East London News A Force for the community…
The Brick Lane Circle is undertaking a unique project exploring the major impact the London-based East India Company had on Asian and British lives for more than two centuries. It’s looking to recruit twelve volunteer researchers who will explore East India Company records and objects in the hope of discovering important information about events, individuals and institutions linked to the work of the Company which will inspire them to write short fictional stories based on the facts they have found.
The Brick Lane Circle suggests that possible topics for short story writing could include trading complexities; sea voyages and rough storms; Lascars in the East End; planning the opium wars; prosecution of criminals; experiences of warehouse workers; piracy on the Thames; receiving news of the Battle of Plassey; impacts of eastern goods; migration to India and immigration into London; long distance romance; British women travelling to India to marry British officers; institutional reforms; inter-racial relationship and experiences of racism.
The project is being supported by the London Metropolitan Archives, the National Maritime Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, British Library, Rich Mix Centre, Bow Drama Group and many community groups.
•For further information contact Brick Lane Circle: bricklanecircle@yahoo.co.uk, 07914119282, www.bricklanecircle.org.
