 People from the Indian subcontinent have settled in Great Britain since the East India Company (EIC) recruited "lascars" to replace vacancies in their crews on East Indiamen whilst on voyages in India.Many were then refused passage back, and were marooned in London.There were also some "ayahs", domestic servants and nannies of wealthy British families, who accompanied their employers back to "Blighty" when their stay in Asia came to an end.