Namder Meah

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Namder Meah came to this country when the war started. He was born in Sylhet on the 26th July 1914, when it was still part of India. His family was very poor, so he left home when he was 13 years old and joined the O' Neal Steam ship of New Zealand as a seaman. I was there for a long time but when the war started he had to leave New Zealand and came to this country, joining the Merchant Navy.

After three years of service without any holidays, the war finished and Namder resigned as a petty officer from the Merchant Navy. On his departure, he recalls that he was assured that if unable to find work outside the Navy, he would be welcome back anytime.

He first went to Birmingham and bought a small business - a continental grocery shop. Two years later, he opened another business in the Hansworth area of Birmingham. However, the business was not so successful, so he sold everything and moved to settle in Cheltenham, opening a restaurant at 30 High Street.

'The East On' was the only Bengali restaurant in Cheltenham at the time and Namder was the only Bengali person. The business was a success as he had both an English and Bengali chef for different foods. He used to get Halal food and then opened another restaurant in Bath. However there he found it very hard to get staff, so was forced to sell the establishment. After many years he sold the restaurant in Cheltenham and retired. Now he is doing charity work, making mimbas for mosques - traditional step like features from which the priest calls the congregation to pray.

Namder married about 40 years ago. His wife Joselyn Winnyfred Meah is English. They married in London when she was 19 years old and everyone in the community was very happy for them both. There was no controversy. The couple have two daughters and two grand-daughters. All of them are married to English people and are very happy.
Namder says that he likes living in Cheltenham and would never want to leave his children behind. He has only gone back to Bangladesh twice and his parents and brother are now both dead.

'My wife and I bought this house together,' he says. 'I worked hard to make this house nice. I like to do gardening. My daughters look after us. I am 87 years old now and with my wife and children and grand-children I am a very happy man.'