SOUTH ASIAN HERITAGE WEBSITE LAUNCHED
(30 July 2003)

The last 200 years of South Asian migration to England are explored on a new interactive website, 'Moving Here', was launched today, 30 July 2003 at London's City Hall.

'Moving Here' makes over 150,000 digitised sources from 30 museums, libraries and archives in England available online for the first time. You can read about the history of South Asian migration to England, get guidance on tracing your family history, send images as e-postcards and contribute your own stories of migration to the website.

You can download free scans of documents and images such as:

• The Lascar seamen, who set the pattern for 20th century Indian migration
• Selected ships' passenger lists, searchable by name
• Extensive records, including correspondence from Gandhi, charting the struggle for Indian independence
• Earnest Dyche's photographic portraits of Asian families in England in the 60s and 70s
• A photograph of Indian suffragettes in a procession of 1912
• Photographs of some of the 1 million Asian men who fought in World War 1
• The plight of indentured Indian labourers in the Caribbean
• British government policy on the migration of Ugandan Asians

One second generation South Asian woman describes in her personal story on the website: "I'm extremely proud that I have been born in an age where I can recognise both identities and I can take the best of both worlds."

Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, said: "England has a long history of immigration and I commend 'Moving Here' and The National Archives on creating a website which recognises and celebrates the contribution of immigrants to all sections of our society."

Chandan Mahal, Diversity Manager at the Museum of London, said: "People don't realise how much material about their communities is stored away in museums and archives. When I have gone into community groups and been able to show them images of the Asian lascars in the Docks and the Asian suffragettes on the 'Moving Here' website they get really excited".

Historian Simon Schama said: "It's a TERRIFIC idea, both moving and important."

'Moving Here' has been funded by the New Opportunities Fund and also provides information for the Caribbean, Irish and Jewish communities in England. Further material will be added to the site by the end of September.

The National Archives is the lead partner on "Moving Here". The National Archives museum and research rooms are open to the public 6 days a week. It holds over 1000 years of documents including sources for family history research. The National Archives was created in April 2003 when the Public Record Office and the Historic Manuscripts Commission came together to form one organisation.

The Moving Here partner organisations are: Birmingham City Archives; Black Cultural Archives; Bradford Heritage Unit; British Library; Croydon Museum & Heritage Service; Hackney Museum; Haringey Museum and Archive Service (incorporating Bruce Castle Museum); Hull City Archives; Imperial War Museum; Lancashire Record Office; Jewish Museum, London; Leeds Museums & Galleries; Liverpool Record Office; London Metropolitan Archives; London School of Economics; Luton Museum Service; Manchester Central Library; Manchester Jewish Museum; Museum of London; The National Archives; National Maritime Museum; North West Film Archive; Oxfordshire Museums; Public Record Office of Northern Ireland; Royal Geographical Society; Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives; Victoria & Albert Museum; Walsall Local History Centre; Wandsworth Museum and Local History Service; West Yorkshire Archive Service