David Shaw

Oldham was once the cotton capital of the world and had a strong economy. Now however, the mills are all shut down leaving the town with few jobs but a large and divided population. They sit
as a reminder of Oldham’s more prosperous time.

Glodwick, which is a large area and home to Oldham's largest Pakistani and Bangladeshi community.

Keith Head, an Oldham local, shows his tattoos. People from all cultural groups in Oldham share the identity of their post-industrial town despite what they see their ethnic status as.

Many local Asian people talk of an identity crisis as they feel British, due to being born and living their lives in the UK, however they still live in closed Pakistani or Bangladeshi communities
both physically in the town as well as socially.

Demographically the town is made up of 75% White British and 17% Asian or Asian descendant.

Najma Khalid is a single-mother who has battled unemployment during her parenthood during which she figured out the related government welfare available to her without support. She now
uses her experience to help other local Asian women who struggle

Oldham’s town centre is not as visibly divided, as people from all communities use its services.

The Imam of the Jamie Masjid reads Islamic prayers at the mosque in Westwood, Oldham. 7.6% of Oldham’s population identity as religious Muslim.

Two newborn twins in a home in Westwood.

Local British Asian men before Friday prayers in the Westwood area of Oldham, a predominately Asian area.

Deputy Mayor Shadab Qumer attends the 2016 Remembrance Sunday service in Oldham’s town centre.

An Oldham Athletic supporter sings whilst holding the St Georges Cross, the English Flag. National identity is very important amongst Oldham residents and the team’s supporters.

Keith Head with his ex-wife Rookie. He married Rookie an Asian women around the time of the Oldham Riots despite how taboo and rare this was at the time. He lives in the Oldham borough
of Chadderton right on the border between ‘Asian’ and ‘White’ ar

Malaika, a local Oldham resident and the daughter of Najma Khalid.

Parallel Lives

Oldham, a post industrial town near Manchester was named as ‘Britain’s most deprived town’ in 2016. Living parallel to a predominantly British working class population, a large community of Asian and British-Asian people has developed after their descendants arrived to work in the cotton mills, which have now all closed.

The Asian and British-Asian community, who are predominantly Pakistani and Bangladeshi, emigrated to Oldham in the 60s after a nationwide push to employ people in the cotton mills. They moved and were located into the same areas as their families and friends which over time caused residential districts in Oldham to be only resided in by one of the ethnic groups, meaning integration between the communities has proven difficult. Fifteen years after the infamous Oldham riots the Brexit vote exposed a cultural divide in Britain however the residents of Oldham have known this divide for decades.

Exploring the concept of ‘Parallel Lives’ developed after the riots; where two communities live side-by-side but separately, these images tell the story of modern Oldham and the people who are promoting integration through the actions they take in their daily lives.

David Shaw

David Shaw is a photographer and journalist from the UK who works on long-term projects related to human rights and community issues. Through photography, documentary film and writing, Shaw aims to provide a space for people and places to tell their stories with the goal of connecting people across cultures.