A big hello to all,
My name is Izzy. I'm working alongside Mohammed Ali on the Knights of the Raj project. Already, your contributions have been wonderfully helpful.
We are discovering new things all the time. These in turn are not simply helping us to find out about the development of Indian Restaurants, but have been illustrating our interconnected lives, spaces and communities. We have picked up information from outside the Asian/Bangladeshi community (most of the earliest restaurants were Bangladeshi - and for some time, it used to be said that 80% of all Indian Restaurants were Bangladeshi) that have been as important as what we have discovered inside - from snippets of stories to photographs.
We cannot progress or achieve the things we want to without that support, including from fellow heritage and history enthusiasts and experts on these forums.
Some of the restaurants were are interested in have already been listed but are worth mentioning again, alongside some new ones.
Shalimar
Taj mahal
Shah Jahan
Jinnah Restaurant - Moseley Road
On the same spot as the Shah Jahan Indian Restaurant (before the Shah Jahan came into existence), which used to be at 119 Coleshill Street (in the area that is now the Aston University campus, Gosta Green), there used to the L’Orient Café between 1950 and 1960 (though it may have been called the Shah Jahan Café at some point during that period). And rather interestingly, between 1947 and /1950, at the same spot stood the British India Club (owned by an F. Rasul). In short, at 119 Coleshill Street*,
1947 – 1949/50, British India Club
1950 – 1960 L’Orient Café (though it may have been called the Shah Jahan even earlier, but street and business directories have been unclear).
c.1960 Shah Jahan Indian Restaurant
*It should be stressed that these properties/buildings no longer exist, though Coleshill Street remains – the area is now part of the Gosta Green campus, Aston University.
We are also hoping for memories and even photographs of John’s Restaurant and the Darjeeling on Steelhouse Lane.
Once again, the thoughts, stories and support we have received so far have been wonderfully helpful. But there is so much more we do need help with. We are trying to capture a story before it is perhaps extinguished by time as generations pass.
Please do get in touch, via this forum or via email izzy (at sign) soulcityarts.com
We look forward to hearing from you!
Many thanks and best wishes!
Izzy