Flip Book

S. AJIT no idea about bank accounts or how to keep my money SINGH GILL safe. I was living with a friend. One day I found that my money had gone missing - it had been stolen! I felt that the I was born in Punjab in a village named Dayalpur near only way to keep my money safe, was to invest it - so I Jalandhar. In college, I was contacted by a friend asking me bought a house in Leamington Spa. to come to Britain. People from India were unable to bring any money with them because the Indian Government had In the 1950s all able-bodied men in England had to do tight control, preventing money from going out of the military service. I did not want to join the army so I returned country. I left everything behind. On 13 April 1953 I left to India. India. In 1961 I came back to Britain. By this time, my younger I travelled by ship. The bathrooms were new to many brother had come too. In 1962 we opened our first shop in passengers including myself. It took a bit of e ort to learn Northampton - a food business. We opened shops in to use the sink taps and shower. Leicester and Wellingborough and restaurants in 1968, 1970 and 1983, including in Germany. There were people about the same age as me also travelling to Britain. We became friends. On 22 May 1953 we In the early 1970’s I returned to India and married. I had four landed at the Liverpool port. Four of us travelled to children who are now grown up. In 1981, I returned to Birmingham. None of us had any idea where to go. The Britain with my wife and children. police were very helpful. They took all of us, and our luggage, to a house in Rolfe Street (Smethwick). The My wife was very religious. She was a good mother. She landlord was an Asian man. We had not eaten Punjabi food was hard-working. She had a lot of patience. From time to for more than three weeks and were desperate for spicy time she got a job to help the family financially. food! There were shops and a cinema nearby. Ge ing tasty Unfortunately, she started having health problems. In 2018 food was no longer a problem. People were friendly and my wife passed away. helpful to each other. It has been 67 years since I came to this country for the first In the 1950s, men wearing turbans were not welcomed by time. For more than 60 years I have lived in Northampton. I employers in England. I became a victim of that have seen many changes to the town and society. I have anti-turban a itude. Despite making a huge e ort, I adjusted. Northampton is a good place to live. I have a few couldn’t get a job until, in mid 1953 I cut my hair and relatives in town and they are very supportive. became clean-shaven. Then, I got a job within a few days in Leamington Spa. I used to make things for the army. The first week I earned £4.15 - a good amount of money. I had

ORAL HISTORIES

S. AMARJIT we are very active just through the dedication and ATWAL commitment of our volunteers. My grandfather came to Northampton in 1964. My We've seen a lot of families move to Northampton. So we grandfather showed me the way - dedicating time to wanted a site big enough to accommodate large volunteering, and doing what he could do to help the gatherings, large weddings, large celebrations, increase the community move forward. He was President of the size of the community centre, and o er more services. In Gurdwara for a few years. I was also on the commi ee at 2012, we purchased the site in St James Mill Road. That's that time. Since then, I've been really sort of integrated been a big, big project for the community. within the community. I was the one of the youngest presidents of any Gurdwara in the UK, I think I was about Some of the youngsters who were coming to youth forums twenty seven. I did that role for 17 years and I became a and so on are now becoming commi ee members in our trustee for the organization - and been in that role for organization. It is all about se ing the foundations for the about 10 years, if not longer than that. There's lots of other next generation. With the new building we will be able to groups I work with as well, alongside the Sikh community. move that forward. I feel good that I've been able to do something. Sikhs have a During the Covid-19 pandemic, volunteers have been religious value - seva - selfless service. Seva is one of the making Personal Protective Equipment “PPE”, which we've biggest things that we can do - either financially or as donated to the General Hospital. We've got a foodbank set volunteering. You get a lot of motivation because you're up specifically helping people with cultural needs. There's helping a lot of people. been a lot of requests for that. We've been doing support in terms of helping people over the phone. There's a lot of It's through helping other people that you get peace of overseas students here as well from India. And, you know, mind. So volunteering is an escape in a sense. If you have a with the lockdown, they were struggling to go out and get busy working life, it's quite easy to get caught up in that. food. One of our volunteers was coordinating that activity But sometimes you need to get grounded again. to make sure that we didn't forget those students. We used Volunteering really helps. We don't do it for any recognition to serve langer every Sunday and we have been for over or anything like that. But I've received the Northampton five years. As soon as the lockdown was implemented, the Award, presented by the mayor on two occasions - the vast majority of the homeless were moved into hotels in Heart of the Community Award. I've been invited to see the Northampton. That’s allowed us to carry on supporting Queen at Buckingham Palace. Most recently, we have been them, even more than we did before. There's been weeks awarded the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service. It is where we've covered three or four evenings a week - absolutely incredible what the Sikh community has anything up to about 400 meals. managed to do in Northampton. For a small community,

ORAL HISTORIES

S. HARKIRAT in the houses and Gurdwaras - working together, singing SINGH together, serving together. My family came to Northampton in 1974, but long before that, Various people made their marks, including my father, Kultar there was a Sikh presence in Northampton. Singh. He was an architect with Northampton Development Corporation. His sporting achievements in Northampton were ◼ In 1846 there was a drama production in Northampton recognised, including in a “Superstars competition” for which at the theatre called 'War with the Sikhs'. he received the runner up prize. Many sporty Sikhs from India, Kenya and Uganda brought sports skills too in motor racing, ◼ In 1849, Maharajah Duleep Singh visited Northampton. rowing, cricket, hockey, archery, and even horse riding. ◼ The su rage e movement took place in 1909 and Sophia Something which was going to continue in Northampton was having the likes of Bisham Singh Bedi playing for Northampton Duleep Kaur made a real impact - empowering women. Cricket Club! ◼ The local newspapers reported a band performing at My father played quite a pivotal role in building interfaith Abington Park Band Stand in the early 1900s - with Sikh relationships through both community clubs and professional drum players involved as part of the Prince of Wales’ organisations. My mother Pritpal Kaur, helped us all through band. our schooling in Northampton. ◼ Sikhs appeared in Northampton in greater numbers as immigration increased after Partition and upheaval in My wife Parvinder Kaur added to that joy in life where we help countries like Uganda and Kenya. each other and serve others together. We volunteered with local and national Sikh Community events, Punjabi School and In 1974, when my parents came to Northampton, my dad Gurdwara Sikhi Camps. We were blessed with our daughter, brought with him, various contacts - Granthis and Kirtanees, Seva Kaur, in 2005. We wanted our child to learn and people spiritually linked to the Sikh traditions. Congregational understand the teachings of the Guru, the music of the Guru, activities took place in family homes as we didn’t have a the arts of the Guru, to have a loving relationship with the Guru Gurdwara or community centre in Northampton. We moved and to learn the concepts of meditation, sharing with others, our religious ceremonies from house to house, collecting funds and living a truthful life using the Gurdwara as a school for the from the community, so that we could establish ourselves. We mind. built relationships with other Sikhs as they moved into Northampton. I chose to leave my career as a Tax Accountant. I was blessed to have been earning a very good income. Now, another door Then the Community Centre was purchased on St. George opened for me, allowing the Sikh Education Service to be Street - a Gurdwara for Northampton. My father was actively established. It meant my volunteering at the Sikh Community involved in the services o ered at that Gurdwara. He organised Centre to host schools visiting the Gurdwara, to encourage the musicians from India. The Gurdwara moved to a larger building building of an education and resource centre and to work with further up St. George's Street. As children, we were brought up religious education bodies. Unknown to me at the time, this was to become a full-time role. From humble roots in Northampton, the Sikh Education Service spread from county to county (with the support of the Standing Advisory Commi ee of Religious Education). Schools came to the Gurdwara from Northampton and further afield too. It became a global project, allowing me to travel the world. I think it's really important that young people recognize that our purpose in life, the universal purpose in life, isn't about us. We're a gift - a gift to the universe meaning that we're all One. Accepting that we're all One serving each other, treating each other as equal, we will find that we have a purpose and a joy. I'm here to help - and it's not about me - that's my purpose in life. It should be the purpose in life of every single human being. Rule one, understand that we are all One. We are all part of this journey together. With the challenges we're facing across the world, with all sorts of external and internal influences on us, it's a challenge. But we have been given this ability to connect with that greatness. And this is within us - to help humanity.

ORAL HISTORIES

In 1974 Karam Singh started to grow his hair long and to wear a turban. In 1978 Karam Singh became an Amritdharie (Baptised) Sikh. Karam Singh often wrote and performed religious and political poems in the Gurdwara. He was an inspiration to his grandson, Amarjit Atwal Singh, who was elected President of the Commi ee of the Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Northampton and recognised in 1999 as ”The Youngest President of the Sikh Community of the UK”. Karam Singh passed away on 26th September 2012. He is remembered with great respect and warm regard by the community. S. KARAM SINGH ATWAL Karam Singh Atwal was born in 1917 in Hansron, a village in the Punjab during the time the British ruled India. The youngest child of three siblings, his mother died while he was a child. After completing a good education, aged 18, he joined the British Army. Soon after, in 1939, Word War II started. Karam Singh was sent to Burma to fight the Japanese. Whilst serving there, Karam Singh was injured. This led to him losing the sight in one eye – and to his being discharged from the Army. He went back to his family’s village in India, to do farming. As a British Army veteran, Karam Singh was invited to come to Britain. In 1963 Karam Singh flew from Delhi to Heathrow, allowed by the government only to bring £3 with him. He went to stay in Coventry with relatives. In the 1960’s it cost about £3 per week to rent a room. Karam Singh had to move to Wolverhampton to find his first job. At first he worked in the foundries. Due to the nature of this work, he eventually cut his hair and became clean shaven. Karam Singh then moved to work in Northampton, where he had a cousin. His wife and son joined him. From about 1964, until he retired, he worked for British Timken in Duston, a company that made and exported ball bearings around the world. He and his wife began helping Mr Bains and the Sikh community’s religious celebrations, at first in people’s homes, later at Kingsthorpe Grove Primary School, and eventually in the Gurdwara.

ORAL HISTORIES

MORCEA journey that actually then makes them accepted WALKER community. MBE DL The perception now is that they are part of us, and have I came to Northampton in 1973 to teach. In 1974, Mr. Baines every right to be and have whatever dress code they want was involved with the Race Equality Council. They started to use, whatever method of communication they want to research on education. Mr Baines said ‘we want young use. They're here to stay. people to keep their culture. We want them to be a part of the wider community, but also not to lose what they have’. I've sort of grown up with them and their children through supplementary school where they celebrate that they've Mr. Baines became councillor. He tried to take those steps kept their mother tongue, those young people who've got that would actually mean people think, ‘yes, you are a part an extra GCSE. of this community’. It was really hard work. People would say ‘why can't they just be like us?’ ‘why do they need As far as Northampton is concerned, they are all part of the special shops?’ and ‘why've they got to go up to community. Known for all the good work they do. They Birmingham to get all of that?’ And ‘there seems to be more value the community that they serve. Anybody can join of them coming. Are they going to take over?’ their volunteering sharing that principle of caring for the wider community in which we live. You'd be out on the street or in particular shops and people I noticed would shift away, often, from me. But more so They volunteer with a number of national organizations. from these people who were quite di erent in the sense that Where they see shortfalls, they try and fill that gap for they're probably closer in colour to the White community, communities. They are principled in volunteering. That's but looked di erent for wearing a turban, and the ladies how they work. Always, always, they put the community walking around in in their saris or whatever clothing they first. They're ge ing awards because the community has may have. It was hard. It was really, really hard. The other nominated them to get them - and that is so important. issue was the language - speaking in their mother tongue. They stood out. I have been so proud to been involved and engaged with them and long may that continue. I love the respect to I became an equality advisor and my drive for schools was which they treat me all the time. I feel honoured. to make children comfortable in whatever culture they're coming from, whatever colour. I absolutely salute those So they have grown and developed and I ask them to elders and their persistence that they used to go on a remember those elders that once had a hard time but carried on and forged and built a pathway that's now enabling this community to build a purpose built community centre that will serve our community for many, many, many years to come.

ORAL HISTORIES

S. MRS very nice. We had facilities e.g. grocery shop, hardware GREWAL shop, news agent, laundry etc. within easy reach of our family home. There was no bus service. Quite often I had to I come from the Punjab in India. The village where I was wait for days or weeks for my husband to be free of work to born, was very isolated. There was no regular bus service, take us to the town. For many months I had no friends. My no school in the village and no Gurdwara. My paternal husband had to work long hours to pay the monthly bills. I grandmother was part of a very rich and highly educated started to feel isolated. family. She believed that all children should have an education. She sent four out of her five children to school. I We received a le er from the Gurdwara Commi ee. The ended up going to the next village where there was a Gurdwara programmes used to take place in Kingsthorpe school. That was two miles away. From age 7 I used to walk Grove Primary School. Even after almost half a century, the every day. The route was full of hazards. I would be up to peaceful feeling I had there is still with me. It felt very my knees walking through the flood water when the local special. There was community, about 30 people, three canal burst its banks. My father advised me to apply for people singing Keertan, then everyone doing Ardaas teacher’s training. I took his advice and completed the together, eating Langar and talking with the other people. It Junior Basic Teacher’s Training. felt amazing! It was the first time since our move to Northampton, that I had met other community members. In the late 1960’s I came to Britain. My relatives already in Britain were very friendly. Soon it was time to get married It took me quite a while to pass my Driving Test. Once I did, and find a job. My husband and I rented a council flat in the I forgot all the isolation and loneliness that I had gone East End. I had a child and carrying the pushchair or pram through. The Driving skills gave me such independence and and baby, was tiring and dangerous. confidence. Finding a job was easy. Through a family friend I found a I heard that the Gurdwara Commi ee had bought a job to work as a machinist. The boss and his wife were building close to the town centre that was going to be our willing to teach me. When the boss’s wife turned on the Gurdwara. By this time, my husband had become a machine for the first time I got frightened by its fast speed member of the Gurdwara Sangat. Later, he got elected a and loud noise. I soon learned to use it and in my first week commi ee member in the early days of se ing up the I earned £6! Gurdwara. By the early 1970’s we had children and needed more space. Around 1979/80 Sr. Jaswant Singh Bains (President of Sri We ended up in Northampton. We chose a house in the Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara) asked my husband if I could newly built estate. The atmosphere in Northampton was restart Punjabi classes. In the end it was not possible, but I was contacted by teachers asking me to arrange visits to Gurdwara for students or come to their schools to give the students some information about Sikhism. Classes from di erent schools visited Gurdwara. They asked about Sikh religion, the way we dress, about turbans, how we look after our long hair, musical instrument and about the Langar sewa. I was asked by teachers to visit students in their schools to talk about Sikh religion. Equality of all mankind, regardless of their colour, culture, creed or financial status was also a very important message for the visitors. In the late 1980’s I found a job in a voluntary organisation which became managed by a statutory organisation. My manager advised me to apply to college to get formally qualified. In the mid-1990’s I completed a two year Diploma, topped up with one more year making it from Diploma to BA Degree (Bachelor of Arts – Hons Degree).

ORAL HISTORIES

Bains’ house and later at Kingsthorpe Grove Primary School. In the 1970s, Harbans Kaur, together with the other Sikh women, used to help in cooking and serving the Langar. All the hard work contributed to more people in the community taking an interest in a ending regularly for special religious days and religious celebrations. Both Harbans Kaur and Karam Singh were baptised Sikhs. They worked in the Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Northampton for many years. Right through intoin later life, Harbans Kaur has continued to make everyone feel happy. S. HARBANS KAUR ATWAL When her husband, Karam Singh, started to make a new life for himself and his family in England, Harbans Kaur stayed with their children in India for a few years. After Karam Singh found work in Northampton at British Timken, his son, Tirath Singh Atwal, joined him. Then, after Karam bought a house in Alfred Street, Northampton, his wife, Harbans Kaur travelled with their daughters and joined them in 1968. At first, Harbans Kaur often felt isolated because she did not speak English and there were so few Punjabi-speaking families in Northampton. The local people were not interested in talking with the new, foreign, arrivals – and quite often Harbans Kaur felt rejected by them. Even so, Harbans Kaur needed to find paid work and contribute to supporting the family. Harbans Kaur, was hard working and physically fit. It did not take her very long for to get a job at a toy factory called ‘Me oy’. The company had a large workforce, mostly female, many from diverse cultural backgrounds. Harbans Kaur was able to work there without any problems. When she had to change jobs, Harbans Kaur got a position at Bonnella, a company making circuit boards and small electrical items. She worked there until she retired. In the days before there was a Northampton Gurdwara, Harbans Kaur and her husband both helped with arrangements for religious celebrations at Jaswant Singh

ORAL HISTORIES

NEELAM the Hope Centre, bringing the local businesses on board to AGGARWAL donate food to, you know, serve hundreds of meals every SINGH MBE DL day to the homeless community of Northampton. One of the key Sikh values is helping others, helping people I was born in India. Most of my life I have lived in in need. They have been able to work with other Northampton with my husband and my three children. I'm communities, for example, Northampton Inter Faith Forum. Hindhu and I'm married to a Sikh. I am a co-founder and I think they lead by example. The sewa to serve the Chairperson of the Indian Hindhu Welfare Organisation. I community, is very, very important. I think they have am very active in the voluntary sector in Northampton. respect from all faiths in this town. I worked at Northampton College in the 1990s. I used to I think the Sikh community has been very good at engaging celebrate di erent community festivals. the young people in the projects. If we look at their carnival I remember there was a gentleman who worked for the float, it’s always decorated in a beautifully traditional way. Sikh community, Piara Singh Gill. He contacted me and I Fantastic music. Women and young men dancing, playing started some adult computer classes. They were really the dhol. struggling. And they said to me, 'we have no funding, can you help us?'. I was able to signpost them to some funding, They have a great team of volunteers. Within the Sikh and it was good to receive feedback that it helped and tradition the gurdwara serves food to all visitors, especially worked. on Sunday when they have their normal gatherings, and to organise that team of volunteers, it requires some The Sikh community has worked very, very hard to have a organization, some management for it to happen regularly. positive image in Northampton. The Sikh community I have been inspired and encouraged members of my engages very well with others and support not only the community to do what the Sikh community is doing. Sikh community, but others too. In the last four, five years, feeding the homeless every Sunday is a huge commitment The new purpose-built gurdwara is a huge landmark and it's a great seva - good deed - to help the needy. How achievement for this town, because there aren't many many other organisations without any funding to do such purpose-built Faith buildings in Northampton. Within this work, are able to do something like that? building, having a heritage room is so vital to teach and promote the Sikh faith and its values to Sikh young people, They have had a big impact. If we look at the current children and others coming for educational visits. They are Covid-19 pandemic, it's a great example of that impact on the people who will carry the flag, the light forward for wider community to feed the homeless in partnership with whichever Faith community we talk about. If they don't know the fundamentals of their Faith, the roots of their faith, how would they ever hold them in high esteem for their children to be proud of their heritage? And when we talk about children from schools being involved, I think that way we move a li le bit more towards a harmonious society because more we know about each other, be er understanding we have of each other, then be er communities we will have as a result. Achieving the highest possible award available to the voluntary sector, the Queen’s award, which is equivalent to an MBE, is just an amazing achievement and so well deserved.

ORAL HISTORIES

S. PIARA di cult to buy food and clothes. Helping them was a good SINGH GILL opportunity for me too. I started doing well. I was born in the Punjab, India, in a village named Dayalpur In 1964, I bought a house, brought my family over and we near District Jalandhar. We were a big family. Our family se led in Northampton. My children started school. My occupation was farming. I had no formal education. By the wife Gian Kaur started helping me in the shop. We had our time I was 20, I had two children. I left for England when I third child in 1966. My wife worked part-time in a toy was 21 years old. factory and later full-time as a machinist. It was November when my friends and I arrived at In the 1960’s there were very few Sikh families in Heathrow Airport. In the Immigration O ce my Northampton. We used to meet at Mr Jaswant Singh Bains’s immigration clearance became a big issue because there house. We all used to help make the necessary was di erence in my signatures. The problem was that arrangements for the celebrations. My wife, Gian Kaur Gill, while I was in India I used to sign the documents in Punjabi. and Mr Bains’s wife, Harbans Kaur Bains, used to cook and While in Bombay, I learned to sign in English. In Britain, the serve Langar to the Sangat. Immigration Clearance O ce found the signatures as “not matching. Through an interpreter. I explained. I was asked As the number of Sikh families grew, we decided to hire the to sign in both languages then allowed to leave. It was a big hall at Kingsthorpe Grove Primary School. By 1970’s, it was relief when we finally arrived at our destination. There were felt that it would be be er if the Sikh Community buy our eleven people (including us) living in this three bedroom own place for religious purpose. So we needed to set up a house, but we all got on well with each other. We used to commi ee. I became a member of it. We identified a suitable cook food together and share the housework. place in St George Street for £10,000 that needed renovation. It was close to the town centre with good bus I heard from the other people there that Sikhs with a turban services. Both myself and my wife got deeply involved in and beard were not welcome in this country and often met the Gurdwara and continued to provide our service to the with negative reaction of the local people - even ge ing Sangat until 2004 when we moved to London. beaten up. I cut my hair and became clean shaven. After a week of arrival in England, I found a job in Warwick. Sadly, in 2004 we lost our family home to a fire and as a result lost everything. We decided to leave Northampton Gurbaskh Singh persuaded me to start my own business. It and move to London to be near our children. was tough going, but began to take o . In Birmingham I stayed with Gurbaskh Singh. He used to drive and drop me o before going to his work himself. Around this time Black people were quite unwelcome in this country and found it

ORAL HISTORIES

PINDY KAUR needs empathy and understanding. I've been helping her for about a year now, and I think it's really made a huge I'm the development manager of SCCYC. I've been working impact on her. She's got literally nobody else. there over 16 years now. I manage the services and trying to get funding for things we want to do. I volunteer with Sikhism has brilliant values, which I learnt through my role, SCCYC too. When I started working at the SCCYC, I needed but they were being forgo en. So what I like to do is try and to volunteer to expand my work because there wasn't bring them back. So, for example, if I use women as an enough budget to actually be paid. We didn't have sta . example, Sikhism says that women are equal to men. But Once I got really involved, I realised how much help people actually there's a lot of cultural inequality, so I try to needed. As I got more involved over the years, I wanted to empower women. I make sure we network and support make change in the wider town, so I started volunteering everybody, not just people in the Sikh community. with other groups and projects too. I think this all stems from my Sikh values which are to volunteer time or donate I used to be one of those women that are quiet. Now, I'm money. using the platform I've been given. I've been recognised for my work at the Northampton International Women's Day I help women, especially when they need support. I try and event. And the Sikh Community have had a lifetime help the elderly if they're having any operations or need achievement award from the Community Foundation for any help, I call them or get food to them. If something is our work and funded projects achievements as well. running well, I leave the volunteers to it. But wherever there's a gap, like at the moment, we're doing a Covid-19 My daughters - I brought them up to be really strong support service, when I need to, I go and do drops of food, women because they are girls and some people are like ‘oh prescriptions and even cook the hot food. when are you going to try for a boy?’ and I was like, ’I'm not. They are my boys AND my girls’. That's where it all started. Overall, as an organisation currently, we support up to They're really encouraging. They've made me achieve about 300 people in the week - that's hot food, dry food, more. They encouraged me to go back to university and do prescriptions, homeless help, and as I said, help the elderly. a degree in managing the voluntary sector. It all started It's a huge team of volunteers and there’s also paid sta . with them writing a bucket list. That's how I got my Some like myself are paid for some hours, but also confidence. I'm really proud of them for helping me to be volunteer beyond that. strong. I'm helping a lady who's su ering from domestic violence. We've got a brilliant Ignite change team now doing social Because of her immigration status, I've found that there's impact. I'm so proud of them. That's what I really want, to not much help out there for her. There's language issues, see more of the future generations coming forward. We are understanding issues and services are quite globalized. rededicating a youth club just for young people. The young Somebody in that vulnerable position with a young child people that were involved in Heritage and Youth Club 10 years ago are actually leading this work. I'm so proud of them. A lot of people don't know that Sikhism is very good for your mental health. It's not all about helping others, but yourself as well.

ORAL HISTORIES

We bought a house next to the post o ce. We employed a person to help us run our business. We put our trust in her. After about a year or so, we discovered a serious gap in the accounts. The relevant employee got prosecuted. We had a robbery in the post o ce and the robbers stole a lot of money. Then we had a robbery at our family home. We were si ing watching TV. The robbers entered the house. We were threatened with knives. They searched the house. They were unable to find any cash and left empty- handed. It was terrifying. We thought that perhaps it was time to sell our business. We both retired. S. BALDEV SINGH BIRK I was born in a village near Jalandhar (in the Punjab). I came to Britain in April 1963. When I came to Britain, I had long hair and used to wear a turban, but I cut my hair short. I was 15 years old - quite young to come to this country on my own, but living with my aunt and her family, I did not feel strange. I soon adjusted. I had to go to school for a year. Then, I was o ered an apprenticeship and became a qualified mechanic. In the 1960’s there were very few Sikh families in Northampton. Mr Jaswant Singh Bains and his family were the first family to se le in Northampton. The family were very religious and used to have Guru Granth Sahib (The Holly Book) in their family home. Mr Bains used to perform the religious ceremonies. The Langar used to be cooked at Mr Bains’s house. Doing cooking and washing up together made all the families feel close to each other. My mother wanted me to return to India to get married. In 1970 I got married and soon after that, both my wife Gurpal Kaur (Jasvinder Kaur) Birk and myself returned to Britain. Our first family home was in St James, Northampton. We arrived back from India in December. It was so cold - there was very deep snow and we had no central heating. In the mid-1980's we bought a post o ce with a shop a ached. It was a huge amount of work. It kept us physically occupied from early morning until late into the evenings. Seeing our customers’ happiness and appreciation made us feel rewarded for all our hard work.

ORAL HISTORIES

S. GURPAL In the 1980's, Mr Jaswant Singh Bains asked me to run KAUR BIRK Punjabi classes in the Sikh Community Centre. I prepared some of the children for GCSE exams and also took them to I used to feel so cold that I bought a very thick coat and do their exams. often kept that on almost every day. Not being able to communicate with anyone, I used to feel isolated. My mother-in-law became deeply involved in providing service in the Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Northampton I found a job in a factory called Me oy. The White workers – until about 1990. In the Gurdwara kitchen, she used to be used to make fun of me because they were unable to speak the all-rounder! She used to cook food, serve that to the my name properly. I started feeling very uncomfortable Sangat, do the washing up and do the general tidy up etc. I about going to work. My husband raised a complaint. The find it di cult to imagine the running of our family home boss was good. He dealt with the ma er immediately. without the help of my mother-in-law. In 1973 we moved house to be near our relatives. This gave In 2004 my husband and I started to do voluntary work in a me practical support and someone to talk to. By this time I charity shop for Northampton Association for Blind people. had my first child. I had to leave my job to care for my baby. I worked at the till. My husband used to repair items I took a part-time job but it did not bring in enough money donated - all the small electrical and other items which, to meet our needs. In 1973 my mother-in-law came to after having been repaired, could become saleable in the Britain. She started taking care of our children. I managed shop. We continued to do charity work until 2019. to find another job and started working full-time as a machinist Since I came to this country, I have always lived in Northampton. Our children were born here. They went to Due to feeling cold in our house, we moved again. This time local schools near our family home. They are well educated to a house with central heating. I moved to work at ‘Express and now have their own families. My husband and I have Lift’ - at the other end of Northampton from where we lived. become grandparents. A couple of our grandchildren have There was no straight bus route. I bought a moped. One grown up and become professionals. All our hard work was day, I had a nasty accident. I ended up in hospital. I had to worthwhile. stop riding my moped. I was left with only one option - I bought a bike. The journey from my home to work was about six miles. I worked at the Express Lift factory for many years and went by bike every day. It was good to go out to work. There were quite a few women working there from the same cultural background as me.

ORAL HISTORIES

RACHEL I was really keen that the projects had the opportunity to go MALLOWS in front of the panel nationally that consider organisations MBE DL for this Queen's Award for voluntary services. Projects like working in particular wards in the town that have got I'm Northamptonshire, born and bred. I'm very fortunate to multiple deprivation indices, meeting with at least 1500 be a Deputy Lieutenant. When I was appointed in 2016, the schoolchildren a year around issues such as community Lord lieutenant asked if I would work with a couple of cohesion and wonderful things with the elderly, things like others delivering faith groups. We gather together a couple ladies' kni ing groups and home visits to care homes and of times in the year. The Lord Lieutenant comes along and the elderly. And I think that's delivered through a can find out the community activities that are happening phenomenal voluntary body. across the county, working with the major faiths. So that's when I first met Amarjit and Pindy. It wasn't long before we There are about, I think, over 200 volunteers and they're were finding out more about the Waterside Connect Centre from a really broad range of di erent sort of backgrounds and what was happening there. And in 2019 we did hold a and communities. Some have been serving for over 40 meeting of the faith groups there. years, supporting the community and the town - exceptional volunteers who give their time, energy and Without a shadow of doubt I think that people have been so enthusiasm to be part of something than its entirety is impressed with the level of support within the bigger than what we can do individually. Northampton communities that the Sikhs have provided. It has been astonishing. People talk about the meals that are I think there's a real understanding of some of the issues provided on Abington Street. And as you get to know the that are happening in the town and in the community. I work, you realise the phenomenal breadth and range of the think a good example of that is where the volunteers have of the work that's actually provided across many di erent been able to support during Covid-19 and the current crisis. communities. Something that really aligns with me is this really strong The perception is that service is a really key aspect of Sikh belief that people should have the right to be fed, to have faith. I think that things have changed dramatically somewhere where they can go and make friends, where because of this sort of service without seeking any other they can be part of something. One of the top achievements kind of glory that I think is particularly obvious in what is actually engaging with the wider community to support people see. And manifestation of that faith is actually the meal activity - ge ing a be er understanding of the through being inclusive and enabling everyone to access people that are in need of help. all of the great things that are happening. I wish the Sikh community and in particular the volunteers continued good health and great joy from the work that they're doing. I want just to say thank you and keep up the good work.

ORAL HISTORIES