Interview with female Indian immigrant to Bedford. Founder and leader of Asian Women's Forum, Bedford

  • Women's Voices and Life Writing
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Title
Interview with female Indian immigrant to Bedford. Founder and leader of Asian Women's Forum, Bedford
Notes on Audio Quality
There is a minute pause in the audio from 31 to 32 minutes.
Interviewer
Semeraro, Carmela
Document Type
  • Oral history Recording
Date
9 Apr 2002
Interview Date
9 Apr 2002
Biography
Born in the Punjab, India on 17 March 1950. Her mother was from Kenya and she moved there at 6 months old. Her father had a carpet shop in Mombasa. Her father died at the age of 30-35 and she would stay in Kenya until she was 13 years old. Her sister learned to play music and went on to be a music teacher. She then visited India and decided to stay there with extended family where she went to an all-Indian school whilst her mother and sibling went back to Kenya. At the age of 14-15 she got married, through arrangement by her mother, she then got pregnant and came to England where her mother was already here to look after her and the child. Her brother was working in Bedford. She was very involved with religion. Her husband worked at Vauxhall as a supervisor in an office and they bought a house in Bedford. She did not work herself, instead spending her time dedicated to others and religious duties. In an old factory in Bedford she built a temple in to her favourite God, and many people attended. She also ran a refuge for Asian women with the help from the police and she acts as peacemaker between the women and their families. Founder and leader of Asian Women's Forum, Bedford.
Length (minutes)
63
Copyright and Source Archive
Material sourced from Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service