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South Asian Britain: Connecting Histories explores the links among South Asians across the United Kingdom, as well as the connections between South Asians and other groups in Britain, from the 1830s to the present day. With over 750 entries, it provides information about people, the organizations they were involved in and the major events in which they participated.

While this is not an exhaustive history, and still very much a work in progress, South Asian Britain: Connecting Histories emphasizes the focus of the ‘Remaking Britain’ research project, highlighting the networks and connections made by South Asians in Britain itself from the 1830s onwards. We start from the 1830s when, as the historian Rozina Visram has described, we start to see the making of community by South Asians in Britain. While South Asian migration to the United Kingdom goes back to at least 1614, by the 1830s a diverse range of South Asians were beginning to move to the United Kingdom.

In the context of this resource, the term ‘South Asia’ is generally used in reference to the modern states of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. As the site looks back to the 1830s when the British empire was its height, it engages with the history of migration from British India, the princely states and Ceylon, as they were known then, initially under the auspices of empire and then through the periods of nationalism and decolonization. While the site invariably uses the term ‘Britain’, the focus is on migration to the four nations of the United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

With its focus on migration, we discuss people of South Asian origin who moved to the United Kingdom via other countries such as Uganda, Kenya or Guyana, as well as generations who were born into migrant families already settled in the UK. Our interest in networks and connections means that the resource also highlights people who were not South Asian in ethnicity. Our purpose is to offer a starting point into the rich and diverse histories of South Asian migration and experience, from a range of perspectives relating to class, caste, religion, gender, language, age.

Designed as a learning tool and resource, South Asian Britain: Connecting Histories builds upon research that was conducted across the United Kingdom and in partnership with the British Library. With over 750 entries, the site offers users biographical, institutional and bibliographical information on people, organizations and events, to further their own interests. The lists of secondary sources and archival sources are provided to help users find out more information about people, organizations and events of interest and to continue this research in their own way. The site also features oral histories that include audio clips.

Our theme pages highlight some of the key historical themes that bring our entries together and provide an overview of the range of entries within the site. Our pages also offer interactive maps and diagrams to follow the networks and connections between entries to highlight the multilayered and connected histories of South Asians in Britain across the last two centuries. For more information on how to navigate the site please follow this link.

This site is freely accessible for all users from all backgrounds, but please take note of our copyright notices on reuse of any material included.

We welcome feedback, comments and further information that can improve the site. Please use the contact form here.

About the site | About the project | How to use this site | About the team  |

About oral histories | How to do research | Archival links | Copyright |