Gursharan Kaur Virdee came to England with her family, following her husband who had arrived here for work. She lost her husband a few years later and attempted to return to India. However this relocation had a detrimental effect on her children’s education, so she returned to the UK, and lived with her uncle and brother-in-law in Birmingham.

For Gursharan, her children were her priority. She stated, “In the evening, I would stay up late, sitting with them, while they were studying. And in the morning, no matter if I was ill, I would get up and take them to school. This was my responsibility… to educate them.” Her four children have grown to be educated professionals, with a minimum of a master’s degree each. 

As a homemaker, she describes the struggles of living in England in the 60s and 70s. 

The first challenge was bathing. Public baths were extremely common in England, with most British washing themselves with a wet cloth. For Sikhs, having arrived from a country where they would bathe in flowing water every day, this was a challenge. 
“My husband, where he worked, would have a bath before leaving each day. He said, “Those who want to bathe a lot, go out and bathe in the public baths.” I said, “No, I don’t want to bathe outside!” 

They fill a tub with water and soap and everything - and everyone bathes - no! - I didn’t like that. So whenever he went somewhere, I would very quickly fill up the kettle again, and again, and bathe the children. I’d also bathe myself.”

She goes on to describe the challenge with food, as some Sikhs had a vegetarian diet to maintain. 

“One week they would write your order and then next week they would drop it off. “Your order has arrived”... You wouldn’t get many greens either... then it was only... When it was the season – in the summer you’d get a little bit, otherwise no. This is how it was.... now you can get anything from around the world – whatever you want. In those days, these were the difficulties. If nothing else, we would do thurka to (spice up) the beans, if there was no other vegetable (sabji) we could get. Well, it has happened... But there has been a change in [The British] and there has been a change in us.”