Individual results

Interviewee: Mr B S Bahia
Interviewer: Stacey Bains

Names spelt phonetically

Track 1
Born in 1934, in India. Lived in Kookerpen. Tradition for first child to be born where mothers parents live. Lived near army station in Kookerpen Jalundhar. Units marched/exercised through village. Walked passed grounds to school. Attracted to how people lived in England. No films about England. After the war some films. Wanted to see country they came from. Father in the army. Finished higher secondary(GCSE equivalent). Job in Delhi.

Track 2
Two years. Wanted to see England. Father gave him the money. Started school at 5-6. Lived with parents. Houses different to here. In India now different. Pukha (good) house brick built. Open houses due to heat. Three sisters, three brothers. Slowly moved out. Sister married and lived in Delhi. Poor areas lived in huts. Punjab not educated or rich but did well. He's physically well. Wasn't rich. Moderate living.

Track 3
Father joined army. Great grandfather went to Australia. Died of cholera. Father's uncle looked after him. After the war left. Used savings. Given money by father. Learnt driving in army. Bought a bus. Went into business with uncle. Small transport business. Now brother runs it. Many government restrictions. Sold buses and put money into share units. Lived off income. Father worked in mechanics. Learnt skills in army. Allowed his brother to take over. Live well now. Lived here so long.

Track 4
Went back in November for two months. Good connections with family. Didn't have same hardship coming as many others. Only responsible for himself. Family were OK. Many people dependent on size of land and crops. Didn't have it easy. Need to work hard. A lot of change in India now. Especially in Punjab. Many areas still poor. Used to have water pump. Now have six bedroom house with six bathrooms. Big rooms and garden. Family get together for nieces wedding. Two sisters here. House was full. Feel no different there. People's attitudes changed.

Track 5
Now people borrow money to start businesses. Built High Schools after the war. Near to the city and army base so had good facilities. All depends on income. Had small farm. Wouldn't move back, too old. It's very different there. Like starting again. Retired so will not make connections through work. Would be bored. Was born and lived in India for a long time. His home. Attached to places you live. Used to live in Wolverhampton. Always returned.

Track 6
When moved to Coventry still went back to see friends. Human instinct. Primary and secondary school in contonement? Many schools in area. District town had colleges. Now more built. Jalundhar modern district. Went to college for a year. Biked to school. Only a few miles away. Many children went to college. Did easier Arts subjects. Started to mess around with friends. Father said he could stop.

Track 7
Wanted to get educated but followed the crowd. Didn't achieve. Passed GCSE equivalent. Worked in Delhi. Delhi was two hundred and thirty-five miles away. Sister there already. Visited her. Delhi was big modern and also old. Now very different. New buildings and roads. Father in army and travelled for job so quite open. He's quite open. Worked for construction firm, C Lyle & Company. English, then Indians took it over.

Track 8
Good working there. No responsibility. Father told him to enjoy himself and learn. Learnt the business. Went to cinema and sports events. Played hockey, football, volleyball. Had free pass to cinema as brother-in-law worked in Jalundhar cinema. Friend wanted to go. Not enough suspense in films. Predictable. Enjoyable to be with friends and talk. Visited village. Asked father for money to leave. Friend told him to come. At first father reluctant. Then agreed. Could do well there.

Track 9
Friends father head of village council. Similar lives. Liked independence in England. Moved to London for four weeks. Came to Birmingham. Stayed with father's friend. Friend worked in Goodyear, Wolverhampton. Moved in with him and got job. Played hockey for Goodyear Club. Heathrow was like a small bus depot. Because of army used to white people. They were surprised. Used to have turban. Caught plane to Cairo. Plane fault.

Track 10
Stayed in Cairo for five days. British European Airways. At Munich made fun of them. Many white people in Delhi. Didn't have white friends. Army restricted. In Delhi nephew went to English school. Headmaster used to visit them. He used to say whatever he wanted. Needed a job and wanted to be near friends so moved from London. Need support. Moved to England in 1954.

Track 11
Seven to eight years at Goodyear. Worked in machine job first. Easy. Three shifts. Got bored. Went to India for a year. Relations' building plant in Durgarpur. Too hot in Bengal so came back. Missed friends. In his nature to move. Won't move now because retired. Easy to get jobs. Worked in engineering firm building lorries/buses. Seven to eight years then returned for a year. Lived with friend. Bought small house.

Track 12
Familiar with English culture. Saw army families. Read books. In Delhi many English. Were unhappy English ruling India. But also admired intelligence. Went to Australia. Next to India. Superstition/Hinduism prevented Indians exploring. Friends thought like him. Wanted to show people they were intelligent. Now different education and structures. In his village youngsters are more modern.

Track 13
Saw African people in Cairo found it strange. Easy to adapt. Doesn't eat beef. Not religion just not meat eater. Eat in canteen at GoodYear. Went home and eat Indian food. Doesn't like to cook. Women do homework. Men's duty to provide for house. Indian system. Liked going to the pub. Before GoodYear job worked at Midland Metal factory. Mainly women workers. Women rates of pay. Booked coach with other boys. Saturdays went dancing and drinking.

Track 14
Every month. Dance hall near Kidderminster. English music, rock and roll. Didn't like classical. Liked Pat Boone, Elvis, Nat King Cole. Liked melodies. Frank Sinatra. Perry Como. Bought booze and eat well. Sporty so eat well. Fresh food. Avoided tinned food. Paid father back and sent money as gift. Returned seven times. Only stayed on three occasions. Went for one to two months holidays. Worked at Guy Motors.

Track 15
Went back to India for ten weeks. Came back during recession. Lost job. Claimed benefits. Worked at steel factory. Moved to Coventry in 1984/5. Moved because of recession. Doesn't mind moving. Worked in Birmingham and London. Started to do markets with unemployed friend. Four to five years then retired. Retired in 1996. Married many times.

Track 16
Married in India. Married again. Didn't last. Last wife died. Bachelor again. Has children. Two live with him. Two married. Very solid mentally. Manage with whatever. Doesn't look at others. Always well clothed and fed. Kids (children) looked after. Wouldn't want more. Could be worse off. Doesn't want to be millionaire. If was would look after others. Father taught him to be good.

Track 17
"If can't do good don't do bad". Content. Helps if he can. Sikh background but don't need it to learn. Learn from life experience. Doesn't restrict children. Children dress western. Brother gave him shiny clothes for son. Won't wear them, neither would he. Gain respect through clear heart and mind. Loves his dog. Daughter fed it with a spoon. Wife died and daughter works part time so he has to feed it. Won't eat unless with a spoon.

Track 18
Friends different backgrounds. Think he's mad for feeding dog. He's respectable. Can speak to anyone. English people know him in pub. Young and old. Buy him drinks. Ask for advice. Enjoys himself. Some people restricted by upbringing. Lots of people better and worst off. Not people's fault if poor. Must work hard whatever. Try to manage with what you've got.

Coventry Lives Oral History Project, date of birth: 1934