Ayahs and Lascars, Indentured Labourers
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In 1833, the Slavery Abolition Act ended slavery in Britain. However, this did not stop the British from exploiting labour. In search of a new source of cheap labour, the British Empire turned to their colonies and contracted labour to support their economic and industrial expansion. This system is often referred to as the ‘indentured labour system’ because of the exploitative measures used by the British.
The British would use labour from their colonies, where individuals (indentured labourers) would sign contracts where they were guaranteed a job, wages and passage for a set period. However, indentured labourers often did not understand the complete terms of the agreement, which were further implicated by the dishonesty of the British. This left many labourers, jobless, poor and stuck in a country they were not familiar with.
Visram highlights the harsh experiences of Ayahs and Lascars who were considered part of the indentured labour system. Ayahs, child nurses were responsible for “[ministering] to the needs to the family and children during the long and arduous sea voyage” (Visram 12) back from India. They were often promised long contrast, but when they reached England, they were left to fend for themselves. The conditions that Ayahs endured in Britain were awful, including overcrowded housing, short-term contracts and lack of employment of resulted in begging on the streets.
Visram discusses the 1868 case by Colonel R.M Hughes, in which 11 Asians were exploited through a verbal contract promising them “board, lodging, allowances and return passage to India after three months” performance in England” (Vistram 21). The group were instead taken to Cairo, Alexandria, Malta and France, highlighting the dishonestly common amongst labour contracts.