Hardit Singh Malik – the Flying Sikh a talk by Stephen Barker

About Hardit Singh Malik – the Flying Sikh with Stephen Barker

The Talk

From his arrival in the UK alone in 1908 as a fourteen-year-old, to Balliol College, Oxford, and into the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War, Hardit Singh Malik lived an extraordinary life, often in the face of great adversity, yet always with charm and good humour. He played cricket for Sussex and was an Oxford blue in golf, playing with the Prince of Wales.

He rose to become the Indian Ambassador to France after a long and distinguished career in the Indian Civil service, yet always maintained strong bonds with Great Britain. Yet it is as a fighter pilot during 1917-19 that he is best known, coming up against the Red Baron and the British military establishment. This illustrated presentation lasts for 50 minutes and includes several film clips.

The talk will be live-streamed on CrowdCast. After you have registered you will receive an invitation to the event 48 hours before the talk begins.
All profits from this talk will go towards the important work the Museum of Oxford carries out with local older residents as part of the ‘Library of you’ campaign.

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The speaker

Stephen Barker is an independent Heritage Advisor who works with museums, universities, and other heritage organisations to design exhibitions and make funding applications. He worked at Banbury Museum and Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum. Stephen has delivered projects for the University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University and the Battlefields Trust.

He delivers presentations and tours related to the First World War and British Civil Wars. He is a Trustee of the Bucks Military Museum Trust, the Old Gaol, Buckingham and is an Arts Council Museum Mentor. He is the author of ‘Lancashire’s Forgotten Heroes’ – the 8th East Lancs in the Great War.

Library of you

This talk is the first in a series promoting the ‘Library of you’ fundraising campaign in the run up to the new Museum of Oxford opening.
Every year the Museum of Oxford works with older people in the city at events, at care homes and in hospitals to discuss and share their stories of the city.

The process of reminiscence has been proven to help connect people, reduce loneliness and symptoms of depression, promote physical health, reduce stress and enhance self-esteem.

Their stories are in danger of being lost forever making this work key to the preservation of Oxford’s history. Give today to help continue this work with Oxford’s older people.

Your story

Every person has their own story. By donating to the ‘Library of you’, you can create your own story title to go on one of the book spines and ensure that we can continue to work with Oxford residents and share their stories.

More information about the ‘Library of you’ coming soon.

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