Uncovering hidden British history, including the stories of the Titanic’s six Chinese survivors
Did you know there were 6 Chinese survivors on the Titanic?
Join us in the basement of SEESAW on 24th May 2025 for ECHO (ESEA Collective: History, Over here)! We aim to uncover and retell the stories of these men – originally eight of them – whose lives were changed forever aboard one of the worst and most famous ocean-bound disasters of all time. And whose lives were mostly forgotten. Until recently.
The nine Asian passengers – including one Japanese man – faced persecution and vilification, simply for being men and people of colour who had somehow been on board when fellow passengers, the press and the public think they shouldn’t have and survived instead of others.
But beyond their treatment and their lives before and after the Titanic, we look at how perceptions of them and laws against Asian people at the time shaped other key moments within British history. From the repatriation of Chinese seamen following both World Wars to the journeys of Vietnamese refugees and from the stateless Malaysian nationals to the experiences of Filipino domestic workers, we will showcase some intriguing yet often forgotten stories from different British ESEA communities.
Agenda:
- 10am-4pm: Exhibition on show
- 12-2pm: Exclusive screening of “The Six” documentary courtesy of director Arthur Jones and LP Films
- 2-3pm: Panel discussion asking “how can we rewrite the nine Asian Titanic passengers back into history and what’s next for British history and amplifying ESEA stories within it?” with esteemed local ESEA cultural heritage experts and historians.
All tickets come with online access to an online Q&A with the author and director of “The Six” book and documentary research team on 2nd May.
Book ECHO (ESEA Collective: History, Over here) Exhibition at Seesaw
