Unearthing Invisible Seafaring Histories of Empire

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, tens of thousands of sailors from across the British Empire arrived at the docks of East London, working on board ships carrying goods and raw materials. Some stayed temporarily before boarding another ship, some stayed permanently – setting down roots and starting families.

These sailors, coming from across Africa, Asia and the Caribbean, labelled as ‘aliens’ by official laws and regulations, were persecuted by authorities and in the press, who attempted to stir up moral panic about their presence in the community.

Through this event we will explore the history of this community, screening The ‘Strangers’ Home documentary which features interviews with descendants of these sailors recounting the experience of their families. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with film participants.

The event will centre around the Arrivals + Departures art installation, which we will be taking over for the evening. Created by YARA + DAVINA, it is an interactive public installation about birth, death and the journey in-between.

Featuring on the boards will be the names of dozens of south Asian sailors buried in unmarked public graves in West Ham Cemetery, sent there after passing away at the Seaman’s Hospital in Custom House. Thousands of miles from their home, they were buried without their families present and with no gravestone to remember them. Their names were found by Asif Shakoor at the National Archives when researching his own family history.

This event is organised by Asif Shakoor and The South East and is made possible thanks to support from the Royal Docks Team and Royal Docks Originals 2025.