Interview with Sir Conrad Corfield [sound recording]

Audio recording of oral history interview with Sir Conrad Corfield, covering the period 1893-1947. Cassette side OA1/16/1: Illustration of relationship between Indian Civil Service, Indian Political Service and Secretariat based on Corfield's career. Childhood recollections of India: games, servant...

Full description

Archive & Special Collections OA1/16/1-11 Closed

Date(s) of creation: 1972-1974
Level: Item
Format: Archive           
Main author: Corfield; Sir; Conrad Laurence (1893-1980); Knight; colonial administrator
Other authors: Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer

collection SOAS Archive
id OA1.16.1-11
recordtype archive
scb_item_location Archive & Special Collections
item_location Archive & Special Collections
scb_loan_type Reference only
callnumber OA1/16/1-11
callnumber_txt OA1/16/1-11
callnumber-sort OA1/16/1-11
prefix_number 1-11
title Interview with Sir Conrad Corfield [sound recording]
scb_date_creation 1972-1974
scb_level Item
level_sort 8/Collection/Sub-Collection/Sub-Sub-Collection/Sub-Sub-Sub-Collection/Series/Sub-Series/Sub-Sub-Series/File/Item
scb_extent 5 hr. 30 min.
author Corfield; Sir; Conrad Laurence (1893-1980); Knight; colonial administrator
author_facet Corfield; Sir; Conrad Laurence (1893-1980); Knight; colonial administrator
Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer
authorStr Corfield; Sir; Conrad Laurence (1893-1980); Knight; colonial administrator
author_letter Corfield; Sir; Conrad Laurence (1893-1980); Knight; colonial administrator
author2 Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer
author2Str Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer
format Archive
scb_admin_history British Political Adviser to Viceroy in Indian Civil Service.
description Audio recording of oral history interview with Sir Conrad Corfield, covering the period 1893-1947. Cassette side OA1/16/1: Illustration of relationship between Indian Civil Service, Indian Political Service and Secretariat based on Corfield's career. Childhood recollections of India: games, servants; climate. Reason for joining ICS. Voyage to India; reception in India as member of ICS. Differences in attitude between old and new ICS officers. Knowledge of inevitability of independence. Recollections of Lahore club; nature of conversations there. Cassette side OA1/16/2: Stories illustrating process of gaining experience as assistant commissioner in Punjab 1920. Description of deputy commissioner's control of Congress demonstration. Problems of organising durbar; importance of precedence. Description of protocol: gun salutes; importance of enforcing respect for British; influence of Moguls. Description of durbar. Parliamentary control of India; its obstruction of reform in Indian states. Cassette side OA1/16/3: Origin of Indian states' position; variations in size. Relationship between Indian states and central government; role of IPS. Opinion that government of Indian states needed reform. British attitude to Indian states. Effects of heat. Lack of privacy and continuous service to community. Recollections of touring: determination to investigate conditions; value of tours. Description of Punjab landscape. Enjoyment of jungle. Story of lion shoot. Shoots organised by Indian states. Cassette side OA1/16/4: Dislike of game hunting; comments on tiger shoots. Description of Indian servants. Stories illustrating Indian custom of bribery. General incorruptibility of ICS; decline after independence. Eccentricities resulting from isolation. Evocative sights, sounds and smells of India. Experiences as secretary to resident of Kathiawar: recollections of Indian rulers; enforcing payment of customs duties. Cassette side OA1/16/5: Alleged assault by Corfield on boy; settlement of incident. Recollections of Rajputana: Jain's religious scruples; Ajmer male college. Reputation, exploits and death of Maharajah of Alwar. Obtaining post as political adviser to Maharajah of Rewa in Central States. Dealing with Congress Party unrest; repercussions. Removal of Maharajah for neglecting finances. Role of resident. Impressions of palaces. Varying quality of Indian states' rulers. Cassette side OA1/16/6: Absence of internal checks on princes. Disappointment with Chamber of Princes. Efforts to get cooperation between small states. Respect given to princes. Difficulty in merging small states. Problems having children posed to married officer. Intention to retire to Britain. Reasons for British success. Regret federal government was not established. Opinion that princes were let down by independence terms. Contrast of image and reality of political officers' role. Cassette side OA1/16/7: Defence of work of political officers; their role. Dispute as political adviser 1947 with Mountbatten over issue of paramountcy of Indian states after independence. Reasons for disapproval of rush to independence; briefing residents to expect problems. Lack of power to intervene in Indian states without evidence of gross maladministration; restraints this imposed on political officers. Corfield's removal of Maharajah of Rewa for maladministration. Religious differences apparent at school sports. Cassette side OA1/16/8: Reads talk entitled 'I served the Maharajah'. Description of State of Rewa at time of Corfield's appointment as political adviser to Maharajah. Successful actions to control local unrest. Differences with Maharajah over administrative reform: police pay; nobles' rights. Tiger hunting. Success over nobles' rights. End of his service; accepting present from Maharajah. Reads talk entitled 'Maharajahs'. Description and anecdotes of various Maharajahs known to Corfield. Cassette side OA1/16/9: Reads talk entitled 'The best job I ever had'. Description of residency at Jaipur; visitors and entertaining. Stories illustrating aspects of Corfield's work as resident in various states of Jaipur. R10 Reads talk entitled 'Viceregal circles'. Stores illustrating court life. Description of duties of aidede- camp and assistant private secretary. Stories of Gandhi and Dame Nellie Melba's visits to Viceroy. Background to Prince of Wales' visit to India. Relations between Viceroy and Indian state rulers. Reads talk entitled 'Two interviews and an audience'. Description of interview with Wavell 1945 concerning Indian states and vetting Corfield for position of political adviser. Des-scription of audience with George VI at which Corfield was knighted. Description of interview with Nizam of Hyderabad at which end of British paramountcy was discussed. R11 Reads talk entitled 'Baluchistan'. Corfield's posting as assistant to political agent of State of Kalat. Stories of previous chief commissioner. Political agent's efforts to reform tribal customs and suppress slavery. Corfield's expedition to source of slavery granting freedom certificates. Illustration of principle of divide and rule. Reads talk entitled 'I joined the service'. Corfield's arrival in India. Early experiences in Lahore as assistant commissioner: law courts; touring; leave in Simla; school sports; congress demonstration; organising a durbar; description of elections. Posting as assistant secretary to Viceroy. R12 Cassette side OA1/16/10: Reads talk entitled 'Viceregal circles'. Stores illustrating court life. Description of duties of aidede- camp and assistant private secretary. Stories of Gandhi and Dame Nellie Melba's visits to Viceroy. Background to Prince of W Cassette side OA1/16/11: Reads talk entitled 'Baluchistan'. Corfield's posting as assistant to political agent of State of Kalat. Stories of previous chief commissioner. Political agent's efforts to reform tribal customs and suppress slavery. Corfield's e
scb_access_status Closed
scb_conditions_gov_access Access to sound recording of this interview is currently unavailable at SOAS Library. The transcript can be consulted. Researchers can access a copy of this sound recording at the British Library Listening & Viewing Service. Reference: C1510/16/01-11. For more details see www.bl.uk/listening or contact listening@bl.uk / 020 7412 7418.
scb_copyright Copyright held by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
scb_use_restrictions Private study only. For publication or broadcast please refer to Archivist
language English
language_search English
scb_copies Copy available at British Library Listening & Viewing Service. Reference: C1510/16/01-11 Copy available at Imperial War Museum. Reference: 004915/11
scb_related_material Transcript available at SOAS Library. Reference: OA1/16/T
hierarchy_top_id_raw OA1
hierarchy_sequence OA1.0016.001-11

Similar items