LOCAL IDENTITIES
NOT LONDON
Ara: School Racism and Bullying
Story about difficulties at boarding school: racism and bullying. Explains a positive university experience in Liverpool and work life in London, restored his sense of British identity.
(Interviewed by Pete and Kersty, June 2024 )
Ara: Doctor in England
Story of how Ara was asked, while pursuing university education in Beirut, Lebanon, if he wanted to go to Oswestry, England, to continue medical training; he accepted, as he wanted to learn about non-war trauma. Comments on difficulties of citizenship and getting a passport. Story about how he came to the United Kingdom for a two-year training programme from 1984. Worked at Crewe Hospital and got a British passport. Remarks he never returned to Syria, where he is originally from.
(Interviewed by Erica, November 2024)
Ara: The Armenian Church in Manchester
Description of his discovery of the Armenian Church in Manchester and its history linked to Armenian merchants from the Ottoman Empire. Remarks on the cost of Armenian Church in Manchester; interior Armenian-style, exterior Anglican church. Description of the other Armenian Churches in London. Mentions authors Joan George, Peter Balakian. Description of importance of Armenian Church in Manchester to him and the different branches of Armenian Christianity. Story of how he and his wife made a written account of the Armenian Apostolic service available.
(Interviewed by Erica, November 2024)
John: John’s Origin Story
John describes his paternal grandfather, born in Kayseri (Cesarea), present-day Turkey, running family shipping company in Istanbul before emigrating to start the Manchester branch, exporting textiles to the Ottoman Empire. Mentions Manchester being first British Armenian community. Comments on the grandfather arriving circa 1895, describes how he met and married his wife, from Smyrna (now Izmir, Turkey), in 1904. Comments on John’s father, leaving school to run family business after his own father died in 1921. John lived with his grandmother and aunt until he was 5. Mentions maternal grandfather emigrating to London from Kayseri in 1912; travelling to find a wife in Istanbul in 1914. Mentions parents’ marriage in 1945.
(Interviewed by Nyree, October 2024)
John: Cotton Mills Memories
Describes his father and uncle working in the Lancashire cotton industry; anecdote about visiting mills with uncle and seeing the young women mill workers who were deaf from the noise of the Lancashire looms. Reads out a cutting about his uncle’s last cotton deal at the Manchester Royal Exchange.
(Interviewed by Nyree, October 2024 )
Karen: Sense of Armenian and British Belonging
Describes her and her two brothers being born, growing up with dual heritage in Tehran and feeling Armenian, differences in her appearance and shyness in socialising and speaking Armenian as a child, being educated in the British system and working as a multidisciplinary artist. Mentions learning to read and write Armenian at the Armenian Institute. Describes living in Yorkshire with family after leaving Iran due to the Islamic revolution in 1978, completing her undergraduate degree, MA in Fine Art and PhD. Describes marrying another artist, having two children, working as a visual artist with schools and galleries, lecturing at Leeds Art University. Remarks on moving to Cumbria, on family connections with Cumbria, and Armenian connections with Cumbria.
(Interviewed by Liv, January 2025)
Lilit: Sheffield, Aberystwyth, Liverpool, Manchester
Lilit gives details about her husband’s university career in the United Kingdom (he moved here to do his PhD in Physics at Sheffield University). Discusses their moves from Sheffield to Aberystwyth (Wales), Liverpool and then Manchester. Recounts feeling isolated in Sheffield and Wales, then slowly finding job opportunities for herself. Talks of the importance of the Armenian Church in Manchester and finding community there.
(Interviewed by Erica, January 2025)
Lilit: Armenian Community in Manchester and Upkeeping Traditions
Relates experience of the Armenian community in Manchester, the importance of the church there, and knowing women of the same age with children. Describes how this and the organised events reduces her concern about forgetting culture. Talks about Armenian traditions such as boiling eggs for Easter, using coriander leaves and red onion skin to decorate the shells, and the resulting egg fights. Christmas being celebrated on the 6th of January as well as 25th December, and the water festival.
(Interviewed by Erica, January 2025)
Peter: Childhood in Manchester: Textile Business, Blitz
Peter was raised in Manchester. Mentions the influence of mid-19th century Armenians over the textile industry. He was born in Withington (a suburb of Manchester, England). He survived the Blitz before being evacuated to Derbyshire. Attended Buxton College there for 10 years.
(Interviewed by Nikolaos, July 2024)
LONDON
Gagik: Armenian Institute Founding
Gagik describes Armenian Institute being founded in 2001 in London. Mentions role of journalist Ani King-Underwood, brainstorming sessions for a cultural institute. Describes becoming a trustee, his lifelong interest in Armenian culture and literature.
(Interviewed by Kenan and Anayis, May 2024)
Gagik: Make up of the Armenian Community France v. United Kingdom
Discusses changes in the Armenian community in London before and after the Armenian Institute, differences with France. Comments on influx of Armenians arriving in the United Kingdom from different countries over the years.
(Interviewed by Kenan and Anayis, May 2024)
Levon: Building Community in London
Discusses his view of the changes in the Armenian community over time. Initially, the centre was the church. As more emigrated from Cyprus, friends and relatives from Cyprus came too. Participated in helping the community, collecting money to buy a building near St. Sarkis Church, named Armenian House, to become a community centre. Describes how Armenians were spread out in and around London, making it difficult to be in touch, but maintained connections.
(Interviewed by Gabriella, February 2025)
Maria: Armenian Community in London
Maria’s experience of integrating into the small London Armenian community. Complexity of sending letters to Armenia at the time. Mentions Kensington and the churches. Connecting with others through the Armenian school, the Armenian Institute, but feeling that her connection to the Armenian community is limited.
(Interviewed by Pete and Kersty, August 2024)
Petula: Move to Ealing and Racism
Description of Petula’s parents coming from Kolkata to the United Kingdom for her education in 1963. Mentions father’s job in interior decoration company. Experience of racism in the United Kingdom. Remarks moving to Ealing, which had an Armenian community. Comments going to Armenian Church in London and Iverna Gardens. Mentions a laundrette named ‘Ararat’ where men would gamble.
(Interviewed by Arda, April 2024)
Richard: Changes in the London Diaspora
Discusses changes in the diaspora in London. He arrived here in 1982 not intending to stay. Made up originally of mainly Cypriot, Persian, Russian, and Hayastan (from Armenia). Outlook has now changed. The professional categories have also changed, from a majority of shopkeepers to more skilled jobs.
(Interviewed by Max and Melanie, June 2024)
Tina: Finding Community in London
Chance meeting led to her greater participation in the wider Armenian community. Going to an Armenian protest and slowly discovering the Armenian community in London. Had not looked out for it before and assumed there was no-one. Awareness of differences to the Armenian communities experienced before: Eastern v. Western Armenian. Anecdote about Abi Zakarian’s Shakespeare’s Globe performance and finding representation.
(Interviewed by Arda and Nikolaos, June 2024)