The Colourful Heritage
Digital Timeline
Our digital timeline charts the history and progress of South Asians and key events in Scotland over the last 100 years or so, from the arrival of Maharajah Duleep Singh in Perthshire to the present day involvement of women in politics.
Starting from 1855 this fascinating timeline takes you through the journey of the evolution of the South Asian and Muslim community in Scotland.
Colourful Heritage Timeline
Maharajah Duleep Singh, the young ruler of the Kingdom of Lahore, takes up residence at the Grandtully estate in Perthshire after he was deposed by the British. Colourful Heritage volunteer Rupa Mooker teamed up with BBC Landward to explore the fascinating story of Maharajah Duleep Singh – the last ruler of the Sikh Empire from Punjab from Lahore (part of modern day Pakistan), who came to stay in Castle Menzies, Aberfeldy in 1855. He was…
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Throughout the 1860s, South Asian lascars (seamen) are seen more often in Scotland. By the end of the century there are Lascar-only facilities in Glasgow Docks. Location: Glasgow, Scotland Credits: Glasgow Museums (photo), Lascars, c.1850 – 1950: The Lives and Identities … (Ceri-Anne Fidler, 2011)
In 1890 Dr Annie Wardlaw Jagannadham (1864–1894), LRCP, LRCS, and MPC from India graduated from Edinburgh Medical School for women (opened by Sophia-Jex Blake) where she registered as a medical student in 1888 to continue on her medical studies from India. She became the first Indian woman doctor to be entered onto the British Medical Register and therefore the first Indian woman qualified to practice medicine in Britain. She was also the first Indian woman…
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Queen Victoria employs Abdul Karim (1863-1909) as an attendant. He accompanies her whenever she resides at Balmoral. A holiday cottage is named after him on the estate. Credits: Hills and Saunders via Wikimedia Commons (photo), Wikipedia
The first female Asian graduate of the University of Glasgow was Marbai Ardesir Vakil, who was born in Bombay in 1868 and graduated with a BA from Wilson College, Bombay, in 1888. She came to Glasgow’s Queen Margaret College Medical School in 1893, just as that college for the higher education of women was merging with the University. After graduating with MB CM in 1897 she spent two years’ working as a postgraduate in Glasgow,…
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John Parkinson (1874-1918) from Kilwinning Ayrshire converts to Islam c. 1901. As Yahya Parkinson he becomes a poet and writer and is described as the Muslim Robert Burns. Yahya was buried on the 1st of December, 1918 in Kilwinning Cemetery, section M, lair number 1. Also buried in the lair include: John McNeil Dodds (25/06/1932) Annie Cann Dodds (01/11/1941) Location: Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland Credits: Obituary of Yahya Parkinson, British Muslims, The Open University, North Ayrshire…
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In 1912, Jamini Sen was admitted as the first female Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons & Physicians of Glasgow (RCSPG) in 1912, passing the fellowship examination as a surgeon. She became a Fellow of the College in 1912, after passing the fellowship exam as a surgeon. Jamini Sen (1873-1933) was born in 1871 in Bengal and studied at Calcutta Medical College where she obtained a medical license in 1897. She went on to practice…
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Over 1.5 million Indian soldiers fight with the British forces during World War One. Head over to our British Indo-Pak Army page to learn more of the South Asian contribution to the War. Credits: The Guardian and Bettman (photo)