Person    | Male  Born 24/10/1953  Died 4/5/1978

Altab Ali

Categories: Race Issues, Tragedy

Countries: Pakistan

24-year-old Bengali murdered in Adler Street, junction Whitechapel High Street, in a racist attack by three teenage boys. Altab Ali was on his way home to Wapping from a small factory just off Brick Lane where he worked as a clothing machinist. The National Front were contesting 41 Tower Hamlets seats in local elections taking place on that day. This attack was a turning point for the Bangladeshi community who mobilised, demonstrated and organised resistance against the National Front and the British National Party.

His Wikipedia page shows that he was born in the Sylhet District, East Bengal, Pakistan, and the Civil Registration Death Index held at the General Register Office in London shows his date of birth as 24 October 1953. He died, aged 24 years, on 4 May 1978.

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Altab Ali

Commemorated ati

Altab Ali arch

Wrought-iron arch created as a memorial to Altab Ali and other victims of rac...

Read More

Other Subjects

Steve Biko

Steve Biko

Anti-apartheid activist. Born Stephen Bantu Biko in Ginsberg Township, in what is now the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. He was initially involved with the multiracial National Union of Sou...

Person, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, Seriously Famous, South Africa

1 memorial
Rev. John Newton

Rev. John Newton

A slave-trader turned preacher and abolitionist.  Born Wapping.  Began his ecclesiastical career at Olney in Buckinghamshire where he wrote the words to 'Amazing Grace' and published the hymn in a ...

Person, Music / songs, Race Issues, Religion

1 memorial
Sir Henry De la Beche

Sir Henry De la Beche

Born Welbeck Street. An unusual childhood: his father changed their name from Beach to create a fictional connection with the medieval Barons De la Beche of Aldworth. Inheriting a slave plantation ...

Person, Race Issues, Science

1 memorial
Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria

Reigned: 1837-1901, 64 years. Born Kensington Palace. Daughter of Edward, Duke of Kent and Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg. Niece of her predecessor, King William IV. Her first name was Alexandrin...

Person, Race Issues, Royalty, Seriously Famous

70 memorials
Abolition of slavery

Abolition of slavery

The British abolition of slavery came in two parts: first the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act became law on 25 March 1807, which left slavery itself still permitted until the Slavery Abolition Act...

Event, Race Issues, Social Welfare, Africa, Australia, Bermuda, Caribbean Islands, Ceylon, Indian Sub-continent, Jamaica

10 memorials

Previously viewed

Thomas Guy birthplace

Thomas Guy birthplace

SE1, Tower Bridge Road

Our Latin consultant, David Hopkins, writes: The full sentence, from Acts 20:35,  is BEATIUS EST MAGIS DARE QUAM ACCIPERE - “It is more b...

2 subjects commemorated
Lennon and Harrison - Baker Street

Lennon and Harrison - Baker Street

W1, Baker Street, 94

In 1969 Lennon returned his MBE to the Queen but apparently this had no effect on his status and so this plaque is still technically corr...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Bronco toilet paper

Bronco toilet paper

E9, White Post Lane

Matt at Londonist found this plaque in 2014. We've hunted and failed to find it, so believe it lost. His notes say the plaque was in Whit...

2 subjects commemorated
Ada Salter Garden - lost plaque

Ada Salter Garden - lost plaque

SE16, Southwark Park, Ada Salter Garden

The information board transcribed at Ada Salter Garden gives: "A wall plaque placed at the back of the once roofed rose-covered central p...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Sir Ralph Abercromby

Sir Ralph Abercromby

Soldier and politician. Born Clackmannanshire, Scotland. Lieutenant-general in the army. Served in the Napoleonic Wars. Died following a hit at a battle, a victory, near Alexandria.

Person, Armed Forces, Politics & Administration, Egypt, Scotland

1 memorial