Source: Kent News
About 50 years ago the first Sikh immigrants arrived in Kent after travelling from their homes on the subcontinent to find work – some of them with just a change of clothes in their suitcase.
Arriving from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, many were already skilled craftsmen or farmers looking to earn a British wage which could help support their families at home.
Others were students hoping to further their education. Despite plans to return to their loved ones, wives and children were eventually sent for and decades on have formed strong links in the Kent community.
The largest group of migrants can be found in Gravesham, and they are the second largest number of Sikh residents in the South East.
To celebrate the story of their migration and settlement, an exhibition is being created with the aid of a grant of £36,900 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.