First Indian brought over by the East India Company; followed by 'Lascars' (Indian sailors) who travelled to and from the UK throughout the 18th Century.

Semi-skilled Sikh artisans were transported to Uganda and Kenya as employees, to build the East African Railways.

Maharaja Duleep Singh was exiled from Punjab and taken to England, where he lived with Queen Victoria.

Major recruitment into the British Indian Army from Punjab. Students and servants travelling to Britain also increased.

Indians/Sikhs migrated to Guyana, Trinidad, South Africa, Suriname, Fiji and East Africa, as ‘indentured labour’.

Sikhs migrated to Fiji for military jobs. They called themselves the ‘Fizi Indian Population’. Most now live in Australia, and call it home.

Sikhs arrived in Australia and took part in the ‘Gold Rush’ on the Victorian fields.

Migrated to Canada to create the Canadian Pacific Railway. Others migrated to the USA to work on agricultural or railroad construction jobs.

Sant Attar Singh Mastuana sent five Sikh men to spread the Sikh Dharam in the UK.

Maharaja Bhupinder Singh (King of Patiala), donated to set up Shepherd’s Bush Gurudwara in London. This was a base for Sikh migrants to the UK.

After WWI, pictures suggest there were a number of Sikh males known as ‘Pedlars’, who travelled across the UK sellings items out of suitcases.

Princess Sophia became a prominent Suffragette, selling ‘Votes for Women’ papers and nursing WWI soldiers.

During WWII many Sikhs joined the British Army. They already had large communities in many major cities, and helped in the war efforts.

First mass migration of Sikhs into the UK, to help with the post-war reconstruction. This was known as the ‘General Influx of Commonwealth Migrants’.

The partition of India resulted in the largest mass human migration known in history. One of the major areas affected was Punjab (Sikh homeland).

Many male Sikhs left their families to seek manual labour in the inner cities of the UK.

Second mass migration into the UK from East Africa. after the movement to ‘Africanise’ countries such as: Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.

British UK legislated the Commonwealth Immigration Act 1962-71. reducing the rights of Commonwealth citizens migrating to the UK.

Families began joining their husbands/fathers who had already settled in Britain.

Indian troops stormed Sri Harimandir Sahib, Amritsar, causing Sikhs to flee to Europe and North America. 5,000 refugees settled in the West Midlands.

Afghan Sikhs fleeing the Taliban, settled in the UK.

The ‘Irregular Migration in Europe - December 2011 Report’ suggests that Sikh migration into the UK has reduced between 2007 and 2010.