Sharing the forgotten

histories of

South Asians in Britain

Discovering Collections,

Discovering Communities

Birmingham, October 2014

Penny Brook

British LibrarySusheila Nasta

The Open University

Cover of Mirror of British Merchandise, No. 24 (Jan. 1893)

Shelfmark: 14119.f.37

Why share this forgotten history?

The ayahs’ home in Hackney was a charitable institution that looked after abandoned ayahs.London City Mission Magazine, (1921). Shelfmark:

PP1041.C, British Library Advert for Bombay Emporium, Indian Student, IOR:

L/P&J/12/475

Ramsden Collection Lantern slide. Shelfmark: Photo 472/25

(110)

Sophia Duleep Singh, God-daughter of Queen Victoria,

was a campaigner for votes for women in Kingston Upon

Thames. India Office Records, L/PS/11/52, British Library

A march of South Asian Muslims to India House,

Aldywch, delivering a petition, protesting against the

misrepresentation of the prophet Mohamed, in H.G.

Wells’s A Short History of the World in April 1938, fifty

years before the publication of Rushdie’s novel. India

Office Records document the campaign. India Office Records, L/PJ/12/614, British Library. Images

Courtesy of Getty Images

Dadabhai Naoroji was the

first British Indian MP,

elected in 1892.Mirror of British Merchandise,

August 1892, Shelfmark:

14119.f.37, British Library

A mixed group of British and Indian soldiers of the Signal Troop of the Lucknow Cavalry

Brigade relaxing in a farmyard at Brigade Headquarters (1915).Official Record of the Indian Army in Europe, H D Girdwood, Photo 24/(158), British Library

Development of the Partnership

Evolution of the partnership

Database of research resources

Conference at the BL

Academic publications by OU, King’s and Oxford

Pop-up exhibition – UK

Pop-up exhibition - India

Asians in Britain – online learning resource

School workshops

Blogs

Photographic history

Pop-up exhibition venues2010-2012

Bradford (2 venues)

Leicester

Birmingham

Brighton

Woking

Croydon

Barking

Swiss Cottage

Middlesbrough

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Great Britain Centre, Alexander von Humboldt University, Berlin

2011-2012

• National Archives of India

• NAI regional centres

• British Council Offices:DelhiKolkataAhmedabadMumbaiPuneHyderabadChennai

• Open University

• Asia House

• Southall Library

Beyond the Frame: India in

Britain 1858-1950

Partners

The Open University

The British Library

The British Council

The National Archives of

India

British Museum

V&A

RCUK

Funding

World Collections

Programme

AHRC – grant to OU

The Open University

The British Library

The British Council

Complexities Culture

Aims

Intellectual

property

Recognition

Delivery

Why does the partnership

work?• Shared vision

• Shared commitment and

enthusiasm

• Support from OU and BL

• Meeting commitments

• Slow evolution of

partnership

• Honesty and trust

• Mutual support

• Understanding of

constraints

• Cultural awareness

• Adaptability

• Laughter

A partnership must be strong enough to withstand surprises and crises!

How did collaboration help?

Open University British Library

Inspiration Inspiring collections

Practical support

Leadership Co-ordination of input from BL

departments

Contacts Contacts

Funding – AHRC, OU, RCUK Funding – World Collections

Programme, BL

Commitment Commitment

Knowledge exchange Knowledge exchange

Institutional support Institutional support

Shared working

Open University British Library

Research Advice on collections

Writing and image selection for:

Exhibition

Online learning resources

Booklet

School workbooks

Blogs

Know-how and delivery:

Exhibition design and production

Web skills and creation of micro-site

Design and production

Advice on design

Untold Lives blog and Twitter

Talks at UK exhibition venues Management of UK exhibition tour

Launch events and school workshops

in India

Launch events and school workshops

in India

Rights management Permission where BL owns copyright

Staffing for managing and delivering

the project

Staff resource to provide support

Media profile Media profile

Impact

Impact in government Sanjay Wadvani, British Deputy High Commissioner

Eastern India: The Asians in Britain website and the

database should be required reading for anyone joining

the FCO’s South Asia team.

FCO research analyst Nivedita Velamati: Thank you for

recording this information on a history that is little

understood.

Audience feedback Student at workshop: The highlight was the theme India

in Britain, as we are aware of British history in India but unaware of Indian history in Britain.

Teacher at workshop: My outlook about the British and Indians has changed entirely

Visitor to exhibition at Southall Library: Hope this display will remain in the forefront and set in our hearts and minds and not be archived to collect dust. May the labours of all South Asians in Britain not be in vain, in that their legacy leads to mutual respect and understanding.

Thanks for listening

Susheila Nasta

susheila.nasta@open.ac.uk

Penny Brook

penny.brook@bl.uk

www.open.ac.uk/arts/research/asianbritain/