Experiences of migration and making amongst the Turkish diaspora in Hackney’s garment trade.
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More Than a Bundle Story is a project dedicated to preserving the lived experiences of the Turkish-speaking diaspora who arrived in London between the 1960s and the late 1990s. Britain’s textile industry actively recruited skilled workers, tailors, seamstresses and machinists from Türkiye, Cyprus and neighbouring regions. By the 1980s, those formal invitations slowed, but migration continued, shaped by political persecution, social pressures, or simply the hope for a better life. This project gathers the personal stories of those who made the journey and built new lives in London.
These stories honour the journeys, sacrifices and hopes carried across borders, offering a testament to the lives that shaped our communities.
Our vision is to honour the voices of the Turkish-speaking diaspora who carried their lives across borders and built new communities in the UK. We believe storytelling is a powerful bridge between generations, helping younger people understand the journeys that shaped their families, while offering older generations the chance to share memories that might otherwise fade with time.
Our work celebrates resilience, identity, and the richness of everyday life within migrant communities. As many from the earlier generations grow older, we face the real possibility of losing an entire archive of lived experience. With them go stories of struggle, sacrifice, hope, and triumph. Stories that deserve to be recognised, preserved, and passed on.
Through the gathering and sharing of oral histories, we aim to safeguard these invaluable accounts, particularly those from communities whose voices have historically been overlooked or under-documented. By amplifying these narratives, we hope to ensure that their experiences remain part of our collective memory, enriching our understanding of the past and inspiring future generations
Our core value is Your Story Matters. We believe deeply in the strength and importance of community, recognising that the memories, traditions, and experiences passed between generations help shape who we are. Everyone deserves the chance to be heard, especially those whose histories have often been overlooked or undocumented. Guided by care, we approach every story with sensitivity and respect, creating a space where people feel safe, valued, and supported in sharing their journeys. By honouring these voices and preserving their narratives, we ensure that the stories of our communities continue to live on, remembered, respected, and never lost.
This collection is about memory, identity and the quiet strength of people who arrived in a new country and made it their home. These are stories of struggle and survival, but also of community, love, and the lives lived and stories formed in the shadow of the sewing machine.”
Emel Sevinç, Co-curator of the exhibition with Hackney Museum
Emel Sevinc is a British Turkish writer, researcher and curator from London, holding a BA (Hons) in English Language and Creative Writing. She has taught in secondary and higher education since 2008.
She is the founder of More Than a Bundle Story project, a storytelling initiative celebrating Turkish migrant histories from the 1960s to the 2000s. Through this project, she has curated community led workshops, collaborated on an exhibition at the Hackney Museum, and presented research on cultural identity at BATAS for the London School of Economics and the Hackney Museum.
Step inside the lives of those who shaped our world.
On this section, we share More Than a Bundle stories in the words of those who lived them, lovingly gathered by their now grown children and curated by me. The daughter of Turkish migrants who once promised themselves they would return home when my sister turned seven, a dream that finally came true forty years later.
This is a powerful tribute, dedicated to honouring the sacrifices, struggles, and triumphs of our elders.
Discover the rich threads of culture and identity woven by those who walked before us, and connect with a deeper understanding of your own heritage, ensuring their essential voices and legacies are preserved for generations to come.
Thank you for making space for me, listening to me and sharing my story.
Until this project I didn’t feel my story was worthwhile sharing, but I feel proud with what I have achieved over the years and share this with my children and their children.
Do you have a story or picture to share, or know someone who would like to take part in this project?
Hackney’s history is stitched together by the stories of working people who brought their skills, cultures and determination to this borough. This exhibition honours the Turkish communities who were central to our garment trade, and it’s a powerful reminder of how migration is deeply intertwined in Hackney’s identity. I’m delighted to see their voices recognised and celebrated in this way.”
Councillor Chris Kennedy, Hackney Council Cabinet Member for Culture
A project dedicated to preserving the lived experiences of the Turkish speaking diaspora who arrived in London between the 1960s and the late 1990s.
This project gathers the personal stories of those who made the journey and built new lives in London.
Do you want to share your story?
More Than A Bundle Story 