The Memsahibs: The Women of Victorian India 0712625615, 9780712625616

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Macquarie Bunk Stop . 7O PARRAMATTA.

SMITH HOUSE, MACQUARIE STREET, N.S.W. AUSTRALIA 2150

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THE MEMSAHIBS

By the same author THE

COMING THE

A

CURIOUS

LIFE TO

OF

DEER FOR CHINA

THE

CRY A

BARBARIANS

PAVILION LADY,

WITH

ISABELLA LOVE

BIRD

THE MEMSAHIBS The Women of Victorian India

PAT BARR

SECKER & WARBURG LONDON

First published in England 1976 by Martin Secker & Warburg Limited 14 Carlisle Street, London W1V 6NN Reprinted 1976

Copyright © Pat Barr 1976 SBN: 436 03359 3

Printed offset litho and bound in Great Britain by Cox & Wyman Limited, London, Fakenham and Reading

For Jean Lavender with love

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I should like to express my appreciation for the constructive help I received from Miss Mary Thatcher, archivist of the Centre of

South Asian Studies in Cambridge, whose shared enthusiasm for the subject was a great stimulus. I should also like to thank the staff of the India Office Library for their assistance. I am grateful too for the advice and encouragement I received from Mr John Hearsey, Mr Richard Collier and the late Lady Stokes.

CONTENTS Introduction

PART

Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter

One Two Three Four

Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter

Five Six Seven Eight

20

34 PART

Nine Ten Eleven Twelve

Bibliography Index

TWO 7

89 106 120

PART

Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter

ONE

THREE I4I 158

169 190

203 207

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