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When the British Empire was at its peak, the VICTORIA DOCKS opened on the Thames in London.

It was built to accommodate huge steam ships and to offload the vast amount of raw materials that were arriving from the colonies. 

Wool, Grain, Sugar, Molasses and much more, all poured into the Victoria Docks. 

Along with all these raw materials from the colonies came people, people from India, Arabia & Asia. 

Once in Britain lascars had to wait in idleness, often for months at a time during winter, before they could get a return ship back to India.

In 1909 the Lascars Club was opened to help entertain these foreign seamen when their ships were in the Victoria docks. 

These Indian, Asian & Arabian merchant seamen were known as Lascars. 

Inevitably, some of these seamen met local white working class ladies, formed strong relationships and many had families. 

At one point, in between the two world wars, Crown Street in Canning Town was given the nickname ‘Draughtboard Alley’. 

Imagine an evening at The Lascars Club with local women and these merchant seamen from distant shores, dressed in their Sunday best; they’re dancing, having a lot of fun and forming powerful relationships that will shape the rest of their lives. 

It’s beautiful, romantic and it’s evocative of a bygone time.