One
of the city's Hindu veterans is now in his late 70s and has lived
in Gloucester since his arrival in 1958.
Gullabbhai
Patel
In
the 1950s, chicken tikka or tandoori were unheard-of in the UK,
and even chapatti flour and some vegetables had to be delivered
from Birmingham.
Apart
from working on his own farm in India, Gulabbhai had no skills in
industry. He therefore had to take a job as a porter at the Queen's
Hotel in Cheltenham.
Shared
room
His
weekly wage, under six pounds, was just enough to pay the rent for
a shared room with a friend.
His
children and many grandchildren have moved to run a motel business
in America but he is still enjoying his retirement with his wife
Kashiba in this country.
He
is a keen gardener and grows some rare and tropical vegetables in
his home garden. Sometimes in the evening he visits the Hindu temple
in Cheltenham.
