| Summary: |
Audio recording of oral history interview with Sir John Cotton, covering the period 1930-1946.
Cassette side OA1/18/1: Family's long term service in India. Childhood recollections. Interest in India. Entering Sandhurst. Joining 8th King George's Own Light Cavalry after attachment to infantry battalion. Composition of regiment. Small size of horses; their use for polo. Slowness of mechanisation. Prestige of cavalry regiments; description of uniform. Daily routine.
Cassette side OA1/18/2: Continues description of daily routine. Role of viceroy's commissioned officers. Composition of Indian cavalry regiments. Learning Urdu; role of Indian language tutor. Financial position of cavalry officers. Description of mess life: rules observed there; drinking habits. Highlights of cavalry life: parades; marching. Transfer to Indian Political Service 1934; its composition and recruitment procedures. Cavalry role in counteracting North West Frontier civil disobedience campaign.
Cassette side OA1/18/3: Cavalry efforts to capture murderer. Relationship between Indian States and Raj; role of political officers; their reluctance to intervene. Cotton's work as secretary to various residents. Recollections of Nizam of Hyderabad and hospitality of Maharajah of Rajpipla. Admiration for examples of benevolent paternalism in Indian states. Isolation of political officers; their social life; good and bad postings. Cotton's enjoyment of his service in Rajputana. Political officer's uniform.
Cassette side OA1/18/4: Story of tiger shoot. Hunting to supplement diet; description of food. Duties of servants; restrictions of caste. Relationship with servants. Recollections of bungalows. Importance of club to British women; activities there; exclusion of Indians. Role of British women; problems of long service and family separation. Reasons for educating children in Britain. Tradition of long service. Drinking habits. Dress standards.
Cassette side OA1/18/5: Description of bedding roll and dak bungalows used on tour. Keeping horses. Methods of alleviating effects of heat. Recollections of climate. Situation of British soldiers in India: lack of social life; grimness of conditions. Restrictions on early marriage. British eccentricities. Minuting system of Indian Civil Service. Importance of protocol. Isolation of up-country ICS officers. Morning interviews with Indians as political officer. Dining with Maharajahs. System of land revenue. Evocative sights and sounds of India.
Cassette side OA1/18/6: Evocative smells of India. Honesty of British officials; general high standards of behaviour. Disadvantages of Indian service. British and Indian attitudes as independence approached. Attitude of ICS to Indians; efficiency of Indian subordinates. Attitude towards Indian politicians. Reflections on role of British in India and Cotton's own career there.
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| Main author: |
Cotton; Sir; John (1909-2001); Knight; Political Officer in the Indian Political Service |
| Other authors: |
Allen; Charles (b 1940); historian and interviewer |
| Extent: |
2 hr. 55 min.
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| Admin history: |
British officer in 8th King George's Own Light Cavalry in India 1930-1934 and Political Officer in Indian Political Service 1934-1946. |
| Access status: |
Closed
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| Access conditions: |
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: C1510/18/01-06. For more details see www.bl.uk/listening or contact listening@bl.uk / 020 7412 7418.
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| Copyright: |
Copyright held by British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) |
| User restrictions: |
Private study only. For publication or broadcast please refer to Archivist |
| Language: |
English
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| Copies: |
Copy available at British Library Listening & Viewing Service. Reference: C1510/18/01-06
Copy available at Imperial War Museum. Reference: 004917/06 |
| Related material: |
Transcript available at SOAS Library. Reference: OA1/18/T |
| Format: |
Archive
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