Ealing road named after British General could be changed to the founder of Sikhism

According to My London “ Havelock Road in Southall could be renamed Guru Nanak Road in a first step to recognise Ealing’s diverse communities in public spaces, Ealing council leader Julian Bell has said.

The road is named after Sir Henry Havelock, a British Army general who violently put down the First Indian War of Independence in 1857.

This helped lead to the establishment of the British Raj in India and so it's argued the name carries connotations of colonial domination and enslavement.

Guru Nanak was the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh spiritual Gurus.

In a video message to residents, the borough’s chief said a review into public landmarks in Ealing will begin as he welcomed the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s plans to look at how public spaces in London represent the city in the present day.

The move comes as George Floyd protesters in the UK have been calling out controversial statues celebrating slave traders. In Bristol, protesters pulled down a statue of slave trader and merchant Edward Colston, who donated his wealth to the city upon his death. His legacy still remains in streets and buildings.

Cllr Bell said: “Our diversity is our strength and we need to make sure that our public realm, our statues, our road names, our buildings, reflect our diversity and do not reflect a frozen past where colonialism, racism and the slave trade were present and celebrated.”

A consultation will be launched over changing Havelock Road to Guru Nanak Road, with the process to begin “very shortly”.

The road is home to Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Southall, which is the largest gurdwara outside of India according to its official website.

It was established in the 1950s.

Cllr Bell added: “Havelock Road is where the largest Sikh gurdwara in western Europe is cited and as part of its 550-year celebrations of the birth of Guru Nanak this year, we want to make this name change to Havelock Road to Guru Nanak Road.

“This will symbolise the huge contribution of our Sikh community in Ealing and also diversity as a borough, and also it will represent our unity as a borough too.”

Supporting the move, Ealing housing and planning chief Peter Mason said the decision to rename the road had unanimous support from Southall’s 15 councillors.

Cllr Mason added on Twitter: “The road is named for Sir Henry Havelock, a General who violently put down the First Indian War of Independence in 1857.

“His statue stands in Trafalgar Square. The War of Independence led to the formalisation of the British Raj in India, and the next 90 years, subsequent independence and partition of India remains living memory for some.

"We don't want to keep memorialising this in Southall.”