Essential Information

Type
Location
Online
Date and Times 21 June 2022 | 5.15pm - 6.45pm
Prices Free

Ayahs and amahs were Indian and Chinese nannies employed by wealthy European families during the 1800s and 1900s.

Often leaving their own children behind, these women faced precarious employment and neglect but were also able to take advantage of the many unique opportunities their jobs presented. They may even be regarded as some of the first Asian women to become frequent business travellers. Voyaging between many parts of Britain’s empire and working in the home, they also gained insight into the more intimate aspects of colonial life.

Join us for a free online seminar discussing these often overlooked domestic workers, migrants and globetrotters.

Was there a ‘typical’ ayah and amah experience? What challenges did these women face in their working lives? How did they feel about the children in their care? What were the differences between nannying in India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai? Why is it important to study the history of these women and can historians ever hope to capture their voices from the archives?

Our panel of experts from three continents will explore many aspects of their lives, including the voyages they undertook, their relationships with their employers, the postcards and dolls made to represent them, and the places associated with them (including the Ayahs’ Home in Hackney). Each panellist will give a short presentation on a different topic before taking questions from attendees. This seminar may be of special interest to descendants of ayahs and amahs, and to those who were brought up by these ‘almost mothers’.

Our panel will include:

Niti Acharya (Hackney Museum, UK)

Satyasikha Chakraborty (The College of New Jersey, USA)

Claire Lowrie (University of Wollongong, Australia)  

Aisha Shukat-Khawaja (University of York, UK)

Jo Stanley (University Of Hull, UK)

This event is free and open to everyone, and will take place via Zoom. There is no need to book; please click on the button below shortly before 5.15pm on the day.

Join the event

What’s On

Talks and tours | Maritime history

Shipkeeping in action

This is your chance to meet the team who care for and conserve Cutty Sark
Every Wednesday | 11am-3pm | Drop-in
Free for Cutty Sark ticket holders
Cutty Sark
Talks and tours

Behind the scenes tours at The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre

Explore the inner workings of Royal Museums Greenwich and see conservation in action on one of our guided tours
Second and fourth Thursday of every month (see page for details) | 1.30pm
Adults: £16 | Members: £12
Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre
Talks and tours

Saturday Super Store Tours

Come behind the scenes and explore the stores at the Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre
First Saturday of every month at 1.30pm
£12
Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre
Talks and tours | BSL tours

BSL Tour: Pirates

Join John Wilson for a British Sign Language (BSL) tour of our Pirates exhibition at the National Maritime Museum
Thursday 15 May and Saturday 1 November 2025 | 2pm-3pm
Adult: £15 | Student: £11.25 | Child: £7.50
National Maritime Museum
Talks and tours | Member events

Members' Tour

Embark on a voyage of discovery around the Museum in the company of one of our volunteer guides
Various dates | 11am - 12pm
Free for Members | Booking essential
In Greenwich
Talks and tours | Museum Lates

Delve Deeper: Specialist tours

Delve deeper into Royal Museums Greenwich's collection on our specialist tours of the Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre for over 18s.
Thursday 7 August 2025 | 7-8.30pm
£20 Adults
Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre
Talks and tours | Royal Observatory 350th anniversary

Evening of Astrophotography

Come along to a panel discussion to learn more about astrophotography, and enjoy a private viewing of the Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024 exhibition
Friday 8 August 2025 | 6pm-8pm
Adults: £12 | Students and Under 25s: £8.50
National Maritime Museum
Talks and tours | Member events

Members' Lecture: Venus and Jupiter’s Close Encounter

Join one of our Royal Observatory astronomers online to learn about Venus and Jupiter's close encounter
Tuesday 12 August 2025 l 6.30pm
Free Entry
Online
Talks and tours | BSL tours

BSL Tour: Cutty Sark

Join guide John Wilson for a British Sign Language (BSL) tour of Cutty Sark and discover what life was like aboard the iconic sailing ship
Thursday 4 September 2025 | 2pm-3pm
Adult: £22 | Student: £16.50 | Child: £11
Cutty Sark
Talks and tours | Member events

Members Preview: ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year

Members get to see the new ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition first, and hear about the winning images from an expert from the Museum
Thursday 11 September 2025 | 7pm
Free Entry
National Maritime Museum
Talks and tours | Maritime History and Culture Seminars

1714 and all that: The Board of Longitude reconsidered

Join us for a free online talk by Dr Richard Dunn
Tuesday 23 September 2025 | 5.15-6.30pm
Free Entry
Online
Talks and tours | Salons in the Queen's House

Salons in the Queen's House: Breadfruit and the Creolising of Caribbean Foodways

In this free lunchtime talk historian Jade Lindo will explore the historical and cultural significance of breadfruit in the Caribbean
Wednesday 15 October 2025 | 1pm-1.30pm
Free
Queen's House
Talks and tours | Salons in the Queen's House

Salons in the Queen's House: Visualising the Invisible in Jacqueline Bishop’s Collage Histories

In this free lunchtime talk art historian Dr. Freya Gowrley will explore the artistic potential of collage for telling colonial histories
Wednesday 22 October 2025 | 1pm-1.30pm
Free
Queen's House
Talks and tours | BSL tours

BSL Tour: The Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre

Join guide John Wilson for a British Sign Language (BSL) tour of our state-of-the-art conservation and storage facility
Thursday 23 October 2025 | 2pm-3pm
Free
Prince Philip Maritime Collections Centre
Talks and tours | Maritime History and Culture Seminars

George Charles 'Boatswain' Smith and the Wreck of Floating Chapels

Join us for a free online talk by Professor Hilary Carey
Tuesday 28 October 2025 | 5.15-6.30pm
Free
Online
Talks and tours | Salons in the Queen's House

Salons in the Queen's House: The Seeds of Survival

In this free lunchtime talk historian Akosua Paries-Osei will explore the empire-disrupting botanical knowledge of enslaved women
Wednesday 29 October 2025 | 1pm-1.30pm
Free
Queen's House
Talks and tours | Maritime History and Culture Seminars

Shadows on the Atlantic: curating new perspectives on colonial maritime history

Join us for a free online talk exploring the creation of the new ‘Shadows on the Atlantic’ gallery at the Dutch National Maritime Museum
Tuesday 25 November 2025 | 5.15pm-6.30pm
Free
Online
Talks and tours | Maritime History and Culture Seminars

A matter of 'good usage': towards a new interpretation of the 1797 Fleet mutinies at Spithead and the Nore

Join us for a free online talk about the largest mutinies in the history of the Royal Navy
Tuesday 27 January 2026 | 5.15-6.30pm
Free
Online