th en we produced some singing programmes and got Indian and Asian singers.Mohinder Singh Johal

The fi rst Asian cultural evening at Foxford Comprehensive School, 1972. A fashion show and traditional dance demonstration raised awareness of Asian culture among students and their families.

Amrik Singh Sohal and Dorothy Sohal on their wedding day, 1960. Mrs Farmah at the mandir, 1964-65.

Anant Ram getting into his car after his son’s wedding reception which was held at an Indian owned café in Hillfi elds, 1962.Taken from the article ‘Wed In A Mosque’ which appeared in the Coventry Express in 1963.

Family and friends after an Akand Path (reading of the Sikh holy book) to mark the birth of Kulwant Sandhu, Smith Street, 1964.

Wedding guests outside Red Lane School after the marriage of Kundan Singh and Surinder Kaur, 1963.

Party to celebrate the fi rst birthday of twins Balvir and Jasvir Shergill, Leicester Causeway, 1963.

(Left to right) Bhajan Atta, Harmesh Singh, Balwant Singh and Karnail Dhanda at the Railway Club, 1960s.

Coming to Coventry Events & Celebrations

Coming to Coventry

Bhoota Singh and Harbajan Kaur on their wedding day, Coventry Register Offi ce, 1972.

Chuhar Singh gets an autograph from actor Raj Kumar outside the Ritz cinema, 1966. Raj Kumar was promoting his latest fi lm, Waqt.

Indian Cultural and Welfare Society poster, 1959. Film set of Shaheed Uddam Singh, Warwick Castle. Anand Prakash and crew, 1971.

Article in Coventry Standard when the Indian Cultural Society hosted a visit from the actress Shashikala, 1961.

Balwant Dhami with friends in the pub after work. The Royal Albert, 1953. Mr Johal (right) celebrating the night before a wedding, 1960s. Actor Sunil Dutt being presented with fl owers by Joginder Singh’s daughter in the family’s back garden, Lythalls Lane, 1968.

The Indian Cultural Society with the famous actress Vijayantimala on her visit to the Savoy, 1959.

Performance at Edgwick Primary School, late 1969.

Indra Bilee (middle) with dancers on either side. Indra was a famous Punjabi actress. The Hippodrome, 1970. Rattan Kaur with cousin Gurmeet Kaur who was visiting from Dundee. Newdigate Road, 1962-63.

Mr Johal (right) entertains guests at his home in Queen Mary’s Road, 1966-67.

Johnny Walker (comedy actor) and Shashikala at the Hippodrome, 1960.

Coming to Coventry Social Life

On the fi rst day of my arrival here, you know when any man from India comes here fi rst time they say, ‘Let us go and make him drink a glass of beer!’ My father and some of his friends took me to Coventry White Lion pub which has now been closed. I had never tasted beer in my life … I ended up drunk on my very fi rst day. Mohinder Singh Johal

When the early migrants arrived they had little time and few options for leisure activities. The pub became an important focus as a place where people could get together. However, not all pubs were welcoming. Some Coventry landlords refused to serve Asian customers or made them drink outside.

Other migrants wanted more cultural activities. A small group formed the Indian Cultural and Welfare Society and made books and magazines available. They also organised screenings of Indian fi lms in hired halls or cinemas. As more families settled in Coventry the demand for entertainment grew. By the later 1960s the Ritz and Palladium cinemas had been bought by Asians. They became a key part of community life. Famous Bollywood actors sometimes visited and other social events took place there.

Some Asian people joined in with British social life. They went to mainstream cinemas, fairs and social events at work. A few professionals joined societies and put on events to promote Indian culture to English audiences.

My mother-in-law used to stay at home to look after the young ones … Th ey were only once a week on Saturday or Sunday and we used to get the chance to dress up. Sometimes seven or eight ladies used to get together. If some guests came … we used to say, ‘Let us go to the pictures’.Sawarn Kaur Kullar

We started the Indian Cultural and Welfare Society as there wasn’t anything like that where 10 or 15 of us could go to. We made a collective decision to start a cultural society and library. We got Punjabi Hindi literature from India. We used to pass these on to people after reading it ourselves – I would take them to work … in Jaguar. Janak Raj Chhibba

Balwinder Singh’s engagement party, held at John Gulson School, 1967.

Manjit Kaur (left) and her mother Gurbax Kaur entertaining visitors, 1960s.

Coming to Coventry

I met Labh Singh Gill in the Indian Workers‘ Association meetings. He asked me if there was anyone who was a volleyball player. Back then, there were hardly any youngsters around at the time, so we joined together … we started playing volleyball at the Memorial Park. Sohan Singh Cheema

I have been playing kabaddi from the very beginning, since 1962. I played my very fi rst match here in England versus Pakistan. In 1963 we invited a team from Birmingham and played against them … after that the tournament was held in Birmingham. Our team travelled in one van, the fans went in their own cars. People were very enthusiastic to go and watch the match. Deep Singh

I was quite healthy at that time and started playing rugby for the school team. I encountered a lot of discrimination, because I was the only Asian chap playing for the school team. Rugby is something which is teamwork … So if you don’t get the ball, you can’t score!Chuhar Singh Jandu

Dilbagh Johal (third from the right) in Broad Heath School rugby team, 1964-65. Sohan Cheema (front row, fi rst from left) in the Coventry volleyball team, 1968.

Chuhar Singh, (top row, fourth from left) at an Indian Youth Club, about 1964-65.

Birmingham vs Gravesend at Hadley stadium, Shaheed Uddam Singh tournament, 1972.

Coventry and Southall kabbadi team compete in the Shaheed Uddam Singh tournament at Coventry Butts stadium, 1978.

Hockey match near Frankfurt in Germany, 1968. Travelling to Germany for a hockey tournament, Easter 1968. Left to right, Ujager S Sohal, Amrick Dhami, Mohinder Johal.

Gurdial Singh Johal (second left on front row) in the tug of war team of Shera Punjab Gurdwara, Smethwick, 1968.

Coventry Express hockey report, March 1964.

Coventry Express cricket report, May 1963.

Coventry Express football report, January 1964.

Coventry Express report on a boxing match, March 1965.

Kabbadi tournament at the Radford Aerodrome, about 1965.

Coming to Coventry Th e Sports Scene

Many of the migrants to Coventry were young men in their teens or early twenties. Some were keen sportsmen in their home country and wanted to continue their interest. Sport became a way of building community identity as well as a pastime.

The game of kabaddi was popular in rural Punjab where many migrants came from. It was played in Coventry from the early 1960s and tournaments were later held against teams from other towns. Asian volleyball and hockey teams were also formed and some travelled to Europe for international matches.

Young men who had been to school in Coventry were introduced to rugby and football. They set up their own teams and played against Indian sides from neighbouring cities. It was one way of avoiding the racism they sometimes faced in mixed games. Some Asian people became enthusiastic supporters of Coventry City FC. They bought season tickets and later followed them to their FA Cup victory in 1987.

Kabbadi tournament in Punjab, about 1969-70.

Coming to Coventry

As usual, our family outings and holidays were focused on visiting our extended families that either lived in other cities or in Coventry … One of the best holidays (1968) we had was when we went to visit our relatives in Scotland … Amrick, who drove us, took detours to see King [ Robert ] Bruce’s Cave, Gretna Green and Hadrian’s Wall … I remember drinking lots of whisky!Kuldeep Dhami

When we went to school we had to write a report about our summer holidays but we had nothing to write about. So we used to say to mum, ‘What can we write in the report when we haven’t been anywhere?’ Th en mum used to say to dad, ‘Let’s just close the shop for two weeks and take the children on holiday.’ Th at’s how it started – the fi rst time we went away was in 1967.Ragini Gosai–Patel

Holidays were advertised in the papers, like the Coventry Evening Telegraph … My name was Sam Smith when I made the bookings. But when we turned up, they were quite surprised to see Asian faces. But they couldn’t do anything about it because we had bookings. Th ere used to be a lot of discrimination.Dharmgir Manigir Gosai.

Coming to Coventry Holidays & Outings

At fi rst few Asian families in Coventry had the time or money to go on holiday. If they did travel to other parts of Britain it was usually to see friends and relatives. Many felt isolated from their extended families and it was important to maintain contact. For children, school visits offered a rare opportunity to explore different areas of the country.

In the 1960s a small number of Asian families started to take holidays. Like other people at the time they had more money to spend than before. Some hired caravans or went camping. Holiday camps such as Butlins offered attractions like music, dancing and children’s entertainment. It was often necessary to make bookings in a false name to avoid prejudice against Asian customers.

As air travel became cheaper a few people had holidays in Europe. However, this was rare and trips abroad generally meant a visit to relatives in their home country.

Mr and Mrs Lal-Sarin and family on their fi rst English holiday, 1963.The Gosai family and friends enjoy a short fl ight on their holiday in Great Yarmouth, 1967. This was the fi rst time the Gosai children had been on a plane and the trip was an expensive treat which cost £2.50 each.

Mohan Lal (second right) and friends on holiday in Germany with the owners of the guest house, 1961. Mr Lal booked his trip through Butlins and travelled using his Indian passport.

Nirmala Dhami about to fl y from Heathrow to India, around 1964. The Gosai family at Butlins, around 1969. Kuldeep Singh at Robert the Bruce’s Cave, Scotland, 1969.

Anis Jamall at Kew Gardens, 1965.

Mr Nagra (centre) with his wife and friend on holiday in Bournemouth, around 1970.

Tarsem Singh and Nirmal Sumra, Blackpool, around 1961.

Mohinder Singh and family on Blackpool Tower, 1960s.

Anant Ram on holiday, Easter Monday 1941. This photograph was made into a postcard and sent to his family in India.

Coventry Market, 1980s.

Dharmgir Gosai in Egypt, en route to India, 1964.

Coming to Coventry

Th is is our home and country now. I always reply to those people who ask me where I come

from, my reply is ‘Coventry’. Look, we have been living in Coventry nearly 53 years, while we had spent only 20 years of our life in India. Whenever we go either to London or Leicester, we run back to home - Coventry. Mohinder Singh Ghag

For a long time I had an Indian passport - I did not want a British passport. But we have very

close relations with England, we speak English ... Our children are born here, they are brought up here and we use all the facilities here. Jawaharlal Nehru also used to say that we should be loyal to the people and place where we live. At the same time, we should not forget our roots. Ram Krishan Prashar

Coventry has always been accepting of other people. In Coventry you see people come from all

religions, all castes, all corners of the world … Th e host community has got the feeling like they adopt everybody, accept everybody … Although there are some people who don’t but the vast majority of the people are nice in Coventry. It has changed drastically - everyone is mixed with each other.Sucha Singh Bains

Ajit Singh SarniaAjmer BainsAkbar KhanAmrick DhamiAnis JamallArfi k MianAvtar Singh BhachuAwtar Singh JohalAziz UddinBashie BainsBhag Singh KullarBhagat Singh JohalBhajan Singh AttaChanan Kaur SandhuChanan Singh Chand Lal-SarinChuhar Singh JanduDaljit KaurDaman Lal-SarinDarshan Singh BriyaDarshan Singh SandhuDeep SinghDharmgir Manigir GosaiFatima BegumGurbachan Kaur Gurbax Kaur Sanghera Gurdial Singh JohalGurmid Kaur KhatkarIsher Singh SidhuJagat Singh NagraJanak Raj ChhibbaJitey SamraJoginder Singh GhatoraKabul Singh HeerKalbant SandhuKaram SinghKewal SinghKhatiza KhalifaKuldeep DhamiKundan Singh SahotaMahindar Singh SangheraManjit Singh SanghaMehar Singh JanduMohammed Abdul BariMohammed Mofossir AhmedMohammed Motasem AliMohan LalMohinder Kaur Mohinder Kaur KullarMohinder Singh Mohinder Singh GhagMohinder Singh JohalNaginder Singh ShergillNaranjan KaurNaranjan Singh CheemaNirmal Kaur SumraNirmala Kaur DhamiNishatro KaurPrem LataRagini Gosai-PatelRaj GosaiRaj Kumari FarmahRam Krishan PrasharRam Piara FarmahSadhu Singh VirkSarbjit BassiSarban Singh Sanghera Sarwan Singh GillSawarn Kaur KullarSawarn Kaur SangheraSohan Singh CheemaSohan Singh NagraSucha Singh BainsSukhbant SandhuSumetra Dharmgir GosaiSurinder Kaur SahotaSurjit Kaur TakharUjagar SinghUjager Bassi V. Sagar Sharma

It was a diff erent country, diff erent language, we had to conform and

tolerate the conditions we were put through … Th ere was a sense of unity. None of the old men are alive now. Th is generation has everything but their hearts are not happy. Th is government system is good, we have had no problem. We settled here, grew old here, two, three, four generations have settled here. We came here because we had to … I do remember my home, that was my birthplace. I keep going back and forth. All of my family is here. I went there for two months but I was unwell the whole time. My wife was happy amongst her own brothers and sisters. Akbar Khan

In the beginning I did [miss home] but I did not think of going back because we had to do so much.

We had to make our name in the society. We had to bring up our children, so much work to do. But now I want to go, I miss my friend there, I want to go and see her. It would be nice if we were together now, because the children are too busy. Sometimes I do feel lonely but I am used to this now. Loneliness is a big disease in this country. Before we go to somebody’s house here we have to ring, because everybody lives so far ... In India we could go any time - it is diff erent here. Chand Lal-Sarin

In the end I can say that we are enjoying an easy life here. We are very happy here. When we look back

at our conditions in India, we think we have done the right thing by migrating here. Our children got a good education and are doing good jobs here. Mohinder Kaur Kullar

The Herbert and the Coming to Coventry Project team would like to thank the following for their help and support with this project.

Coming from Coventry Photography Project:

Shahida BegumJodie Worwood Nadia Sultana Mariom LahrajabSaiful HussainAjmal FatiwalaMaariyah NavsarkaSalim AkbarTasnim KhanumFatima OwnisMona Ali Baaizeed Rahman

Jasmine Heir, Coventry Children’s Fund

Ravinder Dhaliwal, photographer

Shaukat Hussain, Anne Horleston and Pervina Kaur, John Gulson Primary School

Individuals and organisations:

Surinder Kaur Sanghera

Surinder Kaur Deo

Arthur Astrop

Kulwinder Sandhu

Cathy Hunt

Eleanor Nesbitt

Coventry Evening Telegraph

Coventry Local Studies Library

Richard Shenton, Moving Archive Central England (MACE)

Joga Singh and Sunder Singh, Macrojuice Ltd, project designers

Ania Bas, project photographer

Brian Bowlay-Williams, Coventry Training PCT

Karen Hundal-Sandhu, Nasreen Akhtar, Najeeba Durrani and Jaskiran Basi, Asian Mental Health Access Project

Javed Iqbal, Muslim Resource Centre

Beant Singh Giddy, Indian Community Centre

Mohammed Kasem, Bangladeshi Community Centre

Mahendra Soni, Age Concern

Shabbir Usmani, Gosford Day Centre

The participants, without whose contributions and support the project would not have been possible:

Coming to Coventry A New Home...

After working hard to build a new life many of the early migrants feel that the effort was worthwhile. There were numerous struggles on the way. Many people had to settle for work that did not make the most of their abilities. Even qualifi ed professionals in better jobs faced discrimination. Their children and grandchildren have achieved successes that were not always possible for them.

Most of the pioneers now have a more comfortable lifestyle than the one they left in their homeland. As people have become wealthier they have moved to bigger houses in the suburbs. However, many of them miss the strong sense of community they enjoyed when they fi rst arrived in Coventry.

Some Asian people remain in Foleshill and Hillfi elds, close to the shops and places of worship they established. They have now been joined by more recent migrants from other parts of the world. Coventry is still a place where people come in the hope of a better life.

Coming to Coventry

The Coming from Coventry photography project aimed to explore the effects of migration on the identity of young British Asians. The Herbert commissioned photographer Ravinder Dhaliwal to work with a group of Year 6 pupils from John Gulson Primary School. The pupils attended an after school club for six weeks and were encouraged to explore their identity through the lens of a camera. They were taught basic photography skills and were given a series of disposable cameras. The children kept an image diary noting why they had taken each photograph and what it meant to them. This display is only a small selection of the many great photographs taken by the children.

Coming from Coventry

‘India and England’‘My mum and her hobby’

‘Hobbies’‘Although she’s Islamic she’s a tomboy’

‘Group Hug’

‘Kick Boxing Girl’

‘Me and my dad’

‘My Room’ ‘My Family’

‘Relaxing in D Sunset’

‘My Street’

‘Hey you, get off my bike’

This is my brother playing PS2. He likes to laze around in a mosque hat before he goes to the mosque. Salim Akbar

I took this picture to show Islamic people wear English clothes, play games too. You can tell Shahida is Islamic because of her skin colour. Mariom Lahrajab

To show that I like India and England, I live two different worlds. Ajmal Fatiwala

My little sister always steals my brother’s bike, so he got furious and pushed her off. Fatima Ownis

I took this picture because it shows something normal (my sister’s

clothes and towel out on the washing line) and a gurdwara and some toys to show that there are children in the house. I’m nearly always in the garden and the washing out is always in the way. Tasnim Khanum

This is my mum in her garden, she likes to cut the grass. The photo shows what she does in her spare time. Saiful Hussain

All my friends stand together. My friends are all funny and always say ‘peace man peace’ and do the V peace sign. Jodie Worwood

This photo shows one of my sister’s hobbies which is kick boxing. None of the boys want to fi ght her because she is so hard, only the hardest boys fi ght her. Maariyah Navsarka

I just wanted to take a picture of my room. Mona Ali My brothers and my little sister in our house. Nadia Sultana

I took this picture to show where I live. Baaizeed RahmanWe are decorating our house and I liked helping my dad. Shahida Begum