Interviewing my Grandad – Ch. Mohammed Rasheed

I know my Grandad is an awesome guy, he’s full of humour and has a big personality. Whilst sat one day in the garden enjoying the sound of the neighbours’ chickens he began to reminisce on the years when he ha come to the UK and surprisingly, he shared some of his stories and memories which included being covered daily in dust and soot whilst also  being hailed a champion arm wrestler for over 30 years. For someone born in 1953 I was surprised by how little I knew of his life prior to 2001 and the following are some of the experiences  I was able to note down.

“ I really missed the Bulls pulling the plough in our farm in Ghanoi….I remember our house back home In Ghanoi. It was only 60 metres, the size of my current neighbours shed, our house there was only slightly bigger than the garden sheds here”. This shocked me because my room is far bigger than the shed he described which made me think how difficult it must’ve been to live within such a small space shared by others with zero privacy. He went on to say, “when I came to 63 Gathorne Terrace…. there were 35 people living in the house”

My Grandad arrived in Leeds in 1967 when he was 13 and a half years old. The reason he came to the UK was to have a better life and education which his village did not offer him. He  could not even speak English. His father Allah Ditta came by ship in 1953 and came back to Pakistan by plane. He stated that Arriving in the UK on a ship which was the most common mode of transport, through the merchant navy.

The experiences, challenges, and difficulties my grandad faced is something my generation hasn’t undergone. Regarding his local area he stated that, “from Roundhay park to Roundhay road there were hardly any indoor toilets.” In today’s day and age there are toilets in every house, sometimes. several private bathrooms within one house which is such a a contrast.

 The rubbish removal system was not as efficient as today in terms of its sustainability “I remember we would burn our rubbish in the yard, there were limited bin collections.” 

“when I was sent to the shops as a boy, I really struggled to explain what I needed sometimes from the shopkeeper.” Having a language barrier can be extremely difficult to communicate with others. It must have been very daunting to be a young man in a new country with few friends and relatives, trying to communicate with people using a completely different language and culture. I could probably emphasise as Even I sometimes struggle to dialogue with my grandparents with the same language and cultural barriers, despite which we still find a way.

“In the community I remember Uncle Rasheed the Barber, who would cut people’s hair in the upstairs room in Gathorne Terrace…. there was also uncle Sijavel on Blackman lane “. Haircuts used to take place in a house and there were very few English barber shops at the time. In comparison, to the 21^st Century I have a barber just done my road. To go all the way to Blackman lane or Gathorne Terrace or to simply cut your own hair at home, is far less convenient than what is accessible for ease today with many professional Pakistani barber shops within the space of one street in some areas of Leeds.

“From the 1950s when my dad came, jobs were easier to get. Even if they couldn’t speak English but could prove they worked hard, work was always available. “ In this day and age where we depend on technology. I would have to apply for a job online, state my personal information and the right to work. It would take days to weeks to get a response. Making it a lot longer process.

“We used to record our messages on a vinyl and send them back home… There were two cafes I remember, one near the site of the old Thomas Danby college, and the second near shepherd’s lane. These we’re simple rooms where we would sit to drink tea and coffee and record messages to send home. The Asian cafe was a simple concept in the early 70s” .                               

This is very similar to a voice note used on a variety of communication apps. However, it is much quicker and easier and less time used to produce and send than a vinyl. Being able to communicate on a phone using the internet shows how far technology has grown and I wouldn’t have to experience what my grandad did.

“We used to queue up to use the gas to make teas or food. Not many people had their own gas hobs. So, they used to go to people’s houses who had one and queue up to use it and make their food”.

Grandad started school at the age of 13 or 14. So, he was 10 years behind in education and was at a disadvantage amongst other pupils. He said, “I was only in school for a year at the Harehills middle schools…..I didn’t learn much from school but when I went to park lane college I didn’t even know my ABC’s. My dad asked Mr Quarashi to take me to park lane college. I was there for 6 months I couldn’t understand anything…. I used to read the Yorkshire evening paper to try to learn new English words”. From His words you can see the difficulties that he faced learning a new language. He had zero guidance, no mentor, no parents to guide him. For him, Teachers didn’t see these kinds of problems from his perspective.

I find working in retail mentally and physically exhausting. But with support from my work it makes it easy. But it doesn’t even compare to what my Grandad went through, “my relatives would work from 6am in the morning to 6pm in the night.” Working 12 hours in retail is illegal unlikely these day. It shows how desperate they needed the money. It shows great perseverance and dedication for a better life.

“I’d come home for lunch and my dad would make eggs for us. We never complained because he would be preparing lunch after a full day’s shift at the factory.”  His father didn’t always have enough time to make his own food and we were lucky he’d make time to feed us, so we tried our best to follow his instructions and do our choirs as expected to earn our food.

“So, when me and my mate were ready to work, we started walking from factory to factory. We went to Bramley, and we literally knocked on doors to ask for work. We went to W. E .Yates Mill on Broad Lane. It was a weaving factory. I was trained for a year to feed material through the machine.” Hard repetitive labour was the only job available at the time. Grandad would do anything to get money on the table for the family. He didn’t have a choice.

I have a choice on what my career path I want, how I want to generate money. I am fortunate enough to be in a stable position to make my own choices and decisions in my career which doesn’t have an effect on my family. Thanks to my Grandad his hard will pay off. I will always ensure the time my family has invested in me will not be wasted. I hope I can build a legacy for my family so they are remembered for the handwork they have put in. Be inspired!

“later me and my brother worked at the Yorkshire foundry…. We could not even recognise each other at lunch because we were covered in dirt, dust and soot all over and they would give us a pint of milk to clear our throat “ . Health and safety didn’t exist then. Being able to work at any age was a thing back then. Now you have to be 16 or 17 to be eligible to work and paperwork to prove you have the right to work.

In Grandad’s spare time he would partake in training in a grappling tradition known as Bini which involved holding hands with one another (hand grappling). He fought many fighters across the UK in Leeds, Bradford, Luton, Derby and many others that were set up by Kashmiri men as a sports activity.

Just remember the community we have today is built upon the past.

By Iesa Rashid

photo 1 of a worker at a local steel factory working the machinery as Iesa’s grandad would have done

Photo 2 Street where Ch Rasheed lived upon arrival. Photo credited to Leeds Library with thanks to the LEODIS ONLINE ARCHIVE