Remembering Partition: A very British history
A historic digital trail, map and walking tours pave the way for a public memorial
The diversity of London offers the opportunity to tell a breadth of stories which have the potential to reflect, inform and fascinate both Londoners and visitors.
Everyday Muslim, a community group which supports and empowers the many generations of Muslims living in the UK, launched the Empire and Partition Heritage Trail (Westminster edition) at an event, Remembering Partition, held at City Hall in 2023.
About the trail
The trail, available digitally and as a printed map, offers unique insights into India's struggle for independence and the complexities of British colonial rule.
It charts critical historical events in India and Britain from 1600 to 1972 in terms of trade, colonial India and Partition, and also reveals the enduring impact of Empire on the South Asian community in Britain.
The project was funded by the Mayor of London’s Untold Stories programme and was developed using academic research and a steering group of young people supported by heritage experts.
The enthusiasm and energy generated by this project, has led to a longer-term vision to establish a permanent memorial to Partition in London.
An advisory board will now take this forward so that the human stories of the 1947 Partition of India, their connections to communities in London and the history of London in the context of public spaces, can be made visible in the public realm.
London’s diversity is its greatest strength but for far too long our capital’s public realm has only shown a limited perspective of our city. The new Empire and Partition Heritage Trail will be an important step in helping Londoners and visitors learn more about our complex history.
Remembering Partition: A Very British History aims to promote unity and awareness of a shared history that affects South Asian, Muslim, Hindu and Sikh communities in London. It also intertwines this with local and personal stories, which makes this history even more relatable.
Everyday Muslim Heritage and Archive Initiative is a long-term project to create a central archive of Muslim lives, arts, education and cultures from across the UK.
Celebrating women mural artists of the past 40 years and inspiring the next generation
Find out more about the projectNeed a document on this page in an accessible format?
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of a PDF or other document on this page in a more accessible format, please get in touch via our online form and tell us which format you need.
It will also help us if you tell us which assistive technology you use. We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 5 working days.