Travel

One of the themes apparent in the family albums of many Derby Yaadaañ Archive participants was photographs of new cars and proud owners. Passing driving tests and having access to a car meant opportunities for independent travel, allowing families to more easily journey and holiday around the UK.

"I remember that we were the first people on the street to get a car and because of that my dad spent a lot of time giving lifts to people. His sense of social community was strong and so even though he’d be tired from work he would still give lifts to people in hospital, and so on."

Archive Participant

These photographs were also taken to communicate to relatives across the globe that the family were doing well and had enough income to spend on significant purchases. After the financial difficulty faced by individuals and families first arriving in the UK, the ability to purchase a new car would show that the family were now thriving in their new home.

Many images in the archive document family holidays and the travelling to locations that were important within the histories of families - perhaps to countries, towns, and villages where past generations of a family lived.

Reconnecting with the hardships and joys of lives lived by grandparents and parents, often in rural settings, would be a way of allowing families to reconnect with their heritage.

These photographs also indicate the desire to see the world, and travel on holidays to famous tourist destinations when finances allowed. This could vary from trips to New York, to family holidays in motorhomes on the UK coast

"The working leader was an Englishman named Brian. Once he asked me 'can you go to India with me?' I said 'But I have no money.' After a week he gave me a 1000 pound check. I said 'I can’t believe you!'

He said 'believe me. Now will you go with me?'

His father was born in Calcutta, his grandfather was in the British army. Brian and his son, they want to make a family tree.

I keep saying ‘Brian, how you trust me? The people I see in this country, they wouldn’t give me £1 or £5. But you give me £1000. When can I give it you back?'

He said 'When you’ve got it.' After a year, I made a cheque for £1000. But he wouldn’t take it back.