The British Empire, at its zenith in the 19th and early 20th centuries, was a sprawling network of colonies, trade routes, and maritime pathways that spanned the globe. Central to its economic and logistical success were the lascar sailors, seamen from the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and other regions east of the Cape of Good Hope, who manned the merchant fleets that transported goods, people, and ideas across imperial waters. Among these lascars, Bengali Lascars, particularly those from the Sylhet region (now part of Bangladesh), played a pivotal role in sustaining the maritime backbone of the empire. Despite their critical contributions, these sailors faced exploitation, discrimination, and marginalization, rendering their story one of resilience and overlooked significance.
This article explores the multifaceted role of Bengali lascar sailors in connecting the British Empire, examining their contributions to trade, their socio-economic challenges, their cultural impact, and their lasting legacy in Britain’s port cities.
The Lascars: Origins and Recruitment
The term “lascar” derives from the Persian word lashkar (meaning army or camp) and was adapted by the Portuguese in the 16th century to describe Asian seamen. By the 17th century, the British East India Company (EIC) adopted the term to refer to non-European sailors, primarily from India, who were employed on their ships. Bengali lascars, many hailing from the Sylhet region and the port city of Calcutta (now Kolkata), formed a significant portion of this workforce, especially as the EIC expanded its operations in Bengal after the Battle of Plassey in 1757.
Bengali sailors were recruited through local intermediaries known as ghat serangs (wharf headmen), who organized crews in port cities like Calcutta and Bombay. The EIC and later British merchant companies relied on lascars to fill labor shortages caused by high mortality rates, desertions, and the reluctance of European sailors to work in the grueling conditions of steamship engine rooms after the advent of steam navigation in the 19th century. By 1914, lascars constituted approximately 17.5% of the British Mercantile Marine, with an estimated 51,616 Indian lascars, the majority being Bengali, working on British ships at the outbreak of World War I. Their recruitment was driven by economic pragmatism: lascars were paid half the wages of white sailors (six pence per head per day compared to twelve pence for British crews) and received smaller, often inferior rations, making them a cost-effective labor force for shipowners.
Economic Contributions to the Empire
Bengali lascar sailors were indispensable to the British Empire’s global trade network. The empire’s wealth was built on the movement of raw materials—such as cotton, jute, tea, spices, and indigo—from colonies like Bengal to Britain and the export of manufactured goods to global markets. Lascars manned the merchant vessels that carried these goods, ensuring the flow of commodities that fueled Britain’s industrial economy. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, which shortened voyages between Europe and Asia, increased the demand for lascars, particularly for roles in steamship engine rooms as firemen and trimmers, tasks shunned by European sailors due to the extreme heat (often exceeding 100°F) and hazardous conditions.
During the World Wars, Bengali lascars played a critical role in maintaining supply lines. They crewed hospital and supply ships, transporting essential cargo, food, and ammunition through danger zones under constant threat from German U-boats. Their efforts were vital to Britain’s survival, particularly during World War II, when 50,700 Indian lascars, many from Bengal, comprised 26% of the British maritime workforce. Tragically, Indian records document 6,600 lascar deaths, 1,000 wounded, and 1,200 taken prisoner during the war, underscoring the high risks they faced. The Tower Hill Memorial in London, unveiled in 1928, commemorates merchant mariners lost in World War I, including Bengali lascars, though their contributions remain underrecognized.
Logistical connectivity
Beyond their labor, lascars facilitated the empire’s logistical connectivity. They worked on routes connecting India, Burma, China, the Malay Archipelago, East Africa, and Britain, knitting together disparate imperial territories. Their presence on ships ensured the smooth operation of trade networks, while their knowledge of local waters and maritime practices enhanced navigational efficiency. For instance, as early as 1498, Vasco da Gama hired an Indian pilot in Malindi to guide his ship to the Malabar Coast, a practice that continued with Bengali lascars who brought regional expertise to British vessels.
Socio-Economic Challenges and Exploitation
Despite their critical role, Bengali lascars faced systemic exploitation and discrimination. The Lascar Agreements, distinct from standard maritime contracts, bound them to lower wages, inferior food, and substandard living conditions. Shipowners could retain lascars for up to three years, transferring them between ships without consent, a practice akin to indentured servitude. The Merchant Shipping Act of 1880 formalized these disparities, justifying lower pay based on prevailing wages in India, though this ignored the global nature of their work.
In British ports, lascars endured further hardships. The Navigation Acts of 1651 and the Lascar Act of 1832 restricted their employment on return voyages and prohibited their discharge west of the Cape of Good Hope, often leaving them stranded in cities like London, Glasgow, and Dundee. Many faced destitution, resorting to begging or low-paid labor in docklands such as Shadwell, Wapping, and Poplar. Charitable organizations, such as the Strangers’ Home for Asiatics, Africans, and South Sea Islanders, established in 1855, provided some relief, but living conditions remained dire. Parliamentary records from the 19th and early 20th centuries highlight concerns about lascars living in “terrible housing conditions” or on the streets, reflecting their marginalization.
Racial Prejudice
Racial prejudice compounded their struggles. Lascars were stereotyped as “lazy,” “dirty,” and “poor sailors,” in contrast to the idealized British seaman. These stereotypes justified discriminatory practices, including a “colour bar” enforced by Merchant Shipping Acts, which limited their rights to settlement, welfare, and employment. The 1919 race riots in British ports and the Coloured Alien Seamen’s Order of 1926 further institutionalized racism, making it difficult for lascars to secure work or prove British citizenship. Despite these challenges, the formation of the All India Seamen’s Federation (AISF) in 1937, which included unions like the Bengal Mariner’s Union, led to strikes in 1939 and 1940 that secured improved pay and conditions, marking a significant moment of resistance.
Cultural and Social Impact of Bengali Lascars
Bengali lascars left a lasting cultural imprint on the British Empire, particularly in port cities. By the early 20th century, an estimated 8,000 Indians, many former lascars, had settled permanently in Britain, forming some of the earliest South Asian communities. In London’s East End, areas like Canary Wharf, Shoreditch, and Limehouse became hubs for Bengali settlers, many of whom married local women, creating multicultural communities. These women, often derogatorily called “Calcutta Louise” or “Lascar Sally,” faced social stigma but contributed to the integration of lascar communities.
Lascars also influenced Britain’s culinary landscape. As cooks on ships and in port cities, they introduced South Asian flavors, with loanwords like kabuli (from Persian, meaning a meal from Kabul) entering culinary lexicons. Dishes such as nasi kabuli in Indonesia reflect the fusion of culinary traditions facilitated by lascar mobility. In the East End, former lascars established “Indian” coffeehouses and cafés, laying the foundations for the curry restaurants that define areas like Brick Lane today. These establishments became cultural hubs, fostering community and introducing British palates to South Asian cuisine.
Religiously, Bengali lascars, predominantly Muslim, contributed to the establishment of Britain’s first Muslim communities in port cities like Cardiff, Liverpool, Hull, and South Shields. Their observance of Islamic dietary and ritual practices at sea, accommodated by some shipping companies, helped preserve cultural identities despite the empire’s assimilative pressures.
Legacy and Recognition
The legacy of Bengali lascar sailors is one of resilience and quiet heroism. They were the “backbone of the empire,” as historian Rozina Visram notes, yet their contributions remain largely invisible in mainstream historical narratives. Memorials, such as the Tower Hill Memorial and the Lascar Memorial on Calcutta’s Maidan, honor their sacrifices, but individual recognition is scarce. Recent efforts, such as the 2023 award-winning project by Glasgow Life and the Bangladesh Association Glasgow, have sought to highlight lascar contributions, emphasizing their role in Scotland’s maritime heritage and the decolonization of historical narratives.
The lascars’ story also underscores the human cost of empire. Their labor enabled Britain’s global dominance, but their exploitation reflects the racial and economic hierarchies that underpinned imperial systems. By connecting distant colonies through their maritime labor, Bengali lascars not only sustained the empire’s economy but also facilitated cultural exchanges that shaped modern multicultural Britain.
Conclusion
Bengali lascar sailors were vital cogs in the machinery of the British Empire, ensuring the flow of goods, people, and ideas across its vast maritime network. From manning trade routes to enduring wartime perils, their contributions were indispensable, yet they faced systemic exploitation and marginalization. Their resilience in the face of adversity, coupled with their cultural and social impacts, left an enduring legacy in Britain’s port cities and beyond. As historians and communities continue to uncover their stories, the Bengali lascars emerge not as peripheral figures but as central actors in the global history of the British Empire, deserving of recognition and respect.
