How did the project start?
In 1992 Glasgow Museums was given a cast iron plaque which had ‘LASCARS ONLY’ written on it in English and Bengali. It came from a toilet block at Stobcross Quay in the centre of Glasgow and dated to the 1890s. Lascars were seamen, generally from South Asia or other countries bordering the Indian Ocean. They were exploited by European shipping companies, including some based in Glasgow, who used discriminatory practices such as lower pay and worse working conditions to increase profits.
This plaque inspired three organisations - Bangladesh Association Glasgow, Our Shared Cultural Heritage and Glasgow Life Museums - to embark on a joint research project to find out more about South Asian seamen and their connections to Scotland. This was particularly important for the Bangladeshi community, who were surprised to discover that fellow Bengali speakers had been in Glasgow more than 100 years ago. Participants from each organisation brought unique skills and perspectives to the project, investigating and commemorating the lives of these mariners. Funding came via the EXCHANGE project, an UK wide initiative funded by the Art and Humanities Research Council with National Museums Scotland and the National Maritime Museum, London, which aimed to encourage community-led collections research exploring experiences of empire, migration and life in Britain.
What did we do?
The first phase of the project took place in 2022 and led to an extraordinarily flourishing of creative responses inspired by our research. The Bangladesh Association developed a play LASCARi which was performed on the Tall Ship Glenlee, an atmospheric Victorian sailing vessel which is now a museum in Glasgow. Not only was there an original script by Tareq Abdullah, but the play also involved newly created music, songs and dance. Support came from the National Theatre of Scotland and theatre professionals in the UK and Bangladesh. The costume design was based on picture research into the clothing worn on the PO line.
Lascar plaque copyright CGS CIC Glasgow Museums Collection
Our Shared Cultural Heritage (OSCH) was a wider project for young South Asian people to engage with museums and heritage, sponsored by the British Council. Three participants were interested in getting involved in the lascar research. Their work was again remarkably creative, leading to a short film by Aqsa Arif, artworks and writing by Malini Chakrabarty, and an oral history interview by Kulsum Shabbir. They presented their work online in a blog, and also published a zine.
The Glasgow Life Museums team meanwhile worked to organize two seminars and two pop-up displays. The first seminar was for current and retired South Asian mariners to discuss what they knew of lascars and their own experiences of life at sea. The second seminar was a larger event, bringing together the Bangladeshi community and the OSCH participants, plus academics, museum curators and archivists to share our research and celebrate the lives of the lascars. There was also a live link to retired mariners in Bangladesh.
When a second phase of funding was announced for 2023, we decided to document our journey so far by producing a documentary, a book and a podcast. The Bangladesh Association, led by Tareq Abdullah, focused on the film, working both in Scotland and Bangladesh. The film includes interviews with all the key figures in the project as well as footage of the LASCARi play, while the book pulls together many of the papers from the seminar, plus articles from the OSCH zine and artwork by Malini Chakrabarty. Very little has previously been published about lascars in Glasgow or Scotland, so this book is a key contribution to a neglected aspect of Scottish history.
The project culminated in a book launch for Scotland’s Lascar Heritage and a premiere for the Lascars and Us documentary, which brought the participants together in an emotional intergenerational celebration of Scottish South Asian heritage and culture. It was an extraordinary community response to one museum object that has changed the lives of those involved.
The impact of the project
Although lascars do not immediately seem visible in the local history of Glasgow, they can be found in newspaper reports, film archives or prison records, for example. We hope that lascars will be more visible in Glasgow’s history as a result of our work. An international perspective was also explored. Saif Khan from the Bangladesh Association made good use of his connections in Bangladesh to undertake linguistic research into the language used on the plaque, while Sarwar Hassan connected with retired seamen to investigate more recent aspects of this heritage. Our funders required us to remunerate participants, and this has had an unexpected impact for Mr Abdul Fattah, a former Clan Line seaman in Bangladesh. His remuneration enabled him to open a shop and secure his family’s economic stability.
The project brought together academics, museum and archive staff and community members with an interest in lascar heritage. Many of us had not been aware of each other before, but we have been able to build relationships and share information and resources in a dynamic and respectful way.
The lascar plaque, soon to be displayed at the Riverside Museum, has gained iconic status for the Bangladeshi community. It provides evidence that Bengali speakers were present in Glasgow 140 years ago and is a tangible connection that confirms their place in Scottish history. Academic contributions legitimized this story while insights into colonial exploitation and the harsh treatment of lascars elicited a raw and emotional response. This has strengthened the community’s understanding of joint Scottish and South Asian identities and given a greater sense of belonging.
Cover image from the Yatra zine copyright Malini Chakrabarty
The public events, attended by 500 people, allowed their stories to be shared with the wider population and fostered a sense of empowerment and fellowship that had positive wellbeing outcomes. LASCARi came at the end of the pandemic when people were apprehensive about going out and mingling. Producing a play involving musicians, actors, stagehands, and audiences gave a communal, participatory purpose which had a beneficial impact on community dynamic and mental wellbeing.
Our project won the 2023 Museums Association ‘Museums Change Lives’ award, while the book was shortlisted for the 2023 Scottish Research Book of the year by the Saltire Society.
Some final thoughts …
The funding for both phases of the project was time limited, and this put pressure on everyone to deliver in very short timescales – roughly 6-7 months for each phase. We recommend allowing more time for similar projects. This is very important for community participants, who are contributing in their free time, but also for museum staff, who are working on other projects simultaneously. Museum staff need to be flexible and able to work with the community participants as required, for example in the evenings or at weekends.
The funder’s requirement for participant remuneration was very positive, and in the case of Mr Abdul Fattah it was lifechanging. However, it can be difficult for public institutions such as museums to set up suitable remuneration systems.
The Bangladesh Association received their share of the costs directly from the funders. This meant that we could bypass complicated procurement procedures within the museum system, and gave flexibility, for example when we needed to hire a cameraman in Bangladesh at short notice.
This project was collaborative and community led. The deliverables of the project were decided by the community partners in discussion with museum staff, and drew on pre-existing interests, skills and experience, plus museum resources such as AV and publications staff. This process meant that our goals were ambitious but achievable, and everyone was emotionally committed to succeed. The museum participants felt that their contribution was principally focussed on project management, administration, collections access and additional research - and offering assistance as necessary. We have all been equal partners and the experience has been inspiring, enjoyable and very successful!