Reference
X214/12/10
Title
Transcript of interview with Bhagubhai Govind Chauhan, born 16 November 1939 in Sarbhon, Surat, India. Moved to Mombasa, Kenya in 1950 and to England in 1968.
Date free text
13 Jan 2009
Production date
From: 1939 To: 2009
Scope and Content
Born in village or small town with small houses where only poor people live. Grandfather and father were shoemakers. Father left India for Kenya in 1935, but cae back a few times to visit. In 1950, aged 11, travelled to Kenya with Aunt, leaving mother, brother and sister at home. Stayed over at Nairobi with a relative before travelling to Kitale.
Only educated to Standard 3 level.
30 September 1950 boarded SS Kampala, which took 7 days to get from Bombay to Mombasa. Still has the ticket. The cost was lass than 60 rupees at that time.
The experience was a surprise, as before had never left the village where he lived.
When first came to England lived in Golders Green in London. Wife and children came to England before Bhagubhai.
Wife and 3 children were born in Kenya.
Enjoyed living in Kenya.
In India when a child lived in a small house with a floor made of cow dung. Had no chairs, just a bed and mattress. The house belonged to his parents so there was no rent to pay.
When arrived in Africa did not know any English, the only language Bhagubhai could speak was Gujarati. Once in Kitale joined a school and also had private tuition in the evening. Even so, by the age of 15 or 16 had only studied up to Standard 7. Did not pass Standard 7 so had to go to another town for further study. Decided not to do any more education but to get a job. Started working in a stationery shop; from that moved to a grocery shop. Then started clothing shop in part of parents shoe shop. After that, worked for Northern Motors Limited. Later moved to another branch called Hill Barrett and Company Limited. Started as receptionist, then moved to the parts department and later was petrol station supervisor. Worked with them until coming to England.
Flew to England 27 February 1968. Started in Golders Green; got a job but the pay was poor, so got another job in Archway with the Crouch End Motor Company. Later a friend Bhagubhai knew from Africa suggested he move to Luton and work for Vauxhall Motors. Rented a room in Kenilworth Road. Could watch the football from the window. Subsequently bought house in Charlwood [Charlton?] Road with a mortgage from Halifax Building Society. Passed driving test and bought a car. Later moved to Vauxhall at Boscombe Road, Dunstable building heavy vehicles as there was lots of overtime available. In 1970 moved to the spare parts warehouse at Toddington Road, and worked there until 2004 when he retired.
Won over £2,000 in a Vauxhall lottery and was able to pay off mortgage.
After about a year, wife got a job in Chaul End Lane.
Gives details of son's jos; now working for Nokia in Bangalore.
Father ran a shoe business called Bombay Boot Camp with his brother, Bhagubhai's uncle. Father used to do all the cooking as his mother did not know how.
Younger brother came to England in 1963 and lived in Golders Green, as did a cousin and others. In the end they also moved to Luton. Parents came from Kenya in 1970/1.
Describes reasons for leaving Kenya. The deadline for people with British passports to leave was 29 February 196, or they wpuld become atomatic citizens. Business people were given another 12 months. Father had to wait to get a visa to leave because he had a shop. [Kenyan Asians fled to Britain in their thousands in response to the east African country's increasingly discriminatory laws].
Level of description
item