The Battle of Plassey: Young People’s Project

The Battle that changed East End

Brick Lane Circle is delighted to announce that it has received a grant of £46,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to engage a group of young people (18-25) to explore East London’s historical links with Bengal through researching and writing about the area’s East India Company sites. 

The project idea emerged out of the series of events that Brick Lane Circle organized in  June 2007 to commemorate the 250 Years Anniversary of the Battle of Plassey (23 June 1757), when the British achieved victory in Bengal under Robert Clive.  It was also the beginning of the British Indian Empire, under the banner of the English East India Company.  The research findings will be put together in a publication, which will be launched during October 2008 Black History Month at a specially organized event at the Museum in Docklands.  An exhibition illustrating the work of the young people, historical paintings and photographs and important documents will accompany the publication.  The work of the young people will be made electronically available and an education pack will be developed.

The young people will undertake research on a number of East India Company sites in East London, an area dotted with important locations and buildings that have historical links with Bengal.  It is also the home of the largest concentration of Bangladeshi people in the UK.  The 250 Years anniversary events of the British conquest of Bengal (organized by Brick Lane Circle during June 2007) provided a focus for generating interest in learning about the shared heritage of East London.  The young researchers will be primarily recruited from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and given workshops, guided tours, mentoring support and assistance in writing their chapters.  These activities will help familiarise participants about important East India Company sites and their historical links with Bengal and provide guidance on the sources of information.